U.N.: Tasers Are A Form Of Torture

"Stun Guns" Are Under Fire After Six Deaths This Week; Rallies Held Demanding They Be Banned

(CBS/AP)  A United Nations committee said Friday that use of Taser weapons can be a form of torture, in violation of the U.N. Convention Against Torture.

Use of the electronic stun devices by police has been marked with a sudden rise in deaths - including four men in the United States and two in Canada within the last week.

Canadian authorities are taking a second look at them, and in the United States, there is a wave of demands to BAN them.

The U.N. Committee Against Torture referred Friday to the use of TaserX26 weapons which Portuguese police has acquired. An expert had testified to the committee that use of the weapons had "proven risks of harm or death."

"The use of TaserX26 weapons, provoking extreme pain, constituted a form of torture, and that in certain cases it could also cause death, as shown by several reliable studies and by certain cases that had happened after practical use," the committee said in a statement.

"Well, it means that it's a very serious thing," Amnesty International USA Executive Director Larry Cox told CBS Early Show co-anchor Julie Chen. "These are people that have seen torture around the world, all kinds of torture. So they don't use the word lightly."

Tasers have become increasingly controversial in the United States, particularly after several notorious cases where their use by police to disable suspects was questioned as being excessive. Especially disturbing is the fact that six adults died after being tased by police in the span of a week.

Last Sunday, in Frederick, Md., a sheriff's deputy trying to break up a late-night brawl tased 20-year-old Jarrel Grey. He died on the spot.

"I want to know what he did that was so bad," the victim's mother, Tanya James, said. "Did the deputy think that their life was in danger? Did he have a weapon?"

The death came just weeks after Frederick police used a Taser to subdue a high school student.

Black leaders held a rally Tuesday calling for the department to ban Tasers, at least until there is a clear policy on how they are used. The NAACP says it appears the sheriff's office is using Tasers routinely, rather than as a weapon of last resort.

Also this week, in Jacksonville, Fla., in two separate cases two men died after being stunned.

One suspect, who fled a car crash and tried to break into a nearby home, struggled with a policeman, prompting the officer to tase him three times. The man continued to fight, and tried to bite the officer, while he was being tased. He was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

Another man died Tuesday after a Jacksonville officer pulled over his car. When the officer approached it, the man took off running. When the officer caught up with him, during a struggle, authorities say the officer used his Taser to subdue the suspect.

After being placed in the back of the police car the suspect became unresponsive. He was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Last Sunday, in New Mexico, 20-year-old Jesse Saenz died after Raton police used a Taser to subdue him. Police say Saenz was struggling and fighting with them as they attempted to take him into custody.

Saenz died after being transported to a county jail.

In Nova Scotia, a 45-year-old man who was jailed on assault charges jumped a counter and ran for the door as he was being booked. He died yesterday, about 30 hours after being shocked.

And in Vancouver, where Royal Candian Mounted Police have been criticized for their use of a Taser against an irate airline passenger at Vancouver Airport last month, 36-year-old Robert Knipstrom died in a hospital four days after police used a Taser, pepper spray and batons to subdue him.

Police earlier said Knipstrom was agitated, aggressive and combative with officers. The cause of death has yet to be determined.

More than a dozen people have died in Canada after being hit by Tasers in the last four years.

The reported incidents this week did not have cameras documenting the use of the Tasers, but in British Columbia, a tourist's video camera recorded the death of a man tased twice while in custody at the Vancouver Airport last month.

That horrifying video shows Robert Dziekanski, a Polish man who spoke no English, become increasingly agitated. He was shocked twice, and then died.

The stun guns were denounced at memorial rallies in Vancouver and Toronto for Dziekanski.

Among the 1,000 people at the Vancouver rally was Paul Pritchard, who shot the video of the confrontation at the city airport.

The crowd gave a hero's welcome to Pritchard, who said he "saw the life drain out of a man's face" and heard "blood-curdling screams."

A rally in front of the Ontario legislature in Toronto drew several hundred people, including Bob Rae, a Liberal candidate in the next federal election.

Rae said the events leading up to Dziekanski's death must "never, ever be allowed to happen again."

The prominent - and sensational - reports of deaths following the use of Tasers has increased attention to their legitimacy, and prompted a bold defense by their manufacturer.

Taser International, based in Scottsdale, Az., released a statement following the Vancouver Airport incident saying no deaths have ever been definitively connected to what the company describes as: "the low-energy electrical discharge of the Taser."

That's 50,000 volts.

