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.



Saturday, June 7, 2008

Taser's smug smile wiped from its face

This is huge news.

Taser has lost their first-ever wrongful death case Friday when a jury found them partly to blame in the death of Robert Heston Jr. on February 19, 2005. The U.S. District Court in San Jose determined Friday that Taser International Inc. failed to adequately inform users of the effects of sustained use of the electric shocks. The extended duration of the taser shocks contributed 15 percent to the death. While the jury attributed 85 percent of the cause of death to the actions of the decedent, the jury awarded $1,021,000 in compensatory damages and $5,200,000 in punitive damages against Taser based on negligent failure to warn.

[LINK] [LINK] [LINK] [LINK] [LINK]

Taser played all of their cards in this case. They brought in all their so-called "world renowned experts". But this is the result: they lost.

And although Taser "...intends to pursue appropriate legal channels, including a motion for a new trial, judgment notwithstanding the verdict and filing an appeal in this matter...", it doesn't matter.

They lost.

They lost big time.

And the pipeline is overflowing with many many more similar incidents.


Their business model - seemingly based on hubris - has now been kicked past the edge of a very steep slope to oblivion.


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