More taser abuse and cover-ups

[kola]

Why would someone taser someone who was handcuffed and shackled? Why are coroners selling out?
Schneiderman is Taser Corps ace-in-the-hole huh?
Kola
====================================
Judge orders stun gun references removed from autopsies
May 3rd, 2008 @ 9:04am
by Associated Press

AKRON, Ohio - A medical examiner must change her autopsy findings to delete any reference that stun guns contributed to the deaths of three people involved in confrontations with law enforcement officers, a judge ruled.

Friday's decision was a victory for Taser International Inc., which had challenged rulings by Summit County Medical Examiner Lisa Kohler, including a case in which five sheriff's deputies are charged in the death a jail inmate who was restrained by the wrists and ankles and hit with pepper spray and a stun gun.

Kohler ruled that the 2006 death of Mark McCullaugh Jr., 28, was a homicide and that he died from asphyxiation due to the ``combined effects of chemical, mechanical and electrical restraint.''
Visiting Judge Ted Schneiderman said in his ruling that there was no expert evidence to indicate that Taser devices impaired McCullaugh's respiration. ``More likely, the death was due to a fatal cardiac arrhythmia brought on by severe heart disease,'' the judge wrote.

Schneiderman ordered Kohler to rule McCullaugh's death undetermined and to delete any references to homicide.

The judge also said references to stun guns contributing to the deaths of two other men must be deleted from autopsy findings. Dennis Hyde, 30, died in 2005 after a confrontation with Akron police, and Richard Holcomb, 18, died the same year after being hit with a stun by a police officer in suburban Springfield Township.

It was unclear what affect Schneiderman's ruling may have on the upcoming criminal trial of the five sheriff's deputies. One of them, Deputy Stephen Krendick, is charged with murder. Other deputies face charges of reckless homicide or felonious assault. All have pleaded not guilty.

Krendick's trial is scheduled to begin June 16. A spokesman for the Cuyahoga County prosecutor's office, which is handling the case, said its lawyers are prepared to go forward.

Steve Tuttle, vice president of communications for Taser International, said the Scottsdale, Ariz.-based company is pleased with Schneiderman's ruling.

``Taser International believed from the beginning that these determinations of cause of death must be supported by facts, medical research and scientific evidence,'' Tuttle said. (kola note: yeah, "skewed, altered and dismissed evidence"...hell why dont they just use the "Jaraxi Method".
John Manley, a Summit County prosecutor who represented Kohler, said the judge's order went too far. The county is considering an appeal, he said.

``Taser is quite a force to be reckoned with and does everything to protect their golden egg, which is the Model X26,'' Manley said.
http://www.ktar.com/?nid=6&sid=826236&r=1

[David]

Used to work there.  Summit county is directly north of Stark county.  The stark county sherrif made headlines after his deputies strip seached a women and left her in a cell naked for hours.  Btw, Diebold company, is based in northern stark county. 
Thank God I no longer live or work in ohio.  It is beyond reform. 

[Dylboz]

Taser is here in AZ. I just thought, "goddamned liars" when I read that. They'll do anything to protect their government contracts. These weapons are NOT non-lethal. I'm sure with my cardiac history, I'd be dead as a doornail if I got hit with one.

[The ghost of Edward Gove]

Used to work there.  Summit county is directly north of Stark county.  The stark county sherrif made headlines after his deputies strip seached a women and left her in a cell naked for hours.  Btw, Diebold company, is based in northern stark county. 
Thank God I no longer live or work in ohio.  It is beyond reform. 

I agree it's way beyond reform here. A lot of the people around here have an authoratarian approach to everything. I live in the city of Stow which is an Akron suburb twards Cleveland. The majority of people here seem to think there can never be enough police.
    Summit county police were also checking for unlocked homes and walking in if the doors were unlocked.
    The police are a major source of revenue, and they like taxes here in Ohio. And with no good local media, the police are free to do what they want.
    They are currently building a new court house in Stow, along with opening a jail, so there going to have to raise court fees, and hand out more tickets to pay for the new ivory palace. The police are a major reason for me wanting to leave, I'm tired of being harrased for minding my own buisness.

[kola]

Yup Edward, nowadays the taser is used as a compliance weapon. Dont show ID expect to get tased,..... dont sign a traffic ticket, get tasered,.... don't agree to a piss test, tasered...even when in handcuffs and shackled they will taser you, pregnant? under 10 years old, you could get tasered... and to top it off, the oinkers get away with it.

Move the hell out.

Kola

[Free libertarian]

 Does anyone know if Tasers are regulated in New hampshire ? Could any person buy one and what are the penalties for tazing someone?  Is there use by a cop a discretionary thing? 

[highline]

Does anyone know if Tasers are regulated in New hampshire ? Could any person buy one and what are the penalties for tazing someone?  Is there use by a cop a discretionary thing?   

The only two laws we have regulating tasers is that they not be possessed by a felon outside of their residence and a law making it an enhanced penalty to use it on a law enforcement officer/other person.  So you would be guilty of simple assault AND this law:

    159:23 Criminal Use of Electronic Defense or Aerosol Self-Defense Spray Weapons. –
    I. Any person who uses an electronic defense or aerosol self-defense spray weapon on a law enforcement officer or another person with intent to commit a crime punishable as a misdemeanor shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
    II. Any person who uses an electronic defense or aerosol self-defense spray weapon on a law enforcement officer or another person with intent to commit a crime punishable as a felony shall be guilty of a class B felony.
    III. Neither the whole nor any part of a sentence of imprisonment imposed for a violation of this section shall be served concurrently with any other term of imprisonment.

159:21 Possession by Felons Prohibited. – Any person who has been convicted of a felony in this or any other state who possesses an electronic defense weapon away from the premises where he resides shall be guilty of a class B felony. Neither the whole nor any part of a sentence of imprisonment imposed for a violation of this section shall be served concurrently with any other term of imprisonment.

Anyone can buy one, no permit of any kind is required.

The penalties for unlawfully tasing someone could fall under a variety of different laws.  Most probably would fall under:

    631:2-a Simple Assault. –
    I. A person is guilty of simple assault if he:
       (a) Purposely or knowingly causes bodily injury or unprivileged physical contact to another; or
       (b) Recklessly causes bodily injury to another; or
       (c) Negligently causes bodily injury to another by means of a deadly weapon.
    II. Simple assault is a misdemeanor unless committed in a fight entered into by mutual consent, in which case it is a violation.

A law enforcement officer is bound by the requirements of RSA 627:5 regarding the use of the taser:

http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/LXII/627/627-5.htm

A private person is bound by the requirements of RSA 627:4 regarding the use of the taser:

http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/LXII/627/627-4.htm

They are long statues, so I wont post them here.

(i am not a lawyer, this is not legal advice!)

[highline]

And please forgive me, I forgot to mention that you cannot sell them to anyone under 18.  (Although the law is devoid of a prohibition on possession of one if someone is under 18.........)

    159:22 Restricted Sale. – Any person who knowingly sells an electronic defense weapon to a person under 18 years of age shall be guilty of a violation.

NH State Law also requires a pistol permit be issued to a 12 year old................  11 year old..............  10 year old............  There is no minimum age.

[kola]

err, so back to my topic question. Highline, Max?

Why would someone taser someone who was handcuffed and shackled? Why are coroners selling out?
Schneiderman is Taser Corps ace-in-the-hole huh?

Kola