"The video of the incident at the Vancouver airport indicates that the subject was continuing to fight well after the TASER application," Taser International said. "This continuing struggle could not be possible if the subject died as a result of the Taser device electrical current causing cardiac arrest. [Dziekanski's] continuing struggle is proof that the Taser device was not the cause of his death.

"Specifically in Canada, while previous incidents were widely reported in the media as 'Taser deaths,' the role of the Taser device has been cleared in every case to date," Taser said.

While the medical questions about causes of death are not resolved, Cox said this is precisely why more study is needed. "Nobody really knows exactly why these people are dying, we only know that people are dying after they're tasered," he said. "It's nearly 300 people who have died in the United States - they're tasered, and then they die.

"It may be because they have a heart condition. It may be because they're on drugs. It may be because of some other factor that we don't know about. The important thing is, they are dying after they are tasered. That cannot be denied, no matter how you spin the language."

The devices are used by about 12,000 police departments, often in chaotic situations.

Retired police officer Paul Mazzei told Chen, "Minus the Taser, they would have to use an impact weapon like a baton, possibly pepper spray or in some extreme cases of violent behavior they might even have to use deadly force to control that individual."

In fact, in New Mexico earlier this month, the parents of a suicidal woman who was shot to death by Bernalillo County deputies two years ago are suing, contending that the police should have used Tasers instead of firearms.

Brittany Wayne was killed in her bedroom 23 seconds after police arrived.

And in Utah, a patrol car's dashboard camera caught an officer tasing a driver who refused to sign a speeding ticket. The officer is now under investigation, accused of being too quick on the draw.

Amid a growing outcry, civil rights groups are urging police to put down their Tasers until more research is done.

"The danger of Tasers is that they seem safe, they seem easy and therefore I think it's natural that police will be inclined to use them much more quickly than they would ever use a gun," Cox told Chen.

"Most of the cases we've looked at, there's been no weapon involved at all [on the part of the suspect], let alone a deadly weapon," Cox said. "So these are not situations where necessarily the police officer sees a threat."

In the Utah highway arrest, the unarmed motorist talks back to the officer and walks away before being stunned.

"The penalty for resisting arrest should not be death," Cox said.

CBSNews.com producer David Morgan contributed to this report.

[rplat]

Oh please! The real torture derives from the existence of that gaggle of parasitic fools we call the "UN". That organization is a waste of time, money and effort . . . not to mention the prime real estate being wasted to house it.

[zootallures2]

"A United Nations committee said Friday that use of Taser weapons can be a form of torture."

The problem is greed, sadism, arrogance, ignorance, failure to acknowlege truth and reality in people. I doubt any of those concepts are inherent in a taser.

[monkfellow]

any comments that a corrupt outfit like the UN or a bunch of ostriches like Amnesty International are against,I am FOR!
These people offer no alternatives-their belief is that it would be better for a law enforcement officer to die or be irreprably injured than for a "citizen" to have a hair harmed on his head..
What phonies!

[red1530]

Should we go back to batons?

[thinkhard2]

Think hard. How can we think about a serious issue with distorted and provocitive news? what the company describes as:

"the low-energy electrical discharge of the Taser."

"That''s 50,000 volts."

Energy in this context would be Volts times Current for a period of time. 50,000 volts can be obtained walking across a carpet. Torture no. 120 volts from an outlet can kill. If you can''t get all the facts don''t try to play with emotion.

[tfheringer]

"Oh please! The real torture derives from the existence of that gaggle of parasitic fools we call the "UN". That organization is a waste of time, money and effort . . . not to mention the prime real estate being wasted to house it." This is a very good suggestion, the UN has yet to stop0 a war and I am old enough to know if it had. Now, it has been instrumental in starting a few wars, including the present one in Iraq. Remember it was the inability of UN inspectors to find weapons of Mass Destruction that led to this stupid war. I would love to have the US kick the UN out of America and at the same time we could quit the UN. Long live John Birch!

[fabthunder]

While the majority of law officers act in an ethical manner, enough exceptions exist to make arming them with a weapon they consider to be non-lethal is a serious mistake. It provides the thugs and bullies a weapon with which they can take out their aggression. I have even had an officer friend admit he did not want to control his anger with an anti-depressant because he wanted to enjoy beating up suspects!! Perhaps the weapon is not the issue, rather those officers with anger and authority issues.

[speakinup]

Time to get out of the UN !

This organization is rediculous!

As a criminal, would you rather be shot with a taser or shot with a gun ?

Next thing you know, it will be illegal to have a hang-nail.

