Moving along, we have a piece from VANCOUVER.CBC.CA News entitled:

“Taser deaths targeted by rights group”

VANCOUVER – Citing the deaths of two B.C. men, Amnesty International is calling for the suspension of Taser gun use by police officers.

In its annual human rights report, Amnesty lists two incidents of what it calls “police brutality” in B.C.

The article goes on to quote:

Alex Neve, the secretary general for Amnesty’s Canadian office, says “officers should put the Tasers away until more tests are done”.

“We need a temporary suspension of their use,” he says. “And that’s not just in British Columbia, it’s not just in Canada. This is something that Amnesty has been pressing for around the world.”

“There are quite a number, a growing number of cases where people have died after being subdued with Tasers.”

Well, there are some real “players” out there who concur that Taser related fatalities are growing exponentially and it’s time to “put the brakes on”!

Naturally, Taser International immediately reacted with their highly scientific rebuttals (no, not the baby pig tests) addressing these continuing allegations that their product is not “all that safe”.

Taser International spokesperson Steve Tuttle says “Amnesty International is wrong and that the weapon will be cleared in both cases”.

No they aren’t, yes they are, no they aren’t, yes they are, aren’t, are, aren’t, are!

This seems to be about the best Taser can come back with to refute arguments and allegations challenging the safety of their product.

Mr. Tuttle is quoted “People have to keep in mind that electricity does not stay in the body,” says Tuttle. That’s a good thought Steve..hang on to that one!

He says in the Burnaby incident, “the Taser was applied to the buttocks”. And he says, “the electrical jolt would not travel to the heart”.

Oh, but for the opportunity to “Taser” Steve Tuttle in his arse!

Not enough to conclude this topic yet as planned……to be continued!

Some Reports (police?) and Findings (medical examinations):

This pregnant lady was shot with a Taser as she was entering her dwelling, the cops said “STOP” not knowing if she was trying to gain access to an assault weapon allegedly on site.

“The officer fired the Taser gun, hitting (Name withheld) in the back, the police report said. At that time, someone said she was pregnant.”

“The fetus was still born several days later. The autopsy did not link the miscarriage to the TASER. The county medical examiner?s report stated there was a significant of methamphetamine in the fetus.”

Being “caring kind of guys” Air Taser conducted some highly scientific studies of their own:

TASER International subsequently conducted tests on two pregnant pigs to investigate the effects of the TASER. The TASER was applied directly across the uterus in worst case scenarios on both pigs. All 16 piglets were delivered healthy and without complication indicating there was no direct TASER effect on the fetuses.

I will feel safe now watching women shot with Taser products knowing that if she is “with piglet” that it’s probably the best thing to settle her right down!

Further Reports:

“(Name withheld) allegedly assaulted two women and a man outside Carpenters Local XXX and police were called. A struggle ensued and officers struck (Name withheld) with a metal baton and used a TASER electrical stun device as he resisted arrest.” The old “resisting arrest” gill-net surfaces again!

Findings:

“A preliminary autopsy shows a suspect who died in police custody earlier this week was not killed by a TASER. Autopsy results show (Name withheld) suffered cardiac arrest during his struggle with police. The autopsy states he had hypertensive heart disease that led to the heart attack.”

I believe that the “alleged perp” had every right to drop dead after being in a “struggle”, struck with a metal baton, and stunned with a TASER!

I’m so sick of citing Taser’s recorded deaths (in custody), and their refuting in every case that their product, or the law officer’s poor judgment in using their product, was remotely to blame it sickens me. I am ready to finish this rant. I will conclude tomorrow with a couple of more real gems, some links to NON-TASER International acknowledged deaths, and a few more personal jabs at Taser and maybe even a few over-zealous cops. (a few..what a hoot)

They Seem To Love This Thing

In yesterday’s post we were examining a CBS News report on the welcoming of Air Taser into our law enforcement community. It was not one sided in it’s report and illustrated the alarming number of deaths after “alleged perps”, you know the kind that get drunk or high and raise a ruckus…why talk to them, induce them to calm down, even wrestle with them (cops are bad asses right?), let’s stun the hell out of them!

