Taser demo - and NOT in the back

The Chronicle (Centralia, WA) police reporter Andy Campbell (young and expendable) volunteered to be zapped by a taser.

Most such idiot demonstrations are shot into the volunteer's back. But this one was applied to Mr. Campbell's front. [LINK][VIDEO]

I use the word 'front', not chest, because it is hilarious how the taser wires were attached to Mr. Campbell's far upper right shoulder, and left thigh. Neither taser wire is actually on his chest. This is not a coincidence. Taser International and their minions are still running chicken-sh_t scared to death of advising that volunteers be tasered directly across the chest.


The next thing about this video is the duration. Mr. Campbell apes for the camera while signing the release (may we see the release?). He indicates a willingness to be tasered for five seconds. Didn't happen. It was about two seconds. It wasn't five seconds even in the slow-motion replay.


The Chronicle, thus having paid the minimal, but still painful, entry fee to the Church of Taser, writes a glowing propaganda piece repeating some of the same old stale lies.

"...only 50 [taser-associated deaths] could be traced to the use of a Taser, and even those ones are classified as the Taser “contributing” to the death."

Autopsy reports are notoriously difficult to obtain. AI made strenuous efforts and was able to obtain some number of reports. Of that sample, 50 mentioned the taser as a contributing factor. The percentage was 27% or 37% (let's call it 'one-third'). This rate can probably be extrapolated to all taser-associated deaths. So it's not "50", it's about one-third of all taser-associated deaths. And this is in spite of best efforts at containment.

"...Overall statistics lead us to believe that Tasers, when properly used, do way more good than harm."

Failing grade for basic ethics. If you put any reasonable weighting on the significance of the unexpected deaths of those that simply did not deserve to die, then it's a difficult argument to make that the benefits outweigh the costs. Perhaps in some ideal world where the taser training doesn't gloss over the risk of death, then in that imaginary world perhaps the argument could be made. But not on this planet. Not with the evil propaganda being foisted on the unsuspecting public.


As for cub reporter Campbell?

He had better wipe the saliva off. He's been played like a trumpet.