Ever been tazed?

[punisher73]

TASER International Inc. lost its first products liability case on June 6, 2008 when a jury awarded damages of more than $6 million in the wrongful death lawsuit of a 40-year old California man. Robert Heston was intoxicated with methamphetamine when he was subjected by police officers to approximately 25 discharges from multiple TASER electronic control devices: the lawsuit claimed the shocks from the TASER contributed to his death.

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Seen here

Hmmmm, high on drugs and drunk. You put a drug into the system that effects the heart rate and ramps it up and then induce a high level stress situation? Again, it is not the shock of the TASER that caused it but the stress of the event. I don't care what a JURY says it was, read the medical studies on the TASER's effects. Even then, the jury ruled it "contributed" not caused.

This was a civil lawsuit where they are going to go after the person with the most money. Since it is also a civil case, it is a very low bar to have to get over to win (tip your case slightly in your favor and you win it).

These cases are about somebody trying to get rich quick. It was like a few years ago when some guy got drunk at Giant's stadium and found ways to violate the alcohol policy and then got in a wreck on the way home and killed someone. They family of the victim sued and won MILLIONS of dollars from the Giant's organization because they "contributed" to the accident.

I have yet to see a case where somebody got disorderly and was completely in good health and was only tased once and then died. It is ALWAYS somebody in poor health or high on drugs, or somebody that is both and continues to disobey and fight with the police and multiple hits are used.

 

[elder999]

I have yet to see a case where somebody got disorderly and was completely in good health and was only tased once and then died. It is ALWAYS somebody in poor health or high on drugs, or somebody that is both and continues to disobey and fight with the police and multiple hits are used.

Yea, maybe, but you said:

Originally Posted by punisher73
Lastly, NOBODY has died from being tasered. .

Ane people have died from being tasered. In some instances, because of the issues that you cited, in some because they fell and cracked their skulls, and in some because the taser was "abused."

 

[Carol]

I think the death of Victoria Snelgrove outside Fenway Park in 2004 is a solid demonstration of how non-lethal force is better described as less-lethal force.

 

[Drac]

Any and all injuries sustained at the hands of the police could have been prevented if the suspect /subject simpy STOPPED RESISTING ARREST ..

 

[elder999]

Any and all injuries sustained at the hands of the police could have been prevented if the suspect /subject simpy STOPPED RESISTING ARREST ..

The fellow in this story was zapped nine times after he was handcuffed.:

WINNFIELD, Louisiana (CNN) -- A police officer shocked a handcuffed Baron "Scooter" Pikes nine times with a Taser after arresting him on a cocaine charge He stopped twitching after seven, according to a coroner's report. Soon afterward, Pikes was dead.Now the officer, since fired, could end up facing criminal charges in Pikes' January death after medical examiners ruled it a homicide.
Dr. Randolph Williams, the Winn Parish coroner, told CNN the 21-year-old sawmill worker was jolted so many times by the 50,000-volt Taser that he might have been dead before the last two shocks were delivered.
Williams ruled Pikes' death a homicide in June after extensive study.

 

[Carol]

The fellow in this story was zapped nine times after he was handcuffed.:

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The officer that tazed the victim lost his job, and has since been indicted on one count of manslaughter and one count of malfeasance in office. He goes to trial on July 13, and faces a potential maximum of 45 years behind bars.

http://www.thetowntalk.com/article/20090131/NEWS01/901310351

 

[JadeDragon3]

Yes I have been tazed by a tazer shield when I went through training for the Kentucky Dept. of Corrections. I was a C.O. at a state prison. The shield was one that they use during riots. It has wire running through the glass shield and on the back it has 2 handles with triggers. When you pull the trigger it sends a jolt through the shield. When you put the shield up to someone you pull the triggers and push them up against a wall. We had one inmate that just laughed when we tazed him. He was in the phyc ward.

 

[Carol]

Yes I have been tazed by a tazer shield when I went through training for the Kentucky Dept. of Corrections. I was a C.O. at a state prison. The shield was one that they use during riots. It has wire running through the glass shield and on the back it has 2 handles with triggers. When you pull the trigger it sends a jolt through the shield. When you put the shield up to someone you pull the triggers and push them up against a wall. We had one inmate that just laughed when we tazed him. He was in the phyc ward.