[cyberus-2009]

Is this the same UN that allows genital mutilation of young women and wrings its hands over genocides and ethnic cleansings?
Seems to be another case of the UN looking for something to distract the media from the REAL problems around the world.

[speakinup]

After watching the first 40 seconds of the tape I have three comments

1) The officer was premature in shooting the motorist with the taser, he should have warned the motorist as to what would happen if he didn''t cooperate, and not head for his car door.

2) The motorist was resisting arrest and taunting the officer - interesting CBS didn''t show the tape from start of the conversation between the two. Most officers I have dealt with are not easily provoked

3) neither makes the taser a form of torture.

[beehive21-2009]

What happened to the stick ? clubbing the trouble maker worked they need to return to a good whack and it''s cheaper than the taser.

[abdoul_pasha]

Thay are used all over the world and this is a fact. they are used for torture and this is also a fact.

[ssm9451]

This reminds me of the Gestapo.

[Krazcarl]

You folks have never been the victums of police brutality, I have it''s not pretty rule 101 when dealing with police they are in COMPLETE control any other thinking you will suffer trust me. Just think of your classmates that made police work there calling should answer most of your questions.

[drivelphobe]

Don''t fight with the police. If a cop tells you to do something, you do it. Any resistence, particularly physical aggression, should be dealt with firmly and quickly. Nothing works better than overwhelming, brutal force. That''s what the cops are for and that''s what they should be able to do.

All but one of these situations involved criminal behaviour from violent individuals with no intention of complying with the cop''s oreders.

As far as I''m concerned, skip the taser and use wooden bats. These people have no respect for our police and should be taught some. Maybe next time, it they don''t die on the spot, they''ll think twice before ignoring the commands of the law enforcemnent personnel.

Cops have a difficult job and should be given much more freedom to use the force they deem necessary without a bunch of whining, complaining, do-gooders impairing their abiliity to serve and protect law abiding citizens.

[abdoul_pasha]

Posted by jcnbma at 10:58 AM
------
Yes, but the violence is escalating all over the world.

[redveg]

Posted by drivelphobe: "Don''t fight with the police."
I''ve seen to many videos of pigs using a taser because someone spoke back to them or after the suspect is handcuffed and under control; just because they like hurting people and know they can get away with it.

[talk2chief]

Mess with the bull you get the horns. If you have a situation with the police, cooperate, and have your day in court. It''s called due process. But to struggle with the police or try to flee, you deserve what you get. It''s really is that simple. 90 percent of the people who get tazed are lucky they don''t get shot for their stupid lawbreaking dangerous behavior. On the other hand, police who misuse the tazor should be unemployed, banned from civil service indefinately, and their right to own or use a DEADLY weapon revoked forever.

[griking]

Unfortunately there is no perfect answer to this problem. I think that tazering a person is much better way of incapacitating an out of control suspect then the alternative, just shooting him. However, we live in an imperfect world and police officers are also imperfect. Most officers will use tazers as a last resort, some unfortunately will abuse the power. My suggestion is that if you don''t want to get tazered then don''t put yourself in a position to be tazered. If you find yourself in the unfortunate position of being a police suspect then use common sense and obey the officer. I don''t understand why that''s so difficult.

[name_verify]

Its funny when Libs get tazed.....

LOL

[likeitis5050]

The issue isn''t the taser. It''s the cops who use it to compensate for a total lack of interpersonal skills on the job.

These are the Barneys of the industry who shouldn''t even be allowed to carry a gun with bullets because they are so eager to bust someone. Tasering someone struggling and trying to bite is reason enough to subdue. Turning your back on a motorist while you walk to the back of the car and then abruptly taser the guy clearly shows he wasn''t too concerned about his safety at the time. Please. This cop needs to go back to the academy or least be put behind a desk where he can bully walk-ins. He''s too eager to watch someone suffer under his ''collar''.

Given the choice between being beaten over the head with a baton, attacked by a dog, or tasered for resisting...go with the taser. In the meantime get rid of the Bubbas who love pushing people around and inciting confrontation just to have an excuse to use force. Every single police unit has one or two and the good cops are guilty of allowing them to do it. Corruption. They know who they are. Get them off the streets after the first complaint. Then the use of tasers will cease to be an issue.

[name_verify]

Take away the tazer and police will revert to clubbing persons over the head with a baton in order to get the handcuffs on. Persons have been injured or killed by a baton thrashing too, and thats why the tazer was adopted by cops - as an alternative to the baton thrashing.

