Taser death in troubled town (tasered 9 times while handcuffed)

Chicago Tribune ^ | July 20 2008 | Howard Witt

[Charlespg]

WINNFIELD, LA. -- At 1:28 p.m. on Jan. 17, Baron "Scooter" Pikes was a healthy 21-year-old. By 2:07 p.m., he was dead.

What happened in the 39 minutes in between -- during which Pikes was handcuffed by police and shocked nine times with a Taser while reportedly pleading for mercy -- is spawning suspicions of a political cover-up in this lumber town infamous for backroom dealings.

[zeugma]

But it was done by a cop so nobody will go to jail.

Unfortunately, you're right.

They'll probably end up getting promoted.

[zeugma]

To the level of Lon Horiuchi?

Brilliant sarcasm! I salute you.

[Charlespg]

I agree with you 100%. The question is how, I for one think there should be federal standards for PROSECUTION and IMPRISONMENT for most police misconduct. If they actually sent some of these dirtbags to the clink for a few years for some of the stuff short of MURDER, maybe, just MAYBE we would have a lot less crap like this.

I think your right,having federal standards for prosecution of police misconduct might be the way to go. I don't like big government but these types of things seem to on the rise lately

[MaxMax]

Tasers seem to give police the ability to dole out punishment without due process.

[Charlespg]

In the olden days the sadists used their Batons to excess, now it's the Taser. So yeah, maybe Congress should look into this, way too many are dying from this "non lethal weapon". But they're too busy trying to impeach Bush.

Yeah and trying to feed themselves at the hogtrough.

[Charlespg]

Were you paying attention ?

The US government broke its own rules of engagement on Ruby ridge
There was one agent who withdrew his team in protest if I remember correctly

That was the fault of the ClinTOON and his goons and the fault of congress for not impeaching the SOB

[sport]

I believe that if you check you will find that Ruby Ridge occurred under Bush 41.

But I could be wrong.

[Charlespg]

Your right

bush was still president

[sport]

Thanks. I thought so but I was going from memory.

I also believe that good ole Lon was sent to Mt. Carmel to practice his trade.

[contemplator]

Maybe its time for congress to ban tasers in police use

A taser is just a tool. It has appropriate times for it's use. Taking away a tool out of a LEO's toolbox isn't the answer, they need to be given more choices in fact.

This particular cop appears to be a sadist and should be brought up on charges and judged for his actions. He doesn't seem to understand how the human body reacts to being tased, I suggest an appropriate punishment begin with him repeatedly finding out first hand what it's like to be tased. Regardless of whether or not he is found guilty of murder, to allow this man to continue acting as a LEO would be constitute negligence and willful disregard for public safety on the part of the police department.

[contemplator]

A fist, rock, baton or any other weapon also gives police the ability to dole out punishment. All of these weapons are meant to allow the police the ability to take control of a situation, by force if necessary. The taser shouldn’t be singled out.

If it is found that the police are abusing their powers and are punishing the people they are supposed to protect, the those cops should be dealt with appropriately.

It appears to me that many cops seem to have forgotten that they are supposed to protect the people the are attempting to arrest. In some cases these are the people who need the most protection.

There is an ultra-fine line that has to be walked between using enough force and using too much force, if a cop is not capable of walking that line then they need to be replaced with someone who can.