That sounds more like a stun gun than a taser. With stun guns, a person's mental state or level of drug/alcohol use can directly affect how the person reacts to the shock, because stun guns are a simple DC high-voltage, low-ampereage shock and nothing else.

If contact is properly made with the electrodes, then the ECD pulse is enough to cause the muscles to momentarily clench, regardless of the person's mental state or even if the person is unconscious. There's a news release from Taser indicating that riot-control shield will be available around 4Q08, but the Taser website doesn't indicate that as an available product.

 

[JadeDragon3]

They called it a tazer shield. Its what the C.E.R.T. (certified emergency response team) uses. It's a prison's version of the S.W.A.T. team

 

[Carol]

Also, the civilian model of the TASER, is set for 25 seconds to give you time to run away before the attacker has time to react.

But the power source is in the handheld unit, and the projectile goes out on wire leads. Does that mean the civilian should drop the weapon and run for safety once engaging the taser?

 

[Archangel M]

Those shields while called "Taser Shields" are simply stun guns or Tasers used in "drive stun" mode...which is the equivalent of a stun gun.

 

[Thesemindz]

One of my buddies just sent me this video

It's some guys getting tased and then practicing tactical shooting. I thought it was pretty interesting and might contribute to the discussion.


-Rob

 

[jks9199]

There have been cases where people tazed didn't fall. Not many, but it has happened.

http://www.policeone.com/police-pro...ports-stress-TASERs-safety-and-effectiveness/

http://www.gbpolice.org/Taser Study.pdf

But Taser's do have faults. Range (lack of it), multiple shots, abilty to go through very thick clothing (leather vest becomes a 'taser proof' vest, and possibilty of malfunctions (it's alot more complex than a handgun.)

But when it comes between clubbing a resistant suspect and taser them, well the taz is the answer.

Oh, and BTW, I've never been tazed, nor pepper sprayed, nor beaten with a club (and i have no desire to find out what they are like.)

Deaf

There are some YouTube videos of a martial arts school that hit a guy with a Taser and he's not effected. He's also rather overweight, and the hit is to the fat of his body. Fat conducts electricity differently, and it doesn't contract like muscle, so the Taser doesn't work as well on signifigantly overweight subjects, especially if it hits, for example the belly.

 

[Archangel M]

There are some YouTube videos of a martial arts school that hit a guy with a Taser and he's not effected. He's also rather overweight, and the hit is to the fat of his body. Fat conducts electricity differently, and it doesn't contract like muscle, so the Taser doesn't work as well on signifigantly overweight subjects, especially if it hits, for example the belly.

I PM'd a guy here who posted up a vid of a similar test. I think its the same guy. If I remember the communication correctly, that Taser was an early "civilian model". Again..not an ideal test to judge the effectiveness of modern LE model Tasers.

 

[jks9199]

I PM'd a guy here who posted up a vid of a similar test. I think its the same guy. If I remember the communication correctly, that Taser was an early "civilian model". Again..not an ideal test to judge the effectiveness of modern LE model Tasers.

The early Air Taser and similar products aren't nearly the same as the current generation X26 or M26 Tasers. Nor are several products on the market... Right now, I'm not aware of any similar electrical charge device that utilizes any version of the NeuroMuscular Incapicitation of the "real" Taser.

Assuming a solid hit, with a reasonable spread (12 to 18 inches or so) between the leads -- the Taser is HIGHLY reliable to do the job it's designed for.

One other point... The current models of the Taser don't deliver a 50000 volt shock; they use a 50000 volt charge to pass through any clothing, skin, etc. and almost immediately the voltage drops down to more like a couple of thousand. And the amperage is a tiny fraction of the amps involved in a cardiac defibrilator. In fact, it's a tiny fraction of the amperage in household current!

 

[punisher73]

But the power source is in the handheld unit, and the projectile goes out on wire leads. Does that mean the civilian should drop the weapon and run for safety once engaging the taser?

Up to you, do you value your safety or your property more? I'm not trying to be flippant, but you do have to weigh the risks or carrying the TASER vs. OC or some other non-lethal deterrent.

Also, the civilian TASER is not legal in all states (In MI I know it is not legal), so you would need to check state/local laws first.