Naked Man Dies After Taser Jolt In Florida

[nacktman]

Naked Man Dies After Taser Jolt in Fla.

<!-- google_ad_section_start (name=blsadstrgt)--> DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. - Authorities in South Florida say a man who was found naked on the street and violently resisted arrest died after officers stunned him with a Taser.
Broward Sheriff's deputies say 41-year-old James Garland was spotted naked wandering through traffic waving his shirt after 4 a.m. Friday. After officers used the stun gun on him he was transported to a hospital and later pronounced dead.
Police say Garland was a registered sex offender who had been arrested 10 arrests in Broward County since 2002, mostly for cocaine-related charges.

[Bingham]

I'm not sure what a naked sex offender with a history of cocaine arrests who violently resisted arrest has to do with nudism or naturism. Nor would this person be a good example of a naturist.

He was most likely naked because stimulants like cocaine can cause the body temperature to rise which is why they take their clothes off. This is also a common behavior for those under the influence of PCP. It is often the drugs in the system along with the manic, fatalistic mindset and violent physical exertion that lead to the demise of these people.

[Boreas]

It is nudes in the news.

My concern is that tasers have become the quick response to many situations. Perhaps this man's behaviour warranted the use of the taser. Perhaps not. I think though that the police are starting to use it quickly, rather than assess the situation and then chose less lethal means of settling a person down.

Tasers are clearly lethal weapons and should be treated with the respect such a weapon deserves.

[Naturist Mark]

I am glad that officers have a choice to use a taser rather than a gun, but it is disturbing that there can be such a low threshold to its employment. I think they are an important tool that reduces the risk of injury to both officers and suspects ... but ... tasers are often used when lethal force would not be justifiable - and as we have seen all too often tasers are lethal force.

In this case lethal force might have been justified, I don't know what the nature of the violent resistance was - I have seen cases where using a gun on the resisting person would be justified, and I have seen cases where the 'resistance' was nothing more than a stumble (http://www.clothesfreeforum.com/showpost.php?p=37500&postcount=8).

-Mark

[Bingham]

I do not wish to argue about the lawful or justified use of force in this situation, because not all the circumstances of this incident are known to us.

Boreas writes

“I think though that the police are starting to use it quickly, rather than assess the situation and then chose less lethal means of settling a person down.”

When someone is being violent there is not much time to talk with them. It is safest for all involved, including the suspect to take proper and decisive action within the limits of the law. Most departments have the Taser on their force scale as being below impact weapons sticks.

“Tasers are clearly lethal weapons and should be treated with the respect such a weapon deserves.”

Yes a number of people have died over the years after prolonged fights with the police. People often get the impression that Tasers are lethal weapons because of news stories where a person ends up dying after a Taser application. 1000’s of law enforcement officers in the United States are trained to use Tasers every year. Part of that training is being Taser-ed. Many departments require officers carrying the Taser to be Taser-ed. They don’t die.

Toronto’s Police Chief, William Blair, cited 153 Taser deployment for his department in 2006 resulting in no injuries and no deaths. There are several thousand Taser uses across the country every year. The Toronto report is the typical report for most cities of similar size.

Taser International keeps winning wrongful death law suits brought against them for the reason that they do no cause people to die. The evidence presented in courts of law is enough to convince juries and judges of this.

What most likely causes people do die in these situations is that they are under the influence of drugs and violently resist arrest. This raises the body temperature and heart rate to unmanageable levels. There is also evidence that there are changes in the blood pH during these struggles that causes the breakdown of proteins in muscle tissue causing irreparable and sometimes fatal damage. It is also often the case that suspects suffer from serious health problems from years of drug and alcohol abuse and living unhealthy lives - they are out of shape.

A phenomenon called Rhabdomyolysis been observed in people, including trained athletes, collapsing and sometimes dying after intense exertion. The following is an excerpt of a description found on the exercise website called Crossfit.

“A rugby player performs intense sets of squat jumps on a hot day, collapses, and is rushed to the hospital, where he spends two days in intensive care. Doctors notice that his heart is beating abnormally and that he has unusually high levels of potassium in his blood. A soccer player runs a series of 100- meter sprints at near maximum intensity. After his eighth sprint he collapses to the ground; when he gets to the hospital he is found to have high levels of potassium and myoglobin in his bloodstream. He spends several days in the hospital and is unable to train for several weeks. A highly fit marathoner holds a 6:30 pace for 26 miles but collapses only a few feet short of the finish line. Blood tests reveal a potassium concentration three or four times the normal level and he dies.”

I guess I just don’t understand why this story of violent criminal comes up in this section. He’s not a nudist just because he is running around causing problems while naked. He has a history of being a drug abusing sex offender which is a testament of his violent nature apart from the the incident that got him dead.
Just my two cents. No trolling intended, just another perspective.
Sincerely,
Bingham

[Boreas]

When someone is being violent there is not much time to talk with them. It is safest for all involved, including the suspect to take proper and decisive action within the limits of the law. Most departments have the Taser on their force scale as being below impact weapons sticks.

I totally agree with you, up to a point.

I have 20+ years experience working in addictions and mental health. I have had many opportunities to see potentially violent people. Mental health professionals tend to have a different perspective on violence. We do not have the luxury of using any lethal force generally. As a result, we do need to use body language and talk to help calm someone down. I am also aware that the uniform of a police officer can be a trigger for violence.

