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Numerous Deaths Caused
By 'Non-Lethal' Tasers
By Ted Twietmeyer
tedtw@frontiernet.net
11-30-4
 
No one seems to ever speak of this, yet this so-called "non-lethal" device has killed a number of people. It's time to look at the real electrical details of a Taser , and how it compares to known electrical effects on the human body.
 
Some believe a taser is all about high voltage and no current. A big lie and far from the truth. This only applies to static electricity, when no capacitor is used. Tasers are also about current (amperage.) A current of 20 milliamps (. 020 amps) or more is known to fatally stop the human heart. Any voltage above 50 volts (such as a phone line) will be felt as a tingle (or even worse.) The electric chair uses 2,300 volts.
 
The 90 volts AC that rings your telephone WILL HURT if you have your fingers across the two wires when the phone rings. Remember that telephone ringing voltage is just 30 volts less than your wall outlet has. 50,000 volts from a Taser is FAR MORE HARMFUL, especially because the Taser darts penetrate the skin, and connect to Taser's high voltage transformer to the internal, highly conductive wet saline (salt) environment of the human body.
 
In electrical engineering, any voltage over 48 volts is not considered safe low voltage. Low voltage electrical code exempt wiring is similar to that used for your stereo speakers, and on small DC power packs used to replace batteries to power radios, tape players, CDs etc... Any voltage higher than 48V (telephone lines) must be wired much like house wire, with proper grounding and junction boxes. This is the national electrical code.
 
Tasers output 50,000+ VOLTS. Even if a Taser's current less than 20 milliamps, it may not matter if the person has a WEAK HEART. A much lower current could still cause cardiac arrest. Autopsies have proven THIS IS TRUE (see below.) But no manufacturer ever talks about this. So let's look at how the "non-lethal" 50,000 VOLTS IS in a few cases below. Remember these are some of the cases that made it to the media, or were correctly identified as the cause DURING AN AUTOPSY performed shortly after death:
 
1. The Arizona Republic
Aug. 6, 2004
LeRoy Riddick, Alabama regional medical examiner, reported in a June 28, 2002, autopsy that Clever Craig Jr., 46, died of a heart attack during an episode of delirium "following electrical shock from Taser while resisting arrest
http://www.azcentral.com/specials/special43/articles/0806taserdeath06.html
 
2. Vancouver Sun
July 24, 2004
For the second time in less than two months, Vancouver police are investigating the death in custody of a man shot by a Taser gun.
 
3. Autopsy finds jail death accidental [prison death after Taser use]
Story about a Savannah, Georgia man who died in a jail cell there shortly after an officer shocked him at least twice with a Taser.
 
http://www.saveourcivilliberties.org/en/2004/11/802.shtml
 
4. Ft. Worth, Texas
A man suspected of trying to illegally hook up electrical service died after police shocked him with a stun gun (Taser) when he was found hiding at an apartment complex, authorities said.
 
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/11/05/national/main653959.shtml
 
5. A list of 19 fatal incidents and law suits involving the weapon's use - many including children:
 
http://www.yourlawyer.com/practice/news.htm?topic=Taser%20Stun%20Guns
 
So as you can see above, the Taser is a harmless, non-lethal weapon. It's a comfort to know that our police state enforcers use weapons that can't kill you as quick as a bullet in the head. So what's wrong with 50,000 volts across your heart ? Why do you think you heart beats are based on ELECTRICAL activity ? Just because doctors connect up WIRES to stick-on electrodes on your chest to do an electrocardiogram - you think your heart is based on electrical activity ? The electrocardiogram machine measures voltages of just a .001 volts (ONE THOUSANDTH OF A VOLT) to detect a human heart beat. So why would you think that 50,000 VOLTS will hurt you ?
 
About 160 volts is used to START the heart to bring a life back, and a lesser voltage is used to STOP the heart in hospital operating rooms on an exposed heart during open heart surgery. So why would you think a voltage more than 300 times that from a Taser hurt you ? The manufacturers of these devices tell us Tasers are harmless, and thus it must be so.
 
