From the Better Late Than Never Dept. comes the news that a federal appeals court yesterday issued a comprehensive ruling limiting police use of Tasers. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in a specific case that a policeman’s use of a Taser against a suspect who, although acting strangely, was unarmed and was not approaching or threatening the officer, was unwarranted. The ruling limits police use of Tasers on low-level offenders who pose little threat, and/or may be mentally impaired.
Tasers are marketed – and heavily – as a non-lethal alternative to guns, but they have become increasingly controversial due to what many see as overuse by police officers nationwide – and the inconvenient fact that over 350 Americans have died after being shocked by the “non-lethal” weapon. The ruling by the court comes about 21 months too late to help the family of teenager Darryl Turner of Charlotte who was Tased in March 2008 after arguing with the manager of the Food Lion at which he worked. He was shocked for 37 seconds, and then shocked again, and later died. Who knows? Maybe once yesterday’s court ruling is digested and implemented, it will keep similar unwarranted deaths from happening.
This article appears in Dec 29, 2009 – Jan 4, 2010.
Tasers are supposed to be used, when safely possible, in place of deadly physical force. Unfortunately they are often used by poorly trained and supervised police officers to punish people for non compliance.
Message to C.L. — It is not censorship to block posts by someone as obsessive and deranged as Griffin. Your website is essentially a commercial enterprise and is under no obligation to offer free access to dickheads — just as malls and shopping centers don’t have to allow politicking or distribution of leaflets, etc. It is also obviously not censorship to put an end to a cyberstalker which is certainly what Griffin has become, as MeridithMD. My guess is that Griffin is allowed to show his sorry ass on your site in order to not decrease the number of hits the site gets. As I pointed out before, however, I can’t tell you how many people I know who have said they would take part in the C.L. site’s discussions if “that douchebag Griffin” didn’t ruin the site with his right wing bile. I say it’s time to DUMP THE DOUCHEBAG.
I dont know about that number, 350 or so. Unfortunately, the use of the taser was the main contributing factor in those taser deaths.
Police today are much worse than their predecessors. De-escalation of troublesome situations without use of force is somewhat lost on today’s police. More innocents have been killed by police than the other way around in the past few years.
Most of this has to do with the advent of the Drug War which has lead to the dramatic militarization of the police.
DLP,Jay, and Luke, the taser is not to be used in place of deadly force. Get your facts straight. The taser is used as another step to gain suspect compliance that doesn’t require deadly force and will minimize possible injuries to the suspect and the officer(s). Yes, there are some cops that do use their tasers inappropriately and should be appropriately disciplined for it, but 99% of the cops who do use their tasers use them correctly and they do so to minimize possible injuries to the suspect instead of being pepper sprayed, batoned or physically restrained. It works! Do your research before you start blasting the cops as if your opinions were factual…idiots.
To J.P– STFU:
You have no idea what your talking about. Tasers work period. Until you have been in that situation were it has to be used STFU. Cops are always getting a bum rap for using what’s needed to take care of the situation right then. It’s amazing how you people bash cops yet when your the on that needs help with a gun toting punk, or you just got robbed or you house was broken into or your car stolen who do you call? It damn sure isn’t the Ghostbusters it’s the cops that you bash… go figuar…
The electro-shock (taser) method is used to force compliance with police orders. More times than not, it is not as a result of some violent act towards the police.
Its always a result of “contempt of cop” — a laughable offense but which could be fatal for the taxpayer peasants.
I don’t hate the police, I just avoid most of them. I have much respect for those police who refuse to engage in these suspect measures, of course those guys get fired or are forced to resign.
My advice:
#1.Avoid the police at all costs
#2.Don’t EVER call the police for help.
#3.Buy a gun (or guns) and learn how to use them.
— follow these two points of advice and you’ll avoid a world of trouble.
— er 3 points of advice…lol
Wow!….bunch of cops mad about this huh! Lol…. Com’n guys and gals, take em one on one,… just because people don’t do as you say in no reason to blast them. They are not your wives and husbands afterall. lol… find a new job that gives you less rights to shoot people. Or do you like feeling above all in your fraternity of hush hush.
not some innocent retard?
shame on you Frank for using a slur that hurts people with special needs. How do you spell ignorant?
Ignore Frank, Mike. He’s known around here for his incredible insensitivity to anyone not white, affluent and rightwing. He’ll attack anyone, including the mentally challenged.
As for the “girls”that Frank missed out on, they to this day have no idea how lucky they were, since if he had made it, they surely would have ended up beaten and raped.
Frank, I wish I was wrong!
Avoid the cops at all costs, buy and learn how to use a gun. In fact, writing this reminds me that I should be going to the shooting range to freshen up my skills today.
I recommend everyone get your permit and start learning how to use one, maybe more than one. The police never arrive on time and when they do it’s to draw chalk outlines.
The US gov’t has made it a very violent country with the stupid laws and drug wars so because of that its best to stay armed to protect yourself.
There’s been a big drop in crime in our current recession and that’s unheard of! Why is that? Maybe because people have been buying guns big time? No one wants to hear that for some reason.
To tell you the truth I learned those points from a really good friend of mine in the military, haha.
Nice but feeble attempt Frank. But anyone even 1% familiar with past posts knows your pro-domestic violence stance as well as your neanderthal view of women in general. So flame away, troll, everyone will enjoy one last laugh in 2009 at your expense.
My fellow readers, I think in 2010 we should all resolve to turn the other cheek instead of bashing Frank Griffin no matter how hateful he turns towards everyone else. I noticed that in the last few hours on New Years Eve when the rest of us were spending time with family and friends, Frank was spending his time writing several posts on this blog. This tells me that while the rest of us were with loved ones he was all alone and bitter, friendless and with a family that doesn’t want him around. Such a man should be pitied, not hated. Let’s do our best to tolerate him in the new year. Peace and God bless.
Thats an intersting idea yea got there Clyde. Usually ideas like this come from the very people that are suffering so. Do not try too hard to imagine that everyone must be suffering the way you are Clyde.
Clyde has been offended emotionally so he strikes back the only way he knows how. Maybe Cylde should quit feeling sorry for himself and instead educate himself and then respond in an intelligent way, instead of this silly emotional way to serious topics.
Many of you should be thankful a teacher is willing to take a few minutes out of his day to correct the insanity that is called the left.