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Taser use has killed more than 150 Americans since 2005, according to Amnesty International. Countless other injuries have occurred from what the U.S. government calls the "non-lethal" alternative.
Taser Fatalaties Increasing
CNN reported a Taser death in May 2009, when a young man fled police and was shot by a Taser and killed. His 5-foot, 2-inch frame could not sustain the 55,000-volt shock that the gun delivers. His was the third Taser-related death of the year, which indicates a growing problem.
Heart Failure
While a majority of Taser incidents do not result in death, sometimes the shock exacerbates a possibly existing condition and causes heart failure.
Gives Police a Pass
According to Amnesty International, it has proven difficult to prosecute police departments for use of the Taser because it leaves no mark, and the cause of death can be attributed to something else such as drug use, no matter how implausible that might be.
Overuse
Another problem, according the the Amnesty International report, is the excessive use of Tasers. Nearly all Taser-related deaths involve a victim being shocked more than three times and in one case as many as 19 times.
Public Outcry
While the Taser deaths are mounting, so is public awareness with Amnesty International efforts, as well as media coverage of the more unusual uses of the Taser, such as a case in Arkansas when one was used on a 10-year-old girl refusing to take a shower.
Source:
Amnesty International on Tasers
Military - "Non Lethal" Weapons
Resource:
10-Year-Old Girl Tasered
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