TASER Death: 15-year-old boy

[Crumpy]

mlive.com/news/bay-city/index.ssf/2009/03/family_of_bay_city_teen_killed.html

I can’t find the link to the original news item. This is a follow-up story, linked above.

Disputed:

1. Was the boy in hand-cuffs when tasered? Police: no, family: yes
2. Was the boy in distress after the shock? Apparently all agree that he was, and apparently choked on the vomiting which accompanied the shock treatment.

Incident involved three police officers versus a 140-pound 15-year-old boy, who was apparently drunk and belligerent when police arrived.

 

[aggiecatholic05]

the vast majority of people that get tasered don’t die. police use tasers to keep from shooting someone, i doubt the family would be any happier if they had just shot the boy. perhaps if he had shown better judgement than to break the law and get belligerent with the cops it wouldnt have happened.

while its a shame for the boy’s family i’d rather have more sympathy for the police who put their lives on the line everyday and have to make split second decesions. they have to live with this, and while i dont think they did anything wrong thats still gotta sting.

 

[Crumpy]

I heard that Amnesty International is coming to town on Thursday Mar 26 2009 to make themselves involved.

They report that there have been 1500 deaths worldwide from the use of tasers.

One issue here may be whether they should have used the weapon on a minor. Another issue is whether the police should have expected a possibly negative reaction and done CPR on the victim, which apparently they did not.

In fact, the police told the family to stay away from the boy, and they summoned an ambulance to treat and transport the boy.

Jewish writer and commentator Dennis Praeger coincidentally today 3/24/09, had a column on his website on the subject of people who inflict pain on others. He didn’t mention the use of tasers, but he was discussing people who use force, who are “just following orders” as in this case.

As a taxpayer in this town, I can say that those police do not represent me.

The family has already announced a lawsuit will be filed against the City of Bay City Michigan.