Man Shot By Taser Dies

[MJS]

http://www.courant.com/hc-nebcrash0712.artjul12,0,5301373.story?track=mostviewedlink

NEW BRITAIN -- A man who was shot by police with a stun gun after leaping through the plate glass window of a South Street business and crashing on the hood of a car has died, city police said late Tuesday.

Jesus Negron, 29, of Sheffield Street, New Britain, collapsed while being handcuffed, after being struck by a Taser round. He was taken by ambulance to New Britain General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said.

While the investigation is still ongoing, IMHO, it seems to me that the police were justified in using the Taser. The person in question was either under the influence of something or had some mental disorders. I say this because of the actions that he was displaying.

The Taser is supposed to be one of the less lethal tools that the LEOs have available to them, however, it seems like more and more people are dying. Now, I'm not against their use, but it seems to me that no matter what the LEOs are faced with, its really a no win situation. Its going to take at least 6-8 weeks before the exact cause of death is determined according to the news.

So, what are your thoughts on these tools and the effect that they seem to be having?

Mike

 

[OUMoose]

From the article:

Officers approached the man and started to climb the stairs, but backed off. One officer shot the man in the chest with a Taser and another officer handcuffed him to a railing, Semedo said. The man was then shot with a Taser gun a second time while he was handcuffed, Semedo said.

Seems there's alot missing from the article to warrant getting blasted twice with a taser. :idunno: I think I'd still take my chances with a taser than an angry cop with a firearm.

 

[Swordlady]

I wonder if the man was also under the influence of some kind of drug. That, combined with being hit with multiple Taser blasts, might have been a lethal combination.

Still...I think that getting blasted by a Taser is far more humane than getting shot.

 

[HKphooey]

Once he was handcuffed to the railing, I think the officers were pretty safe. I am all for using force when needed, but so far this does not look like the case. But as we all know, the press does not give us all the details.

I think tasers are a useful weapon if used properly.

 

[Grenadier]

From what I've read, the officers seemed justified in using the tasers. The first one probably didn't take out all of the fight in the suspect, hence the need for the second jolt.

Had they used more physical methods of trying to squeeze the fight out of him in lieu of the second taser jolt, that could have killed him as well.

Since none of us were there to see it in person, and based on how I've seen reporters write for the Hartford Courant, I would have to guess that something's missing from the story.

Really, it shouldn't have come down to this. There are several things that Negron could have done to avoid dying, and this doesn't even include the original event that caused the police to show up...:

1) He could have not jumped through a plate glass window to get away from the police.

2) He could have simply not tried to run away.

3) He could have complied when they repeatedly hollered at him to halt.

 

[MJS]

From the article:

Seems there's alot missing from the article to warrant getting blasted twice with a taser. :idunno: I think I'd still take my chances with a taser than an angry cop with a firearm.

From todays article:
http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-ctnebjesus0713.artjul13,0,4664778.story?coll=hc-headlines-local

Wright would not confirm whether Jesus Negron had been shot twice with a Taser, once after being handcuffed to a stairway railing, as a witness described.

Wright said it is not uncommon for a person who is already in handcuffs to be shot with a Taser.

"It's certainly something that could happen if the person is still resisting," Wright said. "Just because they're handcuffed doesn't mean they're under control."

 

[MJS]

Once he was handcuffed to the railing, I think the officers were pretty safe.

Not sure why they chose to handcuff him to the railing, rather than just put both hands behind his back. If they feared him getting up and trying to run, leg restraints are always an option.

But as we all know, the press does not give us all the details.

Impossible!!:xtrmshock

I think tasers are a useful weapon if used properly.

Agreed.

 

[bignick]

Evidently he also jumped out of a window onto a car...which is never conducive to a healthy lifestyle from what I know...anything can be sensationalized...every person that has ever been or ever will be hit with a taser has or will die...just as we all will.

Although I do admit the timing on this death does make the taser suspect....

 

[Fluffy]

I have a few students involved with the law enforcement community, they assure me that tasers do not kill. There must have been something else involved. Drugs? The fall to the top of the car? A defect that would have been amplified by the Taser + Drugs or alcohol? Maybe it was just his time?

 

[still learning]

Hello, Tasers should be use more often! They should get longer range one's too. For Police officers only.

Anytime you can take someone down without getting anyone hurt in progress (police work)....this is good.

