Lafayette: Man dies during taser incident

[aard3]

I don't know if I agree with that statement, not entirely. I mean, that's like saying someone died of pnuemonia when they had AIDS. "AIDS didn't kill him..." Well, yeah. It sort of did. I think off the top of my head in that situation, the death certificate would read "complications resulting from" or "complications of".

And before you start disagreeing too much, I have an accidental death certificate. There are two lines, both states slightly different reasons of death. One the technical organ failure, and the other... umm... Jesus I hate to use this term, but "method" of death. (At least, if memory serves me) In this case, it may be "arrhythmic heart attack" in one line, and "taser" listed in another.

I'm not disagreeing with your implication. I'd go as far as to say their behavior killed them before a taser did. But they could still feasibly live for the rest of their life with an underlying heart condition, had they not been tased/taken drugs/stuck a butter knife in an electric socket. The reason I'm making my point is because it just seems that if you walk into a court room and say that type of broad sweeping statement, you'd set up to lose a lawsuit for your department. "Contributing factors" suggests yes a taser did have something to do with their death.

I agree with you on one very indisputable fact. Tasers saves lives.

My sentiments exactly...just didn't feel like stirring up nolacop today ;-)

 

[aard3]

Oh and "blah blah blah Javon was a good boy, boo hoo"


Bull.

Yea, i saw his rap sheet (one of the news stations had it) couple drug convictions, firearms violations... and ARMED robbery

but he was a "peacemaker"... lol.

 

[topgunz1]

What do the drugs physically do that make it more lethal? Im not arguing the point im just curious?

Most every drug will have an impact on heart rate, blood pressure, etc.

 

[Cat]

My sentiments exactly...just didn't feel like stirring up nolacop today ;-)

Oh I wasn't stirring him up. And I hope he doesn't take it that way because arguing over death certificate technicalities isn't my idea of a good time. I was just giving my understanding and small amount of knowledge on the subject.

 

[Hitman]

Did you read this comment below Cat?

I would bet that the majority of the street cops in America have been tased, yet I haven't heard of a Taser training death. Why? Because they aren't on drugs, and know that officers with heart conditions and other risk factors are not to be tased. On the street we don't have time to get a medical history check before we deploy.

Tazers (ALONE) rarely kill people as Brannon said, but you add in some underlying situations and it can indeed escalate the potential lethality of Tazers.

Like Topgunz mentions, think about how many thousands of Officers and thousands of Military Service men and women are tazed during training. I've never heard of a Death due to Tazer training and if you could find one it still wouldn't make a difference for argument sake.

P.S. >
How's Spec enjoying the New truck?

What do the drugs physically do that make it more lethal? Im not arguing the point im just curious?

I'm definitely no medical expert but I suppose the fact that most drugs increase your heart rate, same with ENERGY drinks. Add a couple thousand electric volts to your system and KABLAM! Heart Explosion. Also to note most Drug Users aren't exactly the most "FIT" people on the planet and aren't used to their heart beating any faster than 80-90 bpm.

 

[Cat]

I'm not disputing the fact that tasers won't kill a healthy individual. My only point was that in my mind at least, a broad statement that tasers don't kill isn't necessarily 100% true when you use "complications" or "contributing" in the same sentence.

And it's probably just semantics there. A totally non debatable issue because above everything else, I agree wholeheartedly that:

a) don't fight cops and you won't get tased.
b) don't do drugs, fight cops and you won't get tased... and live a productive healthy life.
c) I bet if they weren't tased and they continue to do drugs, you'd hear about a drug related overdose in very short order.


I just happen to think that a taser will be listed on a death certificate as a contributing factor of death and as such, you cannot say a taser wasn't a "link" so to speak. I may be wrong.

Let me repeat, I'm not arguing with these guys. I'm not trying to disprove them. I just don't know if I agree with "tasers don't kill" as an absolute factual statement in a legal scenario.

I took topgunz post to mean that a normal every day person with no heart condition has little to worry about a method of subduing a suspect. Don't play stupid games, you won't win stupid prizes.

 

[Cat]

And he loves his new truck. A little off topic: the Ford F350s complete high pressure fuel rail system is WAY back ordered. Dad's was in the shop for a few months (yes, months) along with another F350. No it wasn't back and forth, it was solid sitting in the dealership back lot. Since they were both work trucks, Dad told Jody to go trade his in, they couldn't afford to lose another truck for two months. Wasn't a hardship just a PITA. As far as we know they still haven't gotten the part at Hixson.


Back on topic.

 

[leVieux]

No, no.

I am not commenting on this particular incident.

But, Tazers have killed about 350 people in the USA in the last 10 years.

My dear friend, Seldon Deshotel, Jr, MD; a kind, gentle man, beloved father, and highly respected physician was killed by the Calcasieu S.O. a couple years ago. Their account of the episode does not ring true. Donnie was a very gentle, well-behaved, middle aged gentleman out for an evening walk and they killed him.

Google "Taser Deaths" to see more.

leVieux

 

[Nolacopusmc]

No, no.

I am not commenting on this particular incident.

But, Tazers have killed about 350 people in the USA in the last 10 years.

My dear friend, Seldon Deshotel, Jr, MD; a kind, gentle man, beloved father, and highly respected physician was killed by the Calcasieu S.O. a couple years ago. Their account of the episode does not ring true. Donnie was a very gentle, well-behaved, middle aged gentleman out for an evening walk and they killed him.

Google "Taser Deaths" to see more.

leVieux

Was he also a West Point grad?

 

[SirIsaacNewton]

Delete Post

 

[Hitman]

No, no.

I am not commenting on this particular incident.

But, Tazers have killed about 350 people in the USA in the last 10 years.

My dear friend, Seldon Deshotel, Jr, MD; a kind, gentle man, beloved father, and highly respected physician was killed by the Calcasieu S.O. a couple years ago. Their account of the episode does not ring true. Donnie was a very gentle, well-behaved, middle aged gentleman out for an evening walk and they killed him.

Google "Taser Deaths" to see more.

leVieux

I've read a few reports about him and I'll admit I agree it's defintely murky.

Sorry for your loss.

 

[herohog]

The whole issue with Tasers is that they aren't harmless in all cases as it has been shown that it can and does kill people with heart conditions not to mention druggies so there IS an inherent chance of death when using them. It is still better then getting shot in most cases I would think but to claim they are harmless is just flat out wrong.

 

[Shwane]

Taser, gang violence..it would have happened sooner or later.

 

[Hitman]

Deputy In Taser Death Of Javon Rakestrau Back On The Job

http://www.theadvertiser.com/article/20110120/NEWS01/101200316/Deputy-in-Taser-death-back-on-beat


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFblpsrgOGs[/ame]

 

[tuan]

Tasers do not kill people.

There are always contributing factors.

More people, cops and robbers, would be dead without Tasers.

yes sir.

 

[slinkyonrampage]

There's a reason why they are called less lethal instead of non-lethal. At the moment though, tasers are a vital piece of equipment. Without them, more officers and offenders would be injured or killed. The taser isn't going anywhere, atleast not until something better comes along.

 

[S&W4ME]

The whole issue with Tasers is that they aren't harmless in all cases as it has been shown that it can and does kill people with heart conditions not to mention druggies so there IS an inherent chance of death when using them. It is still better then getting shot in most cases I would think but to claim they are harmless is just flat out wrong.

That's why they're called Less Than Lethal Weapons. Tasers, bean bag rounds, rubber bullets can all kill you. They are just less likely to be fatal. All may be dangeous but still better odds than a 9mm.

 

[S&W4ME]

There's a reason why they are called less lethal instead of non-lethal. At the moment though, tasers are a vital piece of equipment. Without them, more officers and offenders would be injured or killed. The taser isn't going anywhere, atleast not until something better comes along.

Great minds think alike

 

[CEHollier]

Most every drug will have an impact on heart rate, blood pressure, etc.

Escecially stimulants like crack and meth. It's funny how the perp can put drugs into his body and when something happens it's always something the police did.

 

[Vanilla Gorilla]

Cocaine and similar drugs adversely effect the bodies electrolyte balance. When the balance is off and folks get tased it can damage the heart causing immediate death and can damage the kidneys causing death in the near term. If 350 people have been killed in the last 10 years when weighed against the millions of people tased I would say that was pretty damn good. Before the Taser the alternative was using an impact weapon and beating into submission or escalating force and shooting someone. There can be no doubt that the Taser is safer than either of those alternatives. LV; so your friend was just walking down the road and some mean deputy for no reason stopped and murdered him? Sounds like you know all the facts can I assume you were there? For the record every single person I ever but my hands on or my gun on was "kind and gentle" to someone. Most people are kind and gentle until they aren't.