Tasering diabetics - it'll continue unless someone puts a stop to it

La Grange, IL - ...David Lassi was having a diabetic seizure. His room mate called 911; and told La Grange Park and Brookfield Police that Lassi was having a diabetic seizure when they arrived. ... The officers shocked him with a taser X26 eleven times. "The fact that there were seven other officers in the room who witnessed 56 seconds of shock being inflicted on a man who was not responsive and foaming from the mouth, I can't even begin to understand it," said Lassi's attorney Rachel Steinback, from the law firm Loevy & Loevy. [LINK]

Tasering those in medical distress.

It's evil. Pure evil. We're talking Burn-in-Hell amounts of pure evil.

Sue the stupid scum.

And don't settle without a crystal-clear admission of wrong-doing. Otherwise it'll just keep happening over and over and over again to other folks.

Police taser man suffering diabetic seizure

NaturalNews (May 29, 2008) - Police in Ozark, Alabama, tasered and arrested an unconscious, sober man who was having a diabetic seizure on November 6, then charged him with drunk driving and resisting arrest. ... When James Bludsworth, 54, failed to respond to their commands, the officers fired tasers at his unconscious body three times. ... [LINK]

Nice touch - charging him with drunk driving ("scoring 0.00 on a breathalyzer") and resisting arrest (while unconscious).

Lawsuit time!!

Taser prescribed for diabetic emergency

Ralph E. Eldridge, a 53 year old U.S. Air Force veteran, has launched a lawsuit against the city of Warren and the Police Department, claiming he was stunned with a Taser and falsely arrested during a diabetic emergency. "He was driving a little bit erratic; he stopped, got out and admitted he was having a medical emergency. The next thing he knows, he got hit with a Taser." [LINK]

The problem might be that the taser training replaces common sense.

Medical emergency + police response := death

Precious time: The death of Bob Rigg [Denver Post]

...The officers pulled him from the car....handcuffed him, put him in a police car and headed for jail, suspecting that he was driving under the influence of drugs and in a trancelike state sometimes referred to as "excited delirium." -- But Bob Rigg wasn't on drugs. He was diabetic and suffering from heart disease, and he was dying. ...

Here's a death that really was caused by "excited delirium", but in way the reflects poorly on those that promote it as a handy but misleading label.

Even the mere existence of the idiot-concept led to bad assumptions, delayed the correct medical response to Mr. Rigg's diabetic state, and these appear to have contributed to his death.

As Justice Braidwood stated, 'excited delirium' is "unhelpful"... ...the understatement of the decade.

Raw Story: "Chicago cop tasered unconscious diabetic 11 times"

See The Raw Story: [LINK].

They include a link to a copy of the lawsuit: [LINK].

The vast majority of those making comments are outraged and/or calling for a massive payout.

Repeat after me: "defective training" (hey, judging by results...)

And from where does the training originate?


Goodwill and other intangibles: (1,000,000)    (all figures in thousands).

LOL

Taser - an ideal weapon...

An ideal weapon....for a 'Police State'.

This UCLA-student-without-an-ID incident happened over a year ago [LINK][LINK], but it is a perfect example of the police getting confused between lawful force (noun) and unlawfully force (verb).

"Stand up or we will tase you again...", and again, and again.

Eventually they carried him off.

"Stand over there or you'll get tased too."

Those statement are classic examples of some members of the police these days being so completely uneducated as to not even understanding the difference between lawful force (the noun), and illegally trying to force (the verb) someone to obey. Force (verb) is clearly illegal in most circumstances.

(NOTE - The right hand column contains quite a bit on the topic of force - noun or verb?)

YouTube [LINK] - tough to watch. It's disturbing on many levels at once.

Wiki [LINK]: The UCLA PD released its new Taser policy on December 10, 2007. According to UCPD Chief Karl Ross, the new policy is considerably longer, includes specific definitions of appropriate and inappropriate use, and explicitly prohibits use against a "passive resister".

(Isn't that already the law?)

Wiki [LINK]: The UCLA PD policy in effect at the time of the incident calls the Taser a "less lethal device" and says that "although not absolutely prohibited, officers should give additional consideration to the unique circumstances involved prior to applying the Taser to ... Individuals who are handcuffed or otherwise restrained" (4C). According to the policy, the "Drive Stun" capacity is appropriate "to eliminate physical resistance from an arrestee in accomplishing an arrest or physical search" (6A) as well as "pain compliance against passive resistors" (6B).

Massive lawsuit is pending. Million$ would be perfectly appropriate.

Someone should check to see if that original, illegal, and plainly stupid UCLA Taser Use-Policy originated from Taser. If so, then they should be held accountable.


PS: Another advantage to sticking to lawful force (noun) - besides it being legal and moral - is that the police would be less likely to taser an unconscious diabetic over and over and over again because he's not responding to their commands.

Really - think about it - it's just common sense.

Tasering diabetics - again...

