Cop Involved In Taser Death Kills Self

(CBS/AP)  A New York Police Department lieutenant apparently committed suicide Thursday, days after he ordered another officer to fire a stun gun at a naked, distraught man who then fell to his death, police said.

Lt. Michael W. Pigott was found at a former airfield in Brooklyn, dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne said.

"On behalf of all the members of the New York Police Department, I extend deepest condolence to the family and friends of Lt. Michael W. Pigott, who served with dedication after 21 years," Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said in a statement after the family of the officer was notified of his death.

Pigott had been stripped of his gun and badge after a Sept. 24 incident in which police responding to a report of an emotionally disturbed man fired a Taser at the man, Iman Morales, causing him to fall 10 feet to his death.

After the incident, Kelly ordered refresher training on how to deal with the mentally ill and appointed a new commander of the police Emergency Service Unit, which responds to such incidents.

The body of the lieutenant, a 21-year veteran of the force whose 46th birthday was Thursday, was found at Floyd Bennett Field, where the unit is located and where training was held Monday. On Wednesday, he had apologized for what happened, saying he was "truly sorry."

In the incident last week, witnesses and neighbors said Morales had become distraught and threatened to kill himself. His mother called 911. When police arrived, he fled naked out the window of his third-floor apartment to the fire escape.

He tried unsuccessfully to get into an apartment on the floor above, and then climbed down until he reached a ledge over a shuttered storefront, where he started jabbing at officers with an 8-foot fluorescent light.

The lieutenant ordered Officer Nicholas Marchesona to fire the Taser. The 50,000-volt shock immobilized the 35-year-old Morales, who then toppled from his perch. He plunged headfirst to the ground and suffered fatal injuries.

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

Morales's mother was standing just a few yards away when her son died, reports CBS station WCBS in New York. According to other family members, she called police because her son had a chemical imbalance and she believed he was suffering from a bad reaction to medication.

"The mother was screaming, 'He's gonna fall, he's gonna fall!' And they said 'Ma'am step back.' They wouldn't allow the mother to talk to him," witness Charlene Gayle-Gordon told WCBS.

The officers have been taken off the street and reassigned, but Morales' loved ones say police took much more away from them.

"My brother, I'll never get him back. Nothing can replace my brother," Danny Morales said.

Almost immediately, police said the use of the stun gun appeared to violate department guidelines, which explicitly bar their use "in situations where the subject may fall from an elevated surface."

An amateur video of the incident was posted on Web sites and replayed frequently on news stations.

Floyd Bennett Field was New York City's first municipal airport. The NYPD has divisions located there.

[dadblamed]

I think society needs to cut some slack for the police. It is really not a good deal they get. We tell them "ok, here''s the deal - we''re not paying you much, but there''s a crazed lunatic, on drugs, on a ledge, in a populated area, naked, screaming in tongues, waving weapons around, threatening himself and and world. The lunatic''s mama is there, and the lunatics brother is there, and the press will be there soon and there are likely 4 cellular cameras rolling. Now, go there quickly, but not too quick that you make a driving mistake, but go real fast, if you show up late then you''ll catch hell if the lunatic has already slashed a neighbor or himself. But anyway, get there and stay calm and achieve a perfect outcome where everyone is happy and all is restored to sanity, like a Norman Rockwell painting. Any result short of that and you''ll be tarred and feathered in the press and probably go to jail." Have a good day.

[jamesetling4]

Using a taser is a lot of fun. It makes cops feel powerful. Most questionable behavior by the NYPD does not get investigated. With all the media attention, NYPD brass needed a scapegoat. Now the scapegoat is stuck with the blame and is not around to question it.

[observer2020]

All police treat everyone they come in contact with as criminals. Even though you are definitely a victim of a crime, you are treated like a criminal and it doesn''t matter a bit to them. Each police department has a "mission statement" that they supposedly follow to the letter--that''s a huge pile of horse hockeys! I have absolutely NO use for any police officer of any sort--they''re all untrustworthy school-yard bullies with their wonderful intimidating attitude just because they have the badge, gun, and taser. We all know that all police officers and prison guards are completely above the law...except nowadays when regular citizens have cell phones with cameras and video taping capabilities. Keep those cameras running people! It''s our only defense.

My condolences go out to the family and friends of Iman Morales. Too bad Lt. Michael W. Pigott wasn''t MAN enough to stand up in court and say he was guilty of making a very wrong decision to use a taser in which Mr. Morales lost his life (which was a no-brainer about where he was going to fall once tasered--anybody could see that one coming). Did anyone notice that he ordered someone else to taser Mr. Morales? That way he could blame it on someone else...sure am glad that someone filmed this, otherwise the story, as the integrity-laden police would have reported it, would be quite different, I''m sure.

[joni1972-2009]

the cop made a bad call to tase this man. two dead people,sad.i think tasers can be used to save lives and can be used to kill as well. when the barbs are in the skin all one bad cop has to do is keep pulling the trig, that upsets the heart. i have been in jail afew times and have had these used on me. later on they would come by my cell and talk with me and we would laugh about it. its better then the old days when the turnkeys would come in and do a tap dance on your head or bang the keys on your head

[dutchdooley]

I grew up my entire life as the son of a police officer. I have always tried to obey the law and out of respect for my father and his career. After being pulled over in Galesburg (Jailsburg), IL., and placed in handcuffs for reasons the police could not answer, I was tasered while having the handcuffs on behind my back. I was not resisting, out of control, or nothing of the sort besides repeatedly asking why I was being placed in cuffs and arrested. The officer clearly was using the taser as like a cattle prod.

Police seem to forget that the reason for using this weapon is for situations that would have required them to draw their handgun previously. They are only to fire this weapon or use it if the person in question is a threat or harm to themselves or others including the officer. Not just because they feel like it and someone asked too many questions or was known to be off his meds as noted by the recent deceased person%u2019s mother and neighbors.

Any weapon should only be placed in the hands of responsible people who know the proper use, safety, and practices. You can''t or shouldn''t be allowed to just go around shooting people with a taser gun because you are upset or it is at your disposal being a police officer. If so, this weapon needs to be taken away from one or all officers as they must not be responsible enough to make the proper judgment calls.

[jehovahwtnss]

If anybody''s a piece of dog "krap" it''s rudy654. He should learn that everyone''s entitled to an opinion without that kind of vituperative insult being leveled at them

[jehovahwtnss]

I would like to advise jumkey that there is no such verb as "To Fetishize" but I nonetheless agree with his sentiment

[no1sarge]

That last message about racial is for edio3. Remember before when I said there''s a lot of *** on here.....I''m not pointing any fingers edio3

[no1sarge]

The only thing racial here bro is you and your comment.

[no1sarge]

You are perverted Kuei12. Besides you don''t know what you are talking about, and you don''t know how to say it correctly either.