[Krazcarl]

It''s is obvious that none of you have had any confrontation with the police by your mindless bable you stay protected in your leave it to beaver mentality. You believe what you see on TV abd that makes it OK.

[talk2chief]

I agree with what GladImNotOJ says "It''''s not that EVERY SINGLE cop is evil, because some are obviously well intentioned people, trying to make the world a better place. However, far too many turn out to be mental midgets on a power trip. Such people should NOT be cops!" Your absolutely correct, but I disagree with your statement, "Tasering is torture. It''''s definitely a very mild torture compared to 4 years of waterboarding at the hands of the sadists at Guantanamo, but it IS torture, and it kills people who do not deserve to die." This is crazy. The police have a right to defend themselves as well. They deal with negativity and the criminal element on a daily basis, I don''t think they a socially optimistic about society. In their defense you break the law, you struggle, you get tazered, it''s a better option then being beaten with a bat or shot, for both the officer and the suspect.

[name_verify]

Why dont Libs mace themselves instead....

LOL

[talk2chief]

"It''''s is obvious that none of you have had any confrontation with the police by your mindless bable you stay protected in your leave it to beaver mentality. You believe what you see on TV abd that makes it OK"

No crzmeat most people never have A "CONFRONTATION" with the police, maybe that is your PROBLEM! Most people try to obey the law and respect the officer who carries the authority! If I feel I am wronged, I go to court and use my constitutional rights to carry out due process.

[radiob-2009]

Hmmm remote controlled tasers that explains all of the flip flops from all of the candiates and Larry Craigs toe tapping.

[hgmassey]

Sounds like some of you people have no idea what a police state or torture is. Remember we live in a violent world more so now than before. Travel abroad to other countries and see how they deal with people who fight the police, I submitt you will not like it.

Society has become a bunch of self absorbed people who think they can do what they want and have no consiqunces( A bucnh of crying liberals) They are the ones who has forced the governments hand to become more assertive to the rest of of god fearing and law abbiding citizens who have respect for the laws and the enforcers. Only those that are self absorbed in themselves and can do wrong are the ones sniveling about the use of tasers. Lets face it 50,000 volts in a taser is less than what the older stun guns had ( 80,000 to 120,000 Volts). The lack of Knowledge by society makes this an issue not the use of the item itself.

[radiob-2009]

Hillary before being tasered I support the Iraq war.
Hillary after being tasered I do not support the Iraq war.
Mitt Rommeny before being tasered I am for abortion.
Mitt Rommney after being tasered I am against abortions.

Who is controlling the "tasers" ?

[streetsmart4]

Obviously, using a taser can be very damaging and/or fatal when placed and misused in the hands of an incompetent, fearful or scared police officer. Pepper spray is a far better, safer and very effective disabling agent. It immediately forces the eyes of the perp to invouluntarily close tightly thus disorienting the perp without long term physical damage. I myself have successfully used it to stop a charging bull moose coming at me at full bore. When hit with the pepper spray it immediately did a 180 degree turn. Other outdoors folks have successfully used it to stop charging bears. It is just as effective on humans and not as deadly as a taser.

[radiob-2009]

Neurosurgeons and orthopedic doctors claim the the constant use of tasers upon the political candiates are leaving them without a spine.

[abdoul_pasha]

The police will never stop using violence, neither liberals, nor conservatives want to remove it.

[talk2chief]

Obviously, using a taser can be very damaging and/or fatal when placed and misused in the hands of an incompetent, fearful or scared police officer. Pepper spray is a far better, safer and very effective disabling agent

POSTED BY :StreetSmart4

Pepper spray does not always work with angry, drunk and substance abuse suspects, it only escalates the situation. I agree pepper spray should be used first, but each situation has unknown potential hazards and dangers for both the suspect and the police officer. Bottom line, don''t fight with police... then none of this would be necessary.

[radiob-2009]

Posted by screen_ident

Ever been in the military? Gone through basic? Common basic training enter a room with "gas mask" and then be ordered to remove it for 1 minute. 1 minute of indirect exposure to tear gas and you do not want to do anything. It is difficult to resist.

[name_verify]

The best is when they get a Lib cornered and tazer, and club, and pepper spray, all at the same time with multiple cops going at simultaneously. Why do Libs try to run Barak as a candidate when Rodney King is so much entertaining to watch?

LOL

[salty1954]

In the holiday spirit, I would ask any who would like to join me in
visualizing the help of our mutual ancestors and holy men, like Jefferson and Lincoln, Adams and Revere, Franklin, and Ross, to help us now.