But killing/shooting the bad guys saves court time/and frees up prison spaces....so maybe not too good of an idea? Considering how to get out quickly now days from prison.

Hawaii now spends over 50 millions dollars a year to house quilty one's off Island (sent to mainland prisons).

 

[Don Roley]

A lot of people that get hit with tasers die. The police generally won't use them unless there is a real danger and the guy is not acting rationally. That usually means a lot of drugs in the system or something like the jumping through windows and such this guy did.

There have been over 20 court cases made against Taser and not one of them has won. The guys that get tased all seem to have had other health problems- again mainly drugs, that caused their deaths and the taser was a symptom of the violence that led to their deaths rather than the cause.

 

[deadhand31]

Here are a few ideas..

1. If he didn't commit a crime, he would be alive.

2. If he would have completely complied with the officer, he would be alive.

3. If he was not in a stable mental condition, (which could be demonstrated by his stabbing a car with a pitchfork), he could be a great danger to approach, and stronger measures have to be taken.

Alot of this could be avoided by simply making smarter choices. I'm reminded of a quote from Dr. Bill Cosby:

"These are people going around stealing Coca Cola. People getting shot in the back of the head over a piece of pound cake! Then we all run out and are outraged, “The cops shouldn’t have shot him” What the hell was he doing with the pound cake in his hand?"

While a person shouldn't get shot for this crime, it should be pointed out that they would be alive if they hand't commited it in the first place.

 

[Blotan Hunka]

Here are a few ideas..

1. If he didn't commit a crime, he would be alive.

2. If he would have completely complied with the officer, he would be alive.

3. If he was not in a stable mental condition, (which could be demonstrated by his stabbing a car with a pitchfork), he could be a great danger to approach, and stronger measures have to be taken.

Alot of this could be avoided by simply making smarter choices. I'm reminded of a quote from Dr. Bill Cosby:

"These are people going around stealing Coca Cola. People getting shot in the back of the head over a piece of pound cake! Then we all run out and are outraged, “The cops shouldn’t have shot him” What the hell was he doing with the pound cake in his hand?"

While a person shouldn't get shot for this crime, it should be pointed out that they would be alive if they hand't commited it in the first place.

I think you make an interesting point there. While nobody is saying somebody "deserves" to be killed for "stealing a pound cake". A wrongful death doesnt make the victim into a saint. It makes me sick when the media portrays some crook as the "loving father trying to make something of himself" simply because he was accidentally shot.

 

[Fluffy]

I think you make an interesting point there. While nobody is saying somebody "deserves" to be killed for "stealing a pound cake". A wrongful death doesnt make the victim into a saint. It makes me sick when the media portrays some crook as the "loving father trying to make something of himself" simply because he was accidentally shot.

And you both have great points.

He didn't deserve to die but it happened. Now, is there culpability? I don't think so. The officers did what they were trained to, and used what they believed (and is seen in the general public) to be a "less than lethal" weapon.

 

[MJS]

Just an update. I haven't seen anything more about this. Seems like the typical newspaper scenario: hype up an incident, get everyone riled up and then, boom...nothing more about it.

In any case, it is too bad, the way things had to turn out. Many times, people watching half the story unfold, such as the case with the witness to this incident, don't get the whole story. Instead, they see the last half, which in this case, was the guy being shot with the Taser. Had they known everything first hand as to what lead up to this, I wonder if their viewpoints would change?

Mike

 

[ginshun]

Perhaps he shouldn't have put himself in that postion.

Had he been shot with a gun he'd probably be dead too.

 

[SFC JeffJ]

Hello, Tasers should be use more often! They should get longer range one's too. For Police officers only.

Anytime you can take someone down without getting anyone hurt in progress (police work)....this is good.

But killing/shooting the bad guys saves court time/and frees up prison spaces....so maybe not too good of an idea? Considering how to get out quickly now days from prison.

Hawaii now spends over 50 millions dollars a year to house quilty one's off Island (sent to mainland prisons).

I'm curious about why you think only the police should have them. Wouldn't it be good to give civilians more less than lethal options?

JeffJ

 

[Kacey]

I'm curious about why you think only the police should have them. Wouldn't it be good to give civilians more less than lethal options?

JeffJ

Like anything else, a taser can be misused and/or abused. Why add another item to the list? Also, if people get tasers because they are "non-lethal", they will be more likely to misuse them... so why risk it? Tasers can be lethal if misused, or if the person who is tased is ill or on various drugs.