Tulsan Dies After Taserings

[patric]

The Tulsa World says it's in Tulsa, but in Creek County?

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is looking into the death of a Creek County man who died after getting tased by sheriff's deputies.

One of the deputies tased Kelley to get him under control, but they say Kelley kept fighting so they tased him a second time while trying to handcuff him and also used pepper spray to subdue him.

Deputies took Kelley to the hospital to make sure he wasn't injured from the struggle, but he died on the way.
http://www.fox23.com/news/local/story/Man-Dies-In-Custody/J93QOA7BtEGMkP0MrIGL1g.cspx

[Breadburner]

Should have followed directions......

[zstyles]

I can say ive never put myself in the position to get tazed...too bad this guy chose to do that....

[Gaspar]

Let me guess. . .Meth?

[custosnox]

might be a little more illuminating if it had the cause of death.

[TUalum0982]

The Tulsa World says it's in Tulsa, but in Creek County?

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is looking into the death of a Creek County man who died after getting tased by sheriff's deputies.

One of the deputies tased Kelley to get him under control, but they say Kelley kept fighting so they tased him a second time while trying to handcuff him and also used pepper spray to subdue him.

Deputies took Kelley to the hospital to make sure he wasn't injured from the struggle, but he died on the way.
http://www.fox23.com/news/local/story/Man-Dies-In-Custody/J93QOA7BtEGMkP0MrIGL1g.cspx

to answer your question about being in Tulsa but saying creek county.  My parents live one block west of 33rd on 81st St.  They are technically in creek county, but address reads Tulsa.  Could be a similar situation. 

[Hoss]

to answer your question about being in Tulsa but saying creek county.  My parents live one block west of 33rd on 81st St.  They are technically in creek county, but address reads Tulsa.  Could be a similar situation. 

Same with residence in the Tulsa Country Club north of Edison (and in the Gilcrease Hills; my grandmother used to live up there).  City limits of Tulsa, but in Osage County.  Before they got a satellite office in town, my grandmother used to have to drive to Pawhuska if she had any county business.  She also did jury duty in Pawhuska once if I remember correctly.

OK, back on the tasering topic.

[patric]

might be a little more illuminating if it had the cause of death.

OSBI is investigating, so that's the last we will hear.

[cannon_fodder]

Without more information it is hard to comment.  If the police were in the right to arrest him,  he was resisting, and left the officers little choice but to use more force or tase him... tasering is the least likely to cause harm to call involved.    If that's what happened, too bad he died - but not the cops fault.  I hope they DO investigate and keep the public informed.  The more faith we lose in police the harder it is for them to do the things we want them too.

[patric]

Without more information it is hard to comment.  If the police were in the right to arrest him,  he was resisting, and left the officers little choice but to use more force or tase him... tasering is the least likely to cause harm to call involved.    If that's what happened, too bad he died - but not the cops fault.  I hope they DO investigate and keep the public informed.  The more faith we lose in police the harder it is for them to do the things we want them too.

It might not be a question of whether they had the right to use potentially deadly force (which they may very well have had) but how responsibly that was done. 
When you see Tasers demonstrated on TV it's always the minimum amount: one short burst.  When you hear of people dying from it, it's usually from many bursts, or longer shocks, or both.

A 49-second shock would prove fatal in this case:
http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Family-of-Man-in-Taser-Death-Suing--Manufacturer-105134614.html
and yet the officer felt the need to deliver more.

Nowadays, the goal of tasers are not as an alternative to guns, but as a tool to force compliance or win a verbal argument, and if you are convulsing, you arent complying yet.

Using tasers instead of guns was a noble idea, but lack of knowledge as to it's effects, coupled with lack of good policy (and sometimes a lack of respect for people in general) has lead to the Taser becoming nothing more than an urban cattle prod.