San Francisco Chronicle: SoCal man, 19, dies after police use Taser on him

[Heidi]

(10-17) 20:45 PDT San Bernardino, CA (AP) --

San Bernardino police say a 19-year-old man has died after officers used a Taser to subdue him at a board-and-care facility.

The department says in a news release the man died at a hospital early Saturday.

The release says the officers had been summoned to the facility to investigate a fight involving three people late Friday night.

The release says officers separated the trio but "one of the subjects became combative and a Taser was depolyed to control him."

The man was having trouble breathing, and police called paramedics. He was pronounced dead at a hospital about an hour later.

Read more

[TexasObserver]

1. Recommend

[provis99]

2. cops using a taser to murder another citizen.

These stories are getting routine. Pretty soon, they won't even be in the news any more, they're so common.

[Heidi]

3. As long as I'm hearing about them,

they'll be in the DU news. :hi:

[wroberts189]

4. Another day ..another story on a Taser death. ho hum. knr

[Ian David]

5. Tasers have become a "tool" for lazy cops.

I blame Star Trek.

Phasers set on stun have only killed ONE person that I can remember in decades of Star Trek.

Tasers aren't phasers.

And Dr. McCoy isn't around to resuscitate people with a hypo spray.

[Heidi]

6. Tasers certainly allow police to take a "hands off" approach

to forced compliance: they mitigate the risk of injuries (and liability) to officers. I've not for one moment believed it's mostly about avoiding shooting people.

It would behoove law enforcement in general to at least attempt to defend, in a research-based way, the use of Tasers.

[Ian David]

7. You know, if I was a bad guy in Star Trek, I would resist arrest every time.

I mean, what's the worst they're gonna do? STUN me?

And if I were a security guard in Star Trek, do you REALLY think I would EVER escort a conscious prisoner to a holding cell?

Do you think I would allow Khan to walk, under his own power, to the detention area?

FUCK no!

As soon as I left the bridge, I would stun EVERY prisoner.

Including the sexy blue chicks with the big boobies.

Unfortunately, Tasers aren't Phasers.

Tasers can kill people.

[Heidi]

9. Yep. Tasers can and do kill people.

Why can't police just use the Vulcan nerve pinch?

[Ian David]

10. You don't know what Spock's doing with his dick during the Vulcan Nerve Pinch. n/t

[Confusious]

16. That would be the *GREEN* chick

with the big boobies. :)

[maglatinavi]

13. tasers

Heidi, are you suggesting that it is ok to kill people by police with tasers??? I hope the fa. of the victim file a complaint against the police dept and the facility...:mad: :bounce: :mad: :bounce: :mad: :bounce: :mad: :bounce: :mad: :bounce: :mad:

[Heidi]

14. Are you freakin' kidding?

It should be pretty clear by now where I stand on Tasers: they're far too easily abused, and until police in general demonstrate through research that Tasers save lives (and not just cops' lives), I'm opposed to them completely.

[Taitertots]

8. Another idiot wanted to start a fight with the police

[ConsAreLiars]

15. Yeah. Kill him for being stupid or mentally distubed.

I'm sure every supporter of police killings will endorse your position, and all other lovers of police states like you will join in and applaud your views. "If You Defy State Authority You Deserve to Be Murdered!" That's your view, in a nutshell. You've repeated it endlessly. Plus "Liberals/progressives/lefties are the enemy." If I've left anything out - I'm sure I have - please add more.

[Taitertots]

19. No, he deserved to be tasered

It is unfortunate that it killed him.

I would appreciate if you didn't lie about my positions.

[tkmorris]

17. And for that he gets the death penalty?

Edited cause this clown just aint worth it. I sure wish he had the spine to say that in my presence though.

[Taitertots]

20. That is absolutely not the death penalty

What are you going to do internet ninja?

Are you really so dishonest that you are going to try are claim that it was an execution? He started a fight with police, so they tased him to defend themselves and get him under control.

[Heidi]

18. The victim lived in a residential care/assisted living facility.

So he was either physically or mentally unable to live independently. Is it your opinion that he deserved to die for a failure to comply with officers' commands?

[Taitertots]

21. No, he deserved to be tased for fighting with the police

That he died was just an unfortunate result of starting a fight with the police. Same thing unfortunately happens using batons and hands.

[JoeyT]

11. Rec

There is an upside: At least it wasn't a child or critically injured person they zapped this time.

[proteus_lives]

12. It's an issue.

I can see the positive and negative sides to Tasers.

[Kablooie]

22. Tasers seem to be a cops murder weapon of choice nowadays.