Meanwhile, there's also the 'cardiac effects' taser death mechanism. This one is considered by some to still be in dispute. Taser (meaning Kroll et al) think it's impossible. But those holding this warped worldview are forced to ignore the cases where healthy young people were tasered across the heart and died either immediately, or after a few minutes. The non-VF explanation that bridges the 'taser-science' (sic) knowledge gap is covered here: [LINK][LINK]
Not included in the above list-of-two is the issue of defective tasers which can lead to an unnecessary escalation in the violence and spiral into a death-by-gunfire. [LINK] [LINK] [LINK] [LINK]
UPDATE: Make it three...
Comment on [LINK] 'Critical Mass' wrote:
One factor often present during the restraining of a detainee is "positional asphyxia", at a time when the detainees need for oxygen is great.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positional_asphyxia
The reason we need an aqualung with pressurized air, to be able to breathe in as little as a depth of 2 to 3 feet under water, is that the muscles which expand the chest to allow for the intake of air, are some of the weakest muscles in our body. You can't breathe while 2 feet underwater, through a garden hose, because the weight of the water can't be overcome by the chest cavity muscles.
Imagine a long distance runner crossing the finish line of a race, immediately being placed in any restraint where his/her ability to fully expand and contract their chest cavity was reduced by a factor of 50% or greater. The result might be fatal.
When I see videos of arrestees being restrained on the ground with several law enforcement officers on their neck or their back, I'm not surprised at the number who die during "restraint".
If stun guns affect those fairly weak chest muscles, by rapidly exercising them to the point of exhaustion, it may explain why their victims often complain of not being able to breathe after being tasered.
We focus on stun guns somehow affecting the heart, while it is possible that tasers may induce "positional asphyxia" symptoms, without putting any weight on the chest. The chest muscles are simply unable to do their job due to being depleted by the taser shocks.
If you agree, you may have to add a third death mechanism ~ "Induced Positional Asphyxia", besides blood Ph and cardiac effects.
Good luck.
An excellent point.
We know that the taser device essentially "exercises" muscles involuntarily and rapidly, to the point of almost instant exhaustion, although the recovery can be quite fast.
ReplyDeleteThere are commercial products which use the same medical/electrical principles involved, known as "passive electric stomach muscle stimulators."
http://www.amazon.com/Slendertone-Mens-System-Toning-Belt/dp/B00112G94C/ref=sr_1_3/175-0126653-3635662?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1246188522&sr=1-3
I would not consider these devices to be dangerous, but they all have one thing in common: FDA Review and Approval!
"Product Description
SLENDERTONE®. SYSTEM-Abs from SLENDERTONE is cleared by the FDA"
Now why isn't the "World's Most Powerful Muscle Exerciser" ~ the Taser ~ FDA Approved and Reviewed?
The only look which the FDA ever conducted on "stun guns" was a "literature review" in the 1970's, before "Tasers" were even invented or marketed.
I think the FDA is grossly negligent in not requiring FDA Approval for the "taser muscle exercisers."
Any studies showing 'safety' that were conducted previous to the X26 taser introduced in 2003 are null and void.
ReplyDeleteThe taser-associated death rate shows a step-function increased perfectly coincident with the introduction of the X26.