Enough rhetoric. SINCE THIS DEVICE IS INVASIVE AND NOT INTENDED TO KILL LIKE A BULLET - BY LAW THE FDA SHOULD BE DISAPPROVING THE USE OF THESE FATAL, NON-LETHAL WEAPONS BECAUSE THEY BREAK THE SKIN, AND HAVE A RISK OF INFECTION, AND CAN/DO INTERFERE WITH CRITICAL BODILY ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY.
 
DISEASES
 
So, if your heart survives the high voltage shock - what about an infection from having two metal darts penetrate your skin and connect to your body's blood circulation system ? Is that healthy, too ? Any common pathogens on anyone's skin (and on the dart tips that might have come out of the dirty trunk of a police car or someone's side holster) such as staph, bacteria, prions, viruses (like HIV,) mycoplasmas, or MRSA will be INJECTED into your bloodstream by the two darts. It only takes a fraction of a second for this infection to be inoculated into YOUR bloodstream. The high voltage shock will increase your heart beat and help to spread the infection faster. There doesn't appear to be any data on this at all, yet it's almost a certainty and infection can occur based on well known medical science.
 
Look at the pathetic weak excuses given in the few known case histories shown above. Simple, harmless behavioral problems can bring on a Taser punishment session from one of the police state thugs.
 
Do you think anyone or even the people listed above deserve the life threatening risks (plural) associated with Taser use ?
 
Ted Twietmeyer
 
 
 
Comment
From Jim Mortellaro
Jsmortell@aol.com
12-1-4
 
 
None of the examples used to demonstrate the lethal nature of the TASER proves a thing. A heart attack is essentially an infarct, or blockage of blood to the heart muscle(s) due to plaque buildup or a clot stemming from any number of factors, none of which is the TASER.
 
A weak heart ... hmmm ... just what exactly is a weak heart? Congestive heart failure? That comes closest and frankly speaking, a little jolt does that body good. No, I am afraid that even if you multiplied those 'examples' of yours by several orders of magnitude, it would not matter, as this device has been well tested. Compared with the alternatives, it is a walk in the park.
 
The TASER does not affect the heart muscle, nor does it affect or disturb the electrical impulses which make the heart beat. The TASER has no known medical way of causing an infarct or blood clot, nor is the TASER known to affect the autonomic nervous system. And the fact that on occasion, depending on the amount and type of clothing the perp is wearing, it does penetrate the skin. Doesn't matter, as the amount of voltage and current (i.e., power) increase over contact (not penetration) is not significant.
 
The TASER does however, effect those portions nervous system which preclude movement and temporarily disturbs the brain's ability to think, act and move ... clearly not an issue or health hazard.
 
As for the 20 milliamps, it is utter nonesense to conclude that this current is dangerous, even with 50,000 or up to 150,000 volts applied to the victim. Interestingly, polcie departments have tested the device on a number of members of the force. Especially the newbies. Heh, heh. They get a kick out of TASERS.
 
The simple proof that the TASER is effective on only the portions of the nervous system as described above is that the device has literally NO EFFECT on someone on methamphetamines... most of the time. I've seen such individuals continue to function quite normally when hit hard with a TASER.
 
Last... would you, Mr. Twietmeyer, prefer that the police use their firearms to stop a perpetrator? How about pepper spray? Nah, may make the bad guy sneeze to death.
 
In conclusion, I suggest we just let those people go. We don't wish to hurt them, eh. Well, that's my thought. Just the one thought because I just shot myself with a tweezer and boy do my arms hurt.
 
Sheesh!
 
Jim Mortellaro, Ph.D.


Comment
K Dillon
12-1-4

Even the low voltage "exercise while sitting in your chair" muscle stimulators have express warnings about using on or around the chest area. And you're going to tell me a metal dart wired to 50-100,000 volts can't effect the heart? Bullcookies!

 

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