Civil rights group calls for ban on Tasers

"these are people". Before you bother responding to me, I implore you to exercise a little common sense that isn't based on emotion or something you want to believe.

As I stated, tasers are designed to cause muscle contractions. Please show me a case where someone has died from his or her muscles contracting for a short period of time (most tasers discharge for 5 seconds).

Please tell me how and where in this country that any company can advertise & sell a weapon that is identified to be less than lethal but in reality causes all of the deaths that you say occur and not be sued out of existence by lawyers.

It hasn't happened. You and I both know that it would if there is money to be made. It has been tried by lawyers without success when a competent court hears the actual facts.-Is the court in on some conspiracy too?

Again I ask, if tasers are so terrible and so deadly, how come the companies that make them are still in business? Common sense would suggest that if tasers were as lethal as some people on this board purport, there is no way they could survive the multi-million dollar settlements from the families of "victims" and law enforcement agencies alike.

You can keep trying, but you are not going to prove anything over the internet and taser companies will stay in business despite unsuccessful lawsuits because tasers are not designed or configured to kill people.

Sure, here and there someone will die after being tasered and some will claim the taser did it but the overall facts will paint a broader picture.

My two cents: No, I still do not agree with you. If you will do a search you will find a case in Texas where charges were filed recently against a city for a young man who died after being tased several times. According to the report he was tased for (I believe it was 45 seconds) straight as he lay with his arms folded over his chest. As I said before law enforcement is too quick to use them.

No, I am not emotional. I don't know of a family member or friend that has been tased--nor do I know the person who died in this article. However, I can read and I do not agree with you. You say they will not cause harm with 5 second--but apparently they are not being used as they should.

I am not trying to prove a case only stating a fact.

these are people wrote:

My two cents: No, I still do not agree with you. If you will do a search you will find a case in Texas where charges were filed recently against a city for a young man who died after being tased several times. According to the report he was tased for (I believe it was 45 seconds) straight as he lay with his arms folded over his chest. As I said before law enforcement is too quick to use them.
No, I am not emotional. I don't know of a family member or friend that has been tased--nor do I know the person who died in this article. However, I can read and I do not agree with you. You say they will not cause harm with 5 second--but apparently they are not being used as they should.
I am not trying to prove a case only stating a fact.

You are still wrong. Whatever news article you read of course blamed the taser cause that's what news organizations do to find a controversial angle. The true resolution to the case you are referring to will be settled in court room setting. Anyone can sue anyone but that doesn't mean they will win. Does this article you cite describe what the deceased did to prompt the police to taser him? I doubt it.

You ever notice that whenever someone dies after fighting with the police the person's family sues according to a news article? What you rarely ever hear from the news months or years later that the family lost their court case because the person wasn't innocent and contributed to his/her own death.

Again, most tasers are designed to deliver a 5 second burst. Officers can override that and continue to give additional bursts until they gain compliance. Emotionally charged and violent people can fight through the effects of the taser and continue to fight with the police which is why they can attempt to deliver additional bursts.

The fact that you described that the dead person in Texas was tased for 45 seconds tells me that it wasn't working on him and he kept fighting.

From what you described it sounds like there is way more to the story and possibly another sad in custody death due to the dead person's lifestyle and failure to comply with law enforcement forcing them to take action which ended in his death in which he was also culpable in.

A question though. How do you know that the police are too quick to use tasers? What qualifies you to determine when they should use a taser and when they should not?

Seriously, if you are looking for a perfect world then you are wasting your time. The fact that armed police officers even exist make that impossible. You do realize that bad things are going to happen and unfortunately people are going to die no matter what.-Whether it be a taser, a gun, a car, an ink pen or whatever. You do realize that police forces all over the U.S. are arresting and fighting with people 365 days a year for 24 hours each day.

Of which, most you don't hear about but 1 guy dies in Texas and you have decided to condemn the taser and have decided that the police are too quick to use it.

I submit to you that tasers have resulted in way more successful resolutions of violent conflicts without harm to the individual than say beating a person into submission with a baton has.

Of course there are bad cops just like there are bad people in any occupation, but by and large tasers are used appropriately.

There have been more than one death, I am only citing this one. The person was not in custody. The person was in his own yard. With arms folded over his chest, how was he resisting?

You say the people that sue usually don't win in court. Could it possibly be because the police stick together and lie for one another?

I am not saying all law enforcement is evil. I have always said there are many good and wonderful law enforcement people who devote their lives to doing a good job and deserve even more credit than they ever get; however, there are others that should not be in uniform.

one guy was tased twice this week in Trinidad. still fighting after first 5 second jolt -continued to spit on officers after he was cuffed.
i would not want to be a cop too many fools and nuts out there. if a cop interacts with you it is for a reason!!!!!!!!