I believe that there are situations where police assume violence where there is none. We had a classic example of that in the Vancouver airport a few months ago. The man in question was clearly in distress and not a threat, yet the police went in like gang busters and the man ended up dead from the taser.

This is an issue that needs more discussion. Lethal or potentially lethal force should never be the first line of defense. I have seen police officers talk down potentially violent or even violent individuals.....it is very possible.

Tasers have killed many people. I do realize that many have been tasered and death has not occured. The fact that many deaths have happened makes the taser at least a potentially lethal weapon that deserves respect. Some important questions should include asking about drug use and health, age of the individual etc. I wonder if there is a pattern emerging for who is most at risk to die when tasered. I am not advocating the ban of tasers for the record, just a wiser use of this weapon.

[BeachBum]

It is nudes in the news.

My concern is that tasers have become the quick response to many situations. Perhaps this man's behaviour warranted the use of the taser. Perhaps not. I think though that the police are starting to use it quickly, rather than assess the situation and then chose less lethal means of settling a person down.

Tasers are clearly lethal weapons and should be treated with the respect such a weapon deserves.

Interesting topic -- although I think after everything surrounding this situation comes out, you will find that the individual died of causes surrounding his addiction and not from the taser. I have personally been shot with a taser several times and know first hand what happens. In laymen's terms, it simply freezes the large muscles of the body. Your heart does not stop as some think, you simply can't move. After the taser completes the cycle, the person can get up and walk away as if nothing happened (I did). All of the deaths which people have attempted to contribute to tasers were medically shown to be a result of pre-existing conditions.

Tasers are less than lethal weapons similar to pepper spray, mace, batons, etc... Bottom line -- DON'T use cocaine and DON'T violently resist and you have nothing to worry about!

[Naturist Mark]

All of the deaths which people have attempted to contribute to tasers were medically shown to be a result of pre-existing conditions.

Wrong

Those deaths were due to the combination of pre-existing conditions and the use of the taser.

It has been established beyond reasonable doubt that tasers can be lethal to people with those pre-existing conditions.

It is not practical to pre-screen people as possible taser subjects, therefore it is necessary to always consider taser use as potentially lethal.

Still, I am glad that police have a 'less lethal' tool at their disposal.

-Mark

[Bingham]

I am all for more discussion on this topic, because it is interesting.

Boreas wrote
“I have had many opportunities to see potentially violent people. Mental health professionals tend to have a different perspective on violence. We do not have the luxury of using any lethal force generally. As a result, we do need to use body language and talk to help calm someone down. I am also aware that the uniform of a police officer can be a trigger for violence.”

I have had many opportunities to see actual violent people. I would not call lethal force a luxury, it is a necessity when no reasonably effective alternative to the use of force (lethal or otherwise) appears to exist and the amount of force used is reasonable to effect the lawful purpose intended.

I agree with you, Boreas, that the appearance of a police officer in uniform can be a trigger for violence for those who are violent and don’t like the police.

“Lethal or potentially lethal force should never be the first line of defense.”

This depends on the situation. If someone were pointing a firearm at someone in a criminal act, the time for talk is over or may never have existed when it is a sudden attack. There is no time to wait and see if the bullet will emerge from the barrel.

The police often don’t have the luxury of dealing with people in a clinical or office setting, nor time to interview them about their health history. They respond to a call because citizens are calling for help and some innocent may be harmed.

Mark writes “In this case lethal force might have been justified, I don't know what the nature of the violent resistance was - I have seen cases where using a gun on the resisting person would be justified” That is a balanced answer. Here is a link to an account of a sheriff’s deputy in my state who was killed by a naked man who was causing a disturbance in traffic in 2002. The deputy was disarmed after the suspect was talked to and pepper sprayed. This deputy had military experience as well as his police training and ended up leaving behind a wife and two daughters.

Here is an account from the Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP.ORG). Sorry I can't include just the link.

"Deputy Richard Herzog was shot and killed with his own service weapon, after responding to a call at 1700 hours involving a naked man creating a disturbance in the roadway on Coal Creek Parkway.

When Deputy Herzog, who was wearing a vest, arrived on scene, he attempted to subdue the man with pepper spray. The spray had no affect on the man, who then attacked Deputy Herzog. Deputy Herzog's service weapon, a .40 caliber Glock, was knocked to the ground and the magazine came out of it.

The suspect picked up the weapon and replaced the magazine. As Deputy Herzog attempted to retreat, the suspect shot him once, knocking him to the ground. The suspect then stood over him and shot him ten more times before fleeing to a nearby apartment. The man was apprehended approximately 45 minutes later. The suspect had been released from jail only 11 days earlier after serving several months for assaulting a police officer.

The suspect was convicted of aggravated first-degree murder on August 19th, 2004. On September 23rd, 2004, he was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Deputy Herzog had been employed with the King County Sheriff's Office for 7 years, and had spent the past 4 years working in the City of Newcastle, which contracted with the sheriff's department for police coverage. He was a US Army veteran and is survived by his wife and two teenage daughters."

Naked people causing disturbances in traffic have great potential for danger.

Boreas and Mark, I guess we will have to disagree about the lethality of Tasers. The statistics do not support the assertion that they are lethal based on the numbers of people who have been Taser-ed and survived unharmed aside from the transitory pain and punctures from the darts. I have presented examples of reasons and explanations of why people die after fighