Zion, IL
By A.B. Dada
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UCLA’s Daily Bruin has an article about the new taser-use policy on campus. The article states, and I agree, that this may be the “best” taser use policy enacted to date:

Though The Bruin could not obtain a copy of the policy before press time, Ross said it specifically states that a Taser cannot be used on a person defined as a “passive resister” – as was the case with the Powell incident according to an independent review.

Use of the taser is acceptable for truly violent, active and aggressive resisters, which would be a safer policy than the use of firearms, which are known to present a danger to non-resisters and onlookers. Also, officers armed with a taser will be required to retrain, and take a test that requires a 100% passing grade for the officer to be allowed to arm themselves with a taser. Officers will also be required to annually pass a new training course for taser use.

Murray Mollard has an article in the Edmonton Sun covering the BCCLA (British Columbia Civil Liberties Association) calling for the banning of taser use by police until a new policy can be enacted. The fallout from the death of a man tasered at a Canadian airport recently has provoked many OpEd pieces calling for a moratorium on taser use:

Fast forward seven years to today, after a reported 19 civilian deaths in Canada related to the Taser and growing (and hundreds in the U.S.), the BCCLA is now calling for a nation-wide moratorium on Tasers and a public inquiry into the weapon.

The use of the taser in Canada was supposed to be as a replacement when a gun would normally be used. This is not the case, though, as the article states:

But judging from the infamous Dziekanski video and other anecdotal evidence, the Taser appears to have become the police’s option of first resort rather than second last.

The NY Post has a short blurb covering a lawsuit against NY police who alledgely used a taser improperly to subdue a non-violent suspect during a traffic stop. In a traffic stop that has no obvious signs of driver impairment, I can not believe that the police are allowed to withdraw a traffic law violator from their vehicle. Public safety, and driver safety, should be the primary concern when issuing a citation. Forcing a person out of their vehicle is definitely contrary to the rule of law, and in this case it would seem that the officer’s use of force, including alledgely choking the driver and using a taser against him, should be followed up with a criminal investigation against the officer.

Posted: December 10th, 2007 under california taser, canada.
Comments: none

Zion, IL
By A.B. Dada
—

From The London Free Press: “Dr. James Cairns, the provincial deputy chief coroner who appeared at the 2005 probe of the death of Londoner Peter Lamonday, is facing criticism for having Taser International pay his travel expenses to lecture at their American conferences.”

Lamonday was alledgely high on cocaine, but was tasered three times by police, and passed away in a hospital about 1 hour later. The use of the taser is not being blamed for the murder, according to police investigators.

In the FredrickNewsPost, “Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins will hold a press conference today to provide an update on the case of a 20-year-old man who died last month after being struck by a Taser. The cause and manner of Jarrel Cortez Gray’s death have not been determined, but the sheriff plans to release more details at 3 p.m. at the Law Enforcement Center.”

Mr. Gray was one of three men who were told to get on the ground by Murderer Jenkins. Gray did not respond to Jenkins’ command to get on the ground, and was tased twice in 23 seconds, at which point he fell unconscious and was pronounced dead at the hospital nearly 3 hours later.

In the same case, from the Gazette Maryland: “‘‘We smell cover-up,” attorney Ted Williams said on Tuesday. ‘‘… What is happening is that [the sheriff’s office] is attempting to change the facts to protect and suit the officer’s statement, so there is some concern here.””

Jenkins has a history of promoting the use of violence against the non-violent. According to Gazette Maryland also: “Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins will not allow his deputies to patrol schools unless they are equipped with all the tools available to other deputies, including Tasers. Now it’s up to the Board of Education to decide if deputies belong in schools at all.”

Here we see another thug who believes it is his right to protect himself over the common good for the public.

The Voice of London says “Daniel Sylvester, 45, from Edmonton, north London, claims that he was tasered EIGHT times without provocation during a stop and search operation. Sylvester says he was stopped by police officers just a few metres from his home, and they were abusive. He says as he stepped out of his T Registration Mercedes Jeep, he felt a electric shock to his head and fell on his knees. ”

Sylvester was pulled over for a traffic citation, but was not cited for any crimes by the offenders who committed the atrocious act for no explainable reason.

“Responding to enquiries made by The Voice, Metropolitan Police did not explain why Sylvester was tasered, but said he was stopped by officers from ‘Operation Neon’.”

For those unfamiliar with Operation Neon, it is a thug-enforced police activity where police randomly pull people over if they feel those people may have firearms.

“According to Home Office figures, black people are six times more likely to be stopped than white people. The stop and search procedures have been criticized as amounting to racial profiling, and an ineffective means of solving crime. Experts suggest that less than 10 per cent of such operations result in an arrest.”

In Northwest Arkansas News: “Steven E. Wanbaugh, 46, filed a lawsuit claiming Cpl. Robin Fields held him down while officer Travis Faught used a Taser on him for about 30 minutes. Wanbaugh claims in his handwritten complaint that Faught used the electrical shock device on him 10 to 30 times, making it hard for him to walk for days.”

While the case is pending, the article has another shocker: “The non-jury trial is scheduled for March 27 in U. S. District Court in Fayetteville.”

The Honolulu Advertiser says: “Big Island police are holding meetings to brief the public on the department’s newly acquired Taser electronic control devices. The meetings include an explanation about the Taser, a demonstration of its use and time for questions and answers.”

I firmly believe that all citizens and residents should request a similar public hall meeting with police, city officials, and residents to discuss the opposition to the use of so-called “non-lethal” force. According to Amnesty International, there are 220 recorded cases of murder by taser since 2001, which more murders being reported in the media lately.

Posted: December 6th, 2007 under arkansas taser, canada, death, hawaii taser, london, maryland taser.
Comments: none

Concerned with the lack of information they have received about an Italian-Canadian who was shot with a Taser and died while in police custody in September, the Italian government summoned Canada’s ambassador to Rome to the country’s foreign ministry on Monday to file an official complaint.

Mr. Castagnetta, who didn’t have a criminal record, died in his prison cell two days later.

Read the entire article at Embassy

In other Canadian taser-related news, Canada.com has an article about a cop who shot a man instead of tasering him. The cops are defending the action as the cop supposedly was trying to reach for his taser. The article shows a really ridiculous excuse based on this quote:

It has been suggested that Miller was reaching for his Taser but drew his gun by mistake. The two items are worn on the same belt, and the Taser is designed to feel similar to a handgun.

So this taser is meant to feel like a gun, and the inept police place it on their belt near their gun. I’m sure this common mistake won’t happen again.

Posted: December 5th, 2007 under canada, death.
Comments: 1