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Officer Charged in Taser Death

By TChris, Section Misconduct
Posted on Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 10:22:17 PM EST
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A manslaughter charge filed against a former Louisiana police officer follows a coroner's ruling that Baron Pikes' death was a homicide.

Pikes was shocked nine times with a 50,000-volt Taser as he was arrested on a drug possession warrant in January, authorities said. Winn Parish District Attorney Chris Nevils said [Scott] Nugent broke the law when he "unnecessarily" used the Taser on Pikes multiple times and failed to get him medical attention "when it was apparent he needed it."

Nevils' attitude is refreshing:

"In a civilized society, abuse by those who are given great authority cannot be tolerated," Nevils said in a statement.

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    Officer Charged in Taser Death | 11 comments (11 topical)

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    This is welcome news (5.00 / 1) (#1)
    by shoephone on Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 10:52:10 PM EST
    Hopefully, this will set a precedent for police officers to be held to account for the numerous taser deaths they have caused over the last few short years.

    Tasers are dangerous and the cops who use them almost always overuse them. That is abuse whether the victim lives (because it's torture) or dies (because it's murder).

    i wouldn't bet the rent (none / 0) (#2)
    by cpinva on Thu Aug 14, 2008 at 01:01:56 AM EST
    money on that.

    Hopefully, this will set a precedent for police officers to be held to account for the numerous taser deaths they have caused over the last few short years.

    more likely, it will result in the police union declaring a strike, offended that any of their membership could possibly be indicted for a criminal offense.

    Finally a voice of reason (none / 0) (#3)
    by MichaelGale on Thu Aug 14, 2008 at 06:42:01 AM EST
     hope Neviles is not removed from office or forced into early retirement.

    In more than one case (none / 0) (#4)
    by Fabian on Thu Aug 14, 2008 at 07:00:47 AM EST
    the officers seemed to be at a loss when the victim needed emergency medical attention.

    Isn't that part of the taser training?  If you use a weapon that can cause cardiac arrest, every time you use it you'd best be prepared to dial 9-1-1 and perform CPR.  You should also be ready to evaluate a victim's respiratory and cardiac function.

    A first responder should always be ready.

    first responders (none / 0) (#5)
    by sj on Thu Aug 14, 2008 at 08:51:33 AM EST
    Are police considered first responders?  I always thought of first responders as fire and medical.  I wouldn't have ever counted on a cop to handle emergency medical treatment.

    But the use of tasers.  Man, it was supposed to be used as an alternative to a gun.  Instead, it's being used as an alternative to a nightstick

    Parent

    I would expect them (5.00 / 1) (#6)
    by Jen M on Thu Aug 14, 2008 at 09:19:48 AM EST
    to at least have basic first aid training and some minimal instruction in how to recognize possible serious medical emergencies.

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    It was also my understanding (none / 0) (#8)
    by eric on Thu Aug 14, 2008 at 10:05:21 AM EST
    that these "tasers" were meant to be an alternative to firearms and were meant to only be used when one would otherwise be using a gun.

    It is now clear that these weapons are being used when deadly force would not be called for, and in some cases, they appear to be used to merely gain compliance.

    Have policies changed, was I misinformed, or are these things simply being misused?

    Parent

    I've done some research with Google (5.00 / 1) (#10)
    by eric on Thu Aug 14, 2008 at 10:29:54 AM EST
    and found that it isn't at all clear what policies are on Tasers.  It is clear that some departments have put Tasers on their "use of force continuum".

    I did find one article from the Minnesota Independent that addresses the topic.  It is as I expected:

    "The Taser first came out as an option to the use of deadly force. In the case where there was extreme risk to yourself or somebody else, Taser was a great option."
    * * *
    "It used to be put below deadly force, but not a long ways below that, on the use-of-force continuum," Quinn continues. "Now it's slid down that force continuum, where at some agencies if someone presents even a verbal resistance and says I am not going to go with you, officers are justified in using the Taser."

    In Minneapolis, it seems that getting tasered is on the same level as the "hard empty hand".

    Parent

    It is a hard lesson (none / 0) (#11)
    by JamesTX on Thu Aug 14, 2008 at 09:34:09 PM EST
    for us to learn, but it is one we, as an electorate, need to learn, and we nee to learn it soon. No controversial privilege is ever maintained within the boundary conditions used to argue for its introduction. The principle is so reliable that nowadays the boundary conditions are held up to the public as solemn promises even at the very same time as plans are being laid for the violations of those conditions. Americans have no memory for details. They will forget quickly the deals they made to allow new powers, and only remember that the powers were granted.

    By the way, did you know that the "compromise"  in Congress that finally allowed for the policy of issuing a Social Security Number to all Americans was that the number would never, ever, be used to identify individuals for any purpose other than determining Social Security benefits. The day after the Patriot Act was passed, based on the solemn promise that the powers would only be used against terrorists, conservatives pundits were rejoicing in the new powers that law gave police to "go after pedophiles". TASERS were to be a last resort alternative to killing someone, but within a short time they are now used as the primary means of communication (in the place of requests and verbal orders) with anyone who the police computer report has a record. TASING of such individuals appears to be automatic, and appears to be being used as a means of extra-judicial punishment and in place of normal communication.

    It is a sad state of affairs, but if we want our rights, we have to stop making deals with these people. No negotiation. No special circumstances. Just say NO -- period. These people obviously cannot stick to their promises, and we should stop being duped into signing off on these things as an electorate when it is inevitable that the promises will not be kept.

    Parent

    It is probably hard (none / 0) (#7)
    by eric on Thu Aug 14, 2008 at 10:01:02 AM EST
    to get motivated to same someone that you just tried to kill.

    Parent
    save (none / 0) (#9)
    by eric on Thu Aug 14, 2008 at 10:06:00 AM EST
    not "same".  Geez, bad typing this a.m.

    Parent
    Officer Charged in Taser Death | 11 comments (11 topical)

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