In Oklahoma, a driver went into severe diabetic shock, but instead of getting help, he was tasered and handcuffed. ... [LINK]

If you're not extremely outraged by this incident, then you just don't get it.

Is it possible that the taser training is so incredibly bad that it actually makes police officers less capable of making reasonable decisions?

And this is just one perfectly clear-cut example of the all-too-common misuse, overuse and abuse of tasers. There are an endless series of examples that are similar in nature (tasering an elderly man in his hospital bed, tasering children, etc., etc., etc.).

Bad training. Really, really bad. And who is responsible for THAT?

And if the taser training is this bad, then perhaps a moratorium might be REQUIRED to clean up the mess before these potentially-dangerous devices, which shouldn't be combined with such horrible training, are allowed back on the street (if ever).

Attn: Does your Taser Use Policy allow this sort of evil?

Courthouse News - A suburban Chicago police officer alledgedly tasered Prospero Lassi (who was having a diabetic seizure) eleven times for nearly a minute. ... Reportedly, he has suffered permanently scarring and the taser has caused him neurological damage that has not abated. [LINK]


The permanent scars give some indication that the taser is quite simply an instrument of torture and there is little practical difference between a taser used in Touch Torture (a.k.a. Drive Stun) mode and just using a cigarette lighter to torture and burn the victim.

This incident seems like one where a seven or eight figure settlement might be appropriate.

Stoopid article of the month

Well, if you want to see just how ill-informed people can be, review the following article found on the Alberni Valley News. [LINK] [B.C. natch...]

This mindless drivel, written by some group called Rural Crime Watch, offers the helpful suggestion that if you just obey the police then you won't get tasered.

Oh thanks for that. A Police State are we? I guess I didn't get the memo about the switch from a society based on the Rule of Law to the one based on the Rule of Lawmen.


What about those incidents (outside BC) where people in diabetic comas, or fast asleep, were tasered because they weren't obeying the police instructions? Should they be tasered because they didn't obey?

What about the delirious old man in his hospital bed (in Kamloops, B.C.)?

What about the man that didn't understand the English language, just Polish (at Vancouver Airport, in B.C.)? How was he supposed to obey when he didn't understand English? What about the police in that deadly incident already having decided (reportedly) to use the taser even before they had arrived on the scene?

Follow the news? Duh. Stoopid stoopid stoopid.


How about we try this?

How about the police stop handing out on-the-spot extra-judicial electrocution as punishment, or to induce compliance? Even the courts cannot order electrocution as punishment. And using severe pain to induce compliance is a crystal clear violation of the Criminal Code of Canada s.269.1.


In the article, an example is given of the police using a taser to force (verb) a women to exit her car. In my opinion, such an action is a crystal clear violation of s.269.1 wherein severe pain is meted out to induce compliance. Read it and try to explain why torture would be allowed to force (verb) compliance? Lawful 'force' is a noun. I challenge anyone to provide me an example where the laws of Canada refer to lawful force as a verb.


The article is a clear indictment of the taser policies and training in place in B.C. (and elsewhere).


The person (or people) that wrote that article should not be allowed anywhere near law enforcement. They haven't got a clue about the basics of common law, nor the laws of Canada.

Taser now part of medical assistance in NS?

The news carries a story about how paramedics in Nova Scotia were surprised when police tasered a semi-comatose diabetic patient. [LINK]

What a crazy planet...


PS: Does everyone understand that the taser is legally considered to be a FIREARM in Canada? How does that little inconvenient fact fit into this news item?

Diebetic Prospero Lassi "a law and order kind of guy"

For those that offer the mindless advice of "...just obey and you won't be tasered...", pay attention.

This case is about a regular "law and order" kind of guy. Just happens to have a medical condition that somehow led an officer, presumably a taser trained and certified officer, to repeatedly taser him.

Chicago, IL - The veteran civil rights firm of Loevy and Loevy has filed suit against Chicago police for Tasering a man 11 times in his own home as he suffered a diabetic seizure. ... [LINK]


Time to put on your thinking cap.

Under these circumstances (see the complete article at the above link), can you imagine the officer using his pistol to shoot the man? How about backing off and firing a bean-bag round? Can you imagine the officer whacking him repeatedly with his baton over and over again? Can you imagine the officer dousing him with pepperspray?

Those that claim that the taser is just another policing tool aren't paying attention.

It's different.

Very different.

So, how bad is the training????

Very bad. Bad to the point of being evil.

In an article called Tasers reduce injuries in police ranks [LINK], the police taser experts reveal the depths of ignorance and propaganda in the taser training.

"Tasers can operate as stun weapons at close range..." Stun has nothing to do with it. The Touch Torture mode is pure pain. The current path is so short that it does nothing except cause excruciating pain (a.k.a. torture) and cause localize burn injuries. You might as well use a lit cigarette and press that into the victim's flesh - same thing.

