NYPD Cops Disciplined In Nude Taser Slay

A Lieutenant Lost His Gun And Badge And The Officer Who Fired The Stun Gun At A Disturbed Man Was Put On Administrative Duty

(CBS/AP)  A naked, distraught man fell to his death after a police officer shocked him with a Taser stun gun as he stood on a building ledge, authorities said.

The man, Inman Morales, 35, was pronounced dead at a hospital after his nearly 10-foot fall Wednesday. Police said he suffered serious head trauma when he hit the sidewalk.

"He wasn't hurting anybody, witness Racquel McDonald told CBS station WCBS in New York. "They could have just grabbed him and bring him down, but they Tased him instead and he fell to his death and it was real wrong."

Officers had radioed for an inflatable bag as the incident unfolded, but it had not yet arrived at the scene when Morales fell, WCBS reports.

"He was there cracking jokes, posing for the cops and everything. The man wasn't a threat to nobody but himself," witness Kirk Giddings told WCBS. They had about eight cops that could break the fall. They just moved back."

The lieutenant who directed the use of the stun gun was stripped of his gun and badge, and the officer who shocked Morales was placed on desk duty as the investigation continues, WCBS reported. Their names were not released.

The death of the man, who witnesses and neighbors said had become distraught and had threatened to kill himself earlier in the day, brought renewed focus to the use of Tasers by the police.

It also raised questions over why Morales was shocked with the stun gun when there was no inflatable bag placed on the sidewalk to catch him if he fell.

"They didn't try to brace his fall. They did nothing. I've seen a lot of things in my time. But what they did was wrong," said neighbor Kirk Giddens, 39, in Thursday editions of the Daily News.

In a video posted on the Web site of the New York Post, Morales can be seen clambering along a building's fire escape until he reaches a ledge and begins swinging a large fluorescent light bulb at officers below. One of the officers raises a Taser at Morales, who freezes and topples over headfirst.

Police spokesman Paul J. Browne told The New York Times that Morales' death was under investigation. He said that it was unclear whether an inflatable bag had been requested or whether it had not yet arrived at the scene.

Officers are allowed to use Tasers if they believe psychologically distressed people are a danger to themselves or to others.

Thousands of city police sergeants began carrying Tasers on their belts this year. The pistol-shaped weapons fire barbs up to 35 feet and deliver 50,000-volt shocks to immobilize people.

[surinbasebal]

I think some people watch too many movies or play too much grand theft auto. Police Officer''s aren''t McDonald''s rejects, the hiring process is pretty competetive except in smaller towns. I think there are some that let the authority role swell their heads, as do some people in any job. Sounds like the police officer in this case wasn''t using his head. Maybe the guy was armed with a very large ****. Many people on here say bad things about the police; but, if you were being robbed, beaten, or raped, I''m sure you''d want them to come to your rescue.

[kuei12]

"I love how everyone hates on cops--then when they need them they cry like little girls."

The only reason we are forced to call cops is because we will be sued if we try to defend ourselves. Trust me, I would be more than happy to carry my own gun.

[kuei12]

Any weapon in the hands of police will be misused and abused. Keep in mind most cops are trigger happy, moronic, McDonald''s rejects who could not find work anywhere else.

[babooph]

Judgement call-not the best,but an accident-go easy on some guys with a tough job.

[birdlikebld]

'' .. i think all naked people should be flogged, especially little naked little kid people, flogged rite there on their little naked pimples they call bottoms .. and all police should be thrown into those tree mulch machines .. not against their will, of courxse, it seems these days there''s more than a few spnak ing butts and thugs without permission .. ''

[runningralph]

The cops saved the taxpayers a bundle. The only people who should be worried about this are people who are afraid they themselves might someday be naked on a ledge.

[stn_sage]

IF you paid me thousands of dollars, you couldn''t get me to go into New York City! The police there are out of control! They are WORSE than the street gangs, random murderers, and organized crime combined!

