Stories involving the use of stun guns and excessive force by police have become increasingly common over the past few years. Some police officers argue that Tasering is safer than restraining a person using batons and physical force. However, given the increasing number of deaths resulting from the use of Taser guns, many people are against employing Tasering as a subdual method. According to the Amnesty International website, over 351 people have died as a result of police Tasers since 2001.
There have been several Tasering incidents in Florida in the past few years. In 2006, a Clearwater man died after being shot multiple times with a Taser gun by police. The struggle involved three officers who managed to handcuff the man before he passed away. Another Florida Tasering incident involved Andrew Meyer, a student at the University of Florida, when he was Tasered by police during a campus conference featuring Senator John Kerry. Meyer was Tasered after refusing to leave the microphone following a heated political question addressed to the Senator. Meyer survived the Tasering, but the 2007 incident ignited a debate regarding excessive force by police.
Many people, including students at UF, did not think the police should have used a Taser gun on the conference attendee. The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida said police should not have resorted to using a Taser on Meyer if there were enough police officers to restrain Meyer without Tasering him. UF police were cleared, however, following an investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement which found that the officers had followed procedure.
In a recent news story from Orange County, California, a settlement of $750,000 was paid to Matthew Fleuret, a former inmate, in a personal injury suit alleging excessive police force. Fleuret was shocked 11 times with a Taser gun after being tackled to the ground by police and kneed in the back of the head. Since the incident, which took place in 2006, a new sheriff has been appointed in Orange County and use-of-force training programs have been updated. It is unknown if the amount of use-of-force incidents have declined since then.
A number of wrongful death lawsuits have been filed against Taser International, the manufacturer of 50,000-volt Taser guns, as these guns have been linked to causing heart attacks and other cardiac problems. Back in 2005 in Las Vegas, Nevada, the father of a boy who died after being Tasered sued the Las Vegas Metro Police and Taser International for $20 million. An investigation by the coroner later revealed that Tasers were only partly responsible for the boy's death.
Taser International has issued a training bulleting warning officers to avoid shooting suspects in the chest, and stands by their product as safe. The company is known for winning in court until two years ago, when a San Jose federal jury awarded $6 million to the family of a man who died after being Tasered. The verdict marked the first time the manufacturer was held accountable for death or injury resulting from its products.
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