"There’s not enough amperage — about .00162 — to kill a mouse." Good grief. ".00162" refers (inaccurately) to the 162 milliamperes (162mA) of RMS current. Taser has tried strenuously to divert attention from this RMS value to the much lower 'average' current value of about 2mA. The reason for this switch is that 30mA is considered dangerous. Thus Taser now claims the average current and claims a 15-to-1 safety factor. 162mA RMS is normally considered to be dangerous. Make up your own mind.

"Tasers are the best compliance weapon we have." In other words: Do what I say or I will torture you. Who gave you the right to hand out on-the-spot torture? Even Judges sitting on the Supreme Court would not be allowed to hand out torture as an inducement. Your attitude is a violation of the laws against torture. You should read up on lawful force (which is a noun).

"...guidelines covered during training, including the size, age and gender of the subject, as well as the type of crime committed." Taser has clearly stated that even small, young children may be tasered. As for type of crime, apparently even failing to obey 'deserves' a 5-second torture session to induce compliant behavior... Who needs courts?

"Sgt. Jonathan Freeman, a training deputy with the Sheriff’s Office, said an officer is justified in using a Taser when he believes putting hands on a subject will lead to injuries, when the subject has an edged weapon or refuses to comply." 'Refuses to comply' can be the same thing as the victim being in a diabetic coma. This has already happened several times. Your policies are a violation of fundamental rights.

This is the sort of brainwashed so-called training being provided by the manufacturer. Appears to have had ZERO constitutional review.

Tasering diabetics again...

As reported at the It all goes here blog [LINK], police are still tasering people suffering from diabetic episodes [LINK] [LINK].

I guess because there's nothing like a bit of Touch Torture tasering to snap them-there diabetics out of it (sic).


Stand-by for Taser International's take on this issue.
Wait for it. Taser spokes-puppet will be along shortly.
They'll be along any minute now to clarify their training.
Press release expected soon.
Just wait. Another minute or so.
Okay have a seat.
Ah, never mind...

Britain to embark on field safety test

Times - "Jacqui Smith, the [British] Home Secretary, is to arm police with 10,000 taser stun guns..." [LINK]


No mention of them being just to replace guns.

In fact, the target audience includes "...aggressive drunken yobs, knife-wielding criminals and those who go 'berserk' in public."

Not explicitly mentioned are little girls, old men in hospital beds, and those found comatose due to diabetic complications.


Will someone please track the number of "Excited Delirium" deaths in Britain before and after this mass deployment of tasers? Please...


I will make a bold prediction: The number of Brits not surviving their arrest will show a step function increase coincident with this mass deployment of tasers.

Aussie police want tasers - "Now !!!"

Yeah quick !! - before the news gets out that tasers are already being misused, abused and overused all over Australia. Little 16-year-old girls being held down and tasered. Police Ministers threatening to taser people at meetings.

They claim that, "They're effective." Yeah, so are flame-throwers. Do you want flame-throwers too? Electric fences around government buildings? You don't want unruly crowds bothering government officials.

Mr Carroll said the [police] association wanted 24-hour access to tasers for front-line police so they were equipped with a non-lethal alternative to handguns, particularly when more offenders are presenting with drug and mental health issues. [LINK]

Oh, so you've been shooting dead (with your lethal handguns) a large number of offenders with drug and heath issues, have we? What a load of crap.

This damp-trousers desire for tasers is really all about being able to exercise total control over not just 'offenders', but also over generally law-abiding citizens too. Back-talk an officer and you'll risk being tortured as an on-the-spot punishment. Just like the good old days of being a British penal colony.

There's a line that defines the boundary between a Police State and The Rule of Law. The clearest possible example of this boundary is the question: Who meets out the punishment - police or courts? Tasers are most often used to meet out on-the-spot pain which is far beyond what might be required to induce compliance. Tasers = an instrument of the Police State.

At this point the ill-informed pro-taser fan boys start wheezing about "Oh, Just obey the police and you won't get tasered", thereby revealing that they've not been paying the slightest attention and have missed the several incidents where persons in diabetic comas, or stone-cold drunk, or zonked-out asleep, etc., have been tasered.

In theory, tasers might do some good (if they were as safe as claimed) once in a while.

In practice, tasers are used about one-hundred times as often (roughly) as police ever used their lethal handguns. This reveals the police association statement about being a replacement for handguns to be an example of a misinformation campaign. And they know it - which makes it a lie.

In practice, tasers are misused, overused and abused so much that they are a negative force in society. When the overuse is combined with the risks, it isn't even clear that they save lives. When people die after being tasered, would they have died anyway? In many cases - not likely. Even the mainstream media has noticed that.

The Solicitor General in the Canadian province of Alberta recently claimed that tasers had saved "thousands" of lives - which is a clearly preposterous claim.

Australia seems to be about one year behind Canada in the progress of the taser issue.

Attention Aussies - Welcome to late-2007. Keep your mobile phone cameras at the ready. Especially if you see any sort of minor disturbance at an airport...