We call on them to come and help us wrest the reigns of power away from evil, Royalists, fascists,murdering mobsters and war profiteers, and bring it back into the hands of the true owners of our land, ALL of US, we the people.

Thanks for helping me visualize the murderers of our constitution and over a million Iraqis and 56,000 service people, not to mention the victims of the World Trade Center, Oklahoma City and New Orleans and genocides in Chile, Central America and Africa, etc.

Please join me in visualizing Bush Family Behind Bars.

Happy Thanksgiving.

[dixxson-2009]

As i watched the debate yesterday on C-span
between Carl Rove Jeb Bush vs a Anti war general and a democrat. Bush and Rove criticized, Castro, Chavez of Venusuela and others, and the Democrats let them get away
with Lie after lie! I said to myself I would bet that in Venusuela, China and Cuba
They don''t pass through metal detectors
at school, Knock down peoples doors, terrorizing children, murdering centurnarians that have survived a hundred
yrs, in a so called war on drugs.
I said I would be willing to bet Cuba
doesn''t have TASRES!
So is this DEMOCRACY or HYPROCRACY

[talk2chief]

Posted by radiob

Ever been in the military? Gone through basic? Common basic training enter a room with "gas mask" and then be ordered to remove it for 1 minute. 1 minute of indirect exposure to tear gas and you do not want to do anything. It is difficult to resist.

Different analogy. People at basic are not desperate to avoid police, intoxicated or influenced by narcotics.

[jjarden]

Governments can ONLY operate through FORCE, VIOLENCE and POWER over it''s populace...in other words TYRANNY. The Thugs who carry out the violence on behalf of the state are the Police and Military. These Thugs (mostly uneducated) NEVER even give a second thought that they are showing more loyalty to the TYRANNICAL "STATE" than they are to their fellow FREE Human Beings...fellow Brothers and Sisters. How many stories of Government Corruption and Abuse of its citizens are we going to read about before we "FREE" citizens revolt and take back the power from the "State"?

[name_verify]

lastdance4 = transgender pedo

Reported to CBS 10 times.

[radiob-2009]

Different analogy. People at basic are not desperate to avoid police, intoxicated or influenced by narcotics.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by talk2chief


The point was not about the military it was about the usage of tear gas as a deterrent. It is a effective deterrent. The police still use it. As far as tasers go line all 436 lapdog politicians and the wannabee candidates and taser away then ask questions. Maybe they will stop flip flopping long enough to answer honestly.

[nothappyatall]

One suspect, who fled a car crash and tried to break into a nearby home, struggled with a policeman, prompting the officer to tase him three times. The man continued to fight, and tried to bite the officer, while he was being tased. He was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

Another man died Tuesday after a Jacksonville officer pulled over his car. When the officer approached it, the man took off running. When the officer caught up with him, during a struggle, authorities say the officer used his Taser to subdue the suspect.

Last Sunday, in New Mexico, 20-year-old Jesse Saenz died after Raton police used a Taser to subdue him. Police say Saenz was struggling and fighting with them as they attempted to take him into custody.
-----

In EACH of those cases, the "suspects" were at fault, they were the ones who struggled, resisted arrest and worse.

[Mr Hesprich]

Tasers COULD be used as torture, but are only used as a way to get people resisting arrest under control.

[radiob-2009]

In EACH of those cases, the "suspects" were at fault, they were the ones who struggled, resisted arrest and worse.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by newster1

Despite the suspects being at fault what you are advocating is justice without trial on the spot. This sounds more like a "death squad" weapon than one to subdue a suspect.

[radiob-2009]

How many times were the tasers used upon the suspect and were the tasers working properly? Or did the suspects have other conditions that prompted their deaths?

[bozworth4]

As stated before " A taser is a cowards way to kick your butt" Thought cops were supose to be tough? A gun and a badge don''t make you tough, so they need more tools to comtrol us out of control tax payers. Just got my C&C permitt, so if I can just find a badge and a taser, I''ll be all set for bully duty.

[radiob-2009]

Ah Zooty your a little Fruity
Zooty got a cow named Daisy
she drives poor Zooty crazy

[zootallures2]

Well, you wanted to have thugs for law enforcement and the military... if Frankensien coming after his master now... boo hoo..

[abdoul_pasha]

However, the USA doesn`t have the right to talk aboun human rights because they torture people in Iraq and Afghanistan.

[bozworth4]

To: zootallures2

My gas isn''t red colored anymore. Used to be years ago!