Mission Statement - De-Spinning the Pro-Taser Propaganda

Yeah right, 'Excited Delirium' my ass...

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The primary purpose of this blog is to provide an outlet for my observations and analysis about tasers, taser "associated" deaths, and the behaviour exhibited by the management, employees and minions of Taser International. In general, everything is linked back to external sources, often via previous posts on the same topic, so that readers can fact-check to their heart's content. This blog was started in late-2007 when Canadians were enraged by the taser death of Robert Dziekanski and four others in a short three month period. The cocky attitude exhibited by the Taser International spokespuppet, and his preposterous proposal that Mr. Dziekanski coincidentally died of "excited delirium" at the time of his taser-death, led me to choose the blog name I did and provides my motivation. I have zero financial ties to this issue.



Sunday, January 3, 2010

"Federal Court Sets Taser-use Standards"

The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco ruled on December 28 that police officers need sufficient reason to believe a suspect is dangerous before shooting them with a taser... The ruling sets judicial standards for police to follow, standards that people who are tasered may refer to when claiming they were victims of excessive force. When a suspect simply disobeys orders or acts erratically without posing an obvious danger, taser use is not justified.

"The objective facts must indicate that the suspect poses an immediate threat to the officer or a member of the public," Judge Kim Wardlaw declared in the unanimous ruling by the three-member court. ...Wardlaw noted that the stun guns cause a "painful and frightening blow" to the suspect. Taser use must therefore be restricted to situations where this level of substantial force is justified and there are no other options available. ... [LINK]


On the other hand:

Taser International spokespuppet Steve Tuttle said the California ruling applies only to that case. "The court's holding does not establish any new law for use of a taser..." electro-torture device, Tuttle said in an e-mail message. [LINK]


So, ah, go ahead - taser away like a lunatic. Nothing has changed.

Assuming that you still have faith in the high priests of The Church of Taser. They're never wrong...

LOL.

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