I referenced a link that Taser International posts themselves on Taser deaths and of course it’s BECAUSE THEY WERE HIGH! And like ol’ Rick says “they would have died anyway”. So will you someday Rick, I’m certain your attitude won’t be so cavalier!

There are a lot of other studies much more disturbing than the ones Taser Intl. records. Just do a Google search for “stun gun deaths” and you’ll find the iceberg.

“If the Taser had not been used, all 40 of those people would still be dead today,” says Smith. “In every single case these people would have died anyway.”

Let me see Rick….your company stated “the Taser is not to blame, because most of the victims were fighting with police, delirious or on drugs.”

I am quite interested as many of the casualties’ families are, how you made the “leap of insight” that prompted such an asinine remark.

Let’s test the evidence! I wrestle with a cop..he shoots me with his Taser…I die. Right! It was the wrestling match that killed me!

I am overcome with grief because my wife and kids left me and start throwing a few keepsakes around in my “delirium”….cop shows up and stuns me…I die. Yep it was that temper tantrum that killed me right Rick?

I am at my neighbors’ house and they smoke pot. While having a brew, an argument erupts over a card game we’re playing….neighbors call the cops….cops show up and stun my buddy and he dies. He would have died anyway right? Like you said: they were “on drugs”.

Rick is quoted as saying: “Instead of causing pain or injury, we are like a remote control plugged into your body, telling your body not to move.”

Yes, but you left out “in many cases the plug you have jammed up my &%* tells me not to move” PERMANENTLY!

Stun Gun Fatalities Rise

CBS News Reports that police officers love the Taser stun device. One officer is quoted as saying “I love it” and yet another “It stops officers from having to go hands-on and fight with suspects,”

When police are trained on Tasers, they are taught the stun gun is safe to use in any circumstance and that the weapon immobilizes but does not injure.

“Instead of causing pain or injury, we are like a remote control plugged into your body, telling your body not to move,” says Rick Smith, Taser International CEO.

CBS further reported:

“For Smith, sales and profits are skyrocketing. But so is another statistic: Taser-related deaths.

A CBS news investigation, confirmed by the company, shows some 40 people have died after being stunned. The company says the Taser is not to blame, because most of the victims were fighting with police, delirious or on drugs.

“If the Taser had not been used, all 40 of those people would still be dead today,” says Smith. “In every single case these people would have died anyway.”

Want to see more B.S. go to their site and you’ll find a link on Taser deaths and the causes via autopsy (educated guessing) and guessing!

I have my own personal axe to grind with Air Taser having found in my personal dealings with them to be an “iron fisted”, “what we say goes”, “legal gang” of (naturally our police love them) money grubbers.

I will pay my respects to my comrades in arms past and present who have laid down their lives in defense of our country. There are some who protest the conflicts that our country has been involved in but they are only “armchair analysts” and know nothing of the world of an infantry soldier. Others just like to complain about anything so they feel that their repulsive whining about foreign policy and second guessing our Presidents’ and other elected officials’ decisions for military action are unfounded and they know better. They are full of crap!

The American soldier answers his country’s “call to arms” and leaves the comfort of home, families, friends and all they love to venture off, train, fight and die, if need be, to defend the principles of Democracy which our great country was founded on.

To the families of soldiers killed in defense of our nation, and all of my bro’s still kicking: Happy Memorial Day!

From the U.S. Memorial Day Organization:

“Originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation’s service.”

“But most Americans nowadays have forgotten the meaning and traditions of Memorial Day. At many cemeteries, the graves of the fallen are increasingly ignored, neglected. People no longer remember the proper flag etiquette for the day. Many think the day is for honoring any and all dead, and not just those fallen in service to our country.”

I find this last statement, a sad commentary, and an indictment of our society members who don’t know what Memorial Day is about…….for “felonious stupidity”!