Taser Deaths

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While I personally have never seen a death due to a Taser, there is another common thread of these posts, to which I will add two more.

This past year, I read of 2 deaths associated with use of the Taser:  One in Long Island, NY, where the suspect was high on cocaine & alcohol & required multiple shocks.  One in Chicago, where the suspect was high on methamphetamines.  

>From these 2 'cases' & many posts on this list, it would appear that a significant number of individuals are 'high' at the time they encounter the Taser.  Being in The Bronx,  I am all too familiar with cocaine MI's and cocaine aortic dissections: is there something about cocaine &/or methamphetamines that would predispose an individual 'tased' to dying?

~doug~


  The responses regarding my questions have been informative and support my  
  suspicions and findings.  THANK YOU
   
  I too believe that these deaths are NOT related to the TASER per  se.   I am 
  finding a common thread in all of the deaths which I  can find.   
   
  1.    When "taken to the ground" the obese men are  always placed prone
  2.    The are handcuffed with their arms behind their  back
  3.    They remain prone
  4.    They remain cuffed, often with some one sitting  on top of them
  5.    They talk about not being able to breath 
  6.    A cardiac event occurs
  7.    EMS is called and they are taken to the  hospital
   
  If any of us is in a lateral position, or prone and have difficulty  
  breathing, we move our body up on our elbows and this allows the chest to have  
  excursions and ventilation occurs.    With hands pinned behind  one, it is 
  impossible to change the position in order to get a good  breath.  
   
  When operating on patients in the prone position, the anesthesiologist are  
  careful to allow a mechanism for chest excursions.  
   
  Therefore, it seems to me that policy of controlling a post TASER subdued  
  person needs a new protocol.  
   
  k
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