Posted on 07/20/2008 1:16:07 PM PDT by LibWhacker
Officer Suspended For 5 Days
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A teenager died after being hit with a police Taser gun for 37 seconds, and the whole thing was caught on tape by surveillance cameras.
Authorities said that Darryl Turner had been in a confrontation with a supervisor at work at a North Carolina grocery store.
When Officer Jerry Dawson arrived, he fired his Taser gun at the 17-year-old and struck him in the sternum.
"The initial use of the (Taser gun) is not in question," said Charlotte-Mecklenburg police Chief Ken Miller.
However, for 37 seconds, Dawson continued to use the Taser gun against the teen.
An autopsy revealed that Darryl Turner died of a heart attack, authorities said.
NBC Charlotte affiliate WCNC reported that Dawson was given a five-day suspension for firing the Taser gun too long.
"I wouldn't want to be (hit with a Taser gun) for 37 seconds, I can assure you of that," said Joe Kuhns, a professor of criminal justice at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. "It's a lengthy period of time."
Kuhns said he does support the use of the guns, however. "For the most part, their use has been effective. It has reduced officer injuries. It has reduced suspect injuries."
But a recently released National Institute of Justice study indicated that since 1987, there have been 300 deaths from the devices, also called conducted energy devices.
"There may be circumstances in which repeated or continuous exposure is required, but law enforcement should be aware that the associated risks are unknown," the study said. "Therefore, caution is urged in using multiple activations of (Taser guns) as a means to accomplish subdual."
Turner's family said they believe he didn't have to die.
"The officer was not confronted with circumstances that required the use of that type of force," said family attorney Ken Harris.
Dawson won't face criminal charges in the case, but Turner's family is considering a lawsuit, WCNC reported.
I was trying to be respectful of your service, but you seem to insist on defending:
- state troopers who violate the speed limit every single time they pull onto the freeway
- city cops who use their emergency lights to get into the donut shop without waiting at the traffic light the way the little people do
- City cops frequenting prostitutes while in uniform and on duty
- cops who intentionally frame people for crimes they did not commit
- cops dealing drugs themselves
- cops with bad attitudes who seem to think the citizen is their subject
- cops who seem to think the world owes them respect because they have a cheap piece of tin on their chest rather than earning respect by their behavior
suit yourself, we all choose the company we keep.
Cheers,
Lloyd
and as a parting shot, given the examples I see on the street every day for all I know the nice young officer who politely completed an accident report for me to file with the insurance company was half an hour ago selling crack or hassling a kid just because he can.
Sorry to feel this way, but if the force can't clean up their own house, I have no reason to believe they're not every last one this way.
If this is not true, prove it by cleaning house
The majority of our Peace officers are not corrupt, and serve with distinction and honor, or you would see America being very much like Mexico is right now.
Support your local police, and maybe they will evolve to be as clean as you wish, but you would in your conduct contribute to the discivilzation of America? Looks like thats a long way from conservatism to me.
And don't call people names like "bootlicker". Its not only ungentlemanly, but makes you sound like an Ass Hat lefty liberal who has difficulty discriminating between social order and subservience.
That is a distinct marker for a Troll in these parts.
Not that it matters in this conversation, but I've been around FR much longer than you so don't go throwing "troll" around lightly.
Regarding the "bootlicker" monicker, it means those who just continue to support any member of the force no matter the circumstances and discounting the very real instances of corruption when exposed. You say you've never done so, but your posting in this thread are nothing but....
I really didn't mean to start a flame war, I do respect the service of those who serve honorably and respect anyone (no matter their job) so long as they behave respectably.
In this case we have a dead teenager and an incompetent cop.
Carry on if you wish, but I'm finished with this conversation.
Cheers,
Lloyd
Was that your class photo from the police academy? :-)
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