Kin of dead man sues over stun gun (AR / wheelchair)

[struggle4progress]

The family of a man in a wheelchair who died last year while in police custody has sued Little Rock, claiming that an officer used excessive force when he shocked the man four times with a stun gun. <snip>

On April 17, 2004, Sgt. Ricky Wilson used a Taser gun on Robert Harold Allen, 45, of Maumelle after he refused help from officers and medical personnel. Allen died later of a heart attack at a Little Rock hospital. <snip>

The suit claims Allen’s rights under the Fourth and 14th amendment rights were violated, citing the unlawful arrest and unreasonable seizure. On the day of his death, Allen was unarmed and had no outstanding warrants or tickets, according to the lawsuit and a police report. <snip>

http://www.ardemgaz.com/ShowStoryTemplate.asp?Path=ArDemocrat/2005/04/22&ID=Ar02002&Section=Arkansas

[vpigrad]

1. Typical work by the thugs in blue!

Things never change.

[struggle4progress]

7. Maybe typical work by taser. Did you see this story a few weeks back?

Taser manufacturer says its weapons can be deadly
Metro will continue to use stun guns

By Jen Lawson
<[e-mail]>
LAS VEGAS SUN

For the first time, the company that manufactures Taser stun guns, used by Metro Police and other local police departments, is now saying that the 50,000-volt weapons can be deadly. <snip>

The disclosure about the potential lethality of Tasers, the most detailed to date, came Thursday in Taser International's 25-page annual 10-K filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

"Our products are often used in aggressive confrontations that may result in serious, permanent bodily injury or death to those involved," it says. "Our products may cause or be associated with these injuries." <snip>

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/lv-crime/2005/apr/06/518560889.html

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. Geez

being around cops gives me the creeps anyway....and now hearing this makes me even more wary.

[7th_Sephiroth]

3. cops kill old people and children every day

and they get away with it every day, thewre are no checks or balances for all the murders they commit

[DELUSIONAL]

5. Rogue cops get away with it because other cops cover for them

Rogue cops just move on --

And the Rogue cops make ALL cops look bad.

If the cops don't weed out the bad apples -- then it is impossible to know which cops can be trusted and which cops are telling the truth.

The changes must come from within -- and citizens have to have to courage to convict when presented with the evidence that the cop(s) has committed a crime.

[Joebert]

6. You mean like Tom Coleman?

He had a pretty sordid past, and moved town to town.

When a culture of fear exists that your backup might not show up sometime because you reported on a bad cop, you're going to keep quiet.

[struggle4progress]

4. I think most folk in uniform are decent. But those who aren't, are armed.