[chicagorail6]

USED 2 B cops were hired because they were excellent physical specimens - I remember newspaper ads for Chicago PD jobs demanding at least 6 foot tall, at least 200 lbs with physical characteristics of a big enforcer type.



Now whatchoo got ?

Fat little greasy loser pimps that have Napoleon complexes, armed with DEATH TASERS.




Why does this debate drone on and on ? How many more people in how many locales will be victimized by pimpPig Cops armed with TASERS OF DEATH ?!

BAN TASERS NATIONWIDE NOW !!



Or is this all part of D-i-c-k Cheney''s plan for Amerika - black-suited S&M looking cops, no name badges or any badges AT ALL - just their everpresent and EVERPOTENT WEAPONS HELD AT THE READY.







You simpleton Baptist fetus worshippers sure got what you voted for, didn''t you ! ?

[tomanyt]

Tasered a man who is standing on a ledge???? What idiots.

[cdfoxtrot3]

I love how everyone hates on cops--then when they need them they cry like little girls.

Pathetic.

Posted by easeup

Your views are highly simplistic. The very fact that people turn to police in times of dire need is all the more reason for the police to be people you can trust and for them not to act like criminal thugs.

[cdfoxtrot3]

It''s about time to pass federal laws that would prohibit the use of tasers except in clear life-and-death situations. This disturbed person was naked, so the police can hardly claim they thought he was armed. This kind of abuse of civilians by police has got to stop.

[kansas1946]

It is a sad day when our police officers have become nothing but thugs wanting to use their toys. This is the problem with tasers. No cop would have dreamed of shooting this man, but hey, give the nut a little shock for kicks. Why not.

[daiseylu]

There is something real wrong with the use of Tasers, first of all, a policeman has to know when to use them, personally, I think they should get rid of them,,someone would be better off, being shot in the toe , at least he is not losing his life,,so many hearts can not take the shock of a Taser, as was proven in cases, where a otherwise nice guy, with no record, was killed, because of one drunken night,,this is wrong,,this is no answer.,isn''t it better to call for back up and get the out of hand person contained, and not take his life??? Why the heck did the policeman taser him , he was on a *** ledge..??? How can this policeman live with himself,,? This is why policeman get a bad rap.and that''s been happening quite a bit lately.,,Daisey

[cbsblogger]

Does anyone understand why cops would kill a man who was obviously not a threat to anyone?

Law enforcement creed is to protect and serve the public. That doesn''t mean killing people who have emotional problems but are not a threat to anyone.

The Taser is a lethal threat although not as lethal as a Glock.

The taxpayers are going to pay dearly for these ffvcking idiot overly aggressive cops. The taxpayer gets nailed with multi million dollar lawsuits and perp cops get their wrist slapped. Law enforcement must begin aggresive education and institute policies that misbehavior will result in loss of job and criminal prosecution and loss of all benefits.

[urnot]

Cops with guns= Thugs with badges.

These cops should be charged with MANSLAUGHTER, but killing an American if you are a COP is A-OK.

[easeup-2009]

I love how everyone hates on cops--then when they need them they cry like little girls.

Pathetic.

[mytoosense]

...and the cop was heard saying...

What fun is having a taser if we can''t fire it at naughty-bits??!!

[observer2020]

Police obviously do not get it. There needs to be also a basic intelligence requirement.
Posted by caliengineer

Well, that leaves the all cops out...they certainly LACK basic intelligence. They are all school-yard bullies with badges, guns, and now tasers. They "think" (and I use that term very loosely) being they are "non-lethal" (which is seriously questionable) that they are free to use it whenever their pea-brains "think" they can. When testing to be a cop, they must scrape the bottom of the barrel and sign those ones up.

[jusdane]

What a surprise . . . another case of excessive police force. What exactly was the danger? Maybe the Lieutenant was jealous of the dudes Johnson size. lol

[wharfrat_nj]

Bed-Sty section of Brooklyn is one of the roughest in the 5 boroughs. I''m sure it would have been handled much differently if this happened in SoHo ... but the poor slum dwellers of Bed-Sty? Taze ''em ..they don''t matter anyway, right?