The Boston Heraldreports:
The stunning rise in Taser use has drawn the fire of the local Amnesty International chapter, which says Tasers were supposed to be a non-lethal alternative to gunfire.
“Now it seems clear that police departments are using Tasers not as an alternative to lethal force but to get compliance.”
Amnesty International says that since 2001, 320 people have died after being tased.
I agree w/ their concernes, but I need to correct them on the use of the phrase “non-lethal.” A better description would be “less-lethal,” since it is now clear that Tasers at least contribute to death on occasion. A big part of the problem w/ the Taser is that it’s use has probably been placed too low on the use of force continuum. Taser, inc. and police departments both share culpability for not treating this weapon with the seriousness it deserves.
“Amnesty International says that since 2001, 320 people have died after being tased.”
Did these 320 people die from being “tased” or did they die from something else after being “tased”? You never hear what the autopsey report says in these headlines!!
The “they died from something else” argument is bullshit.
These are 320 people who, had they not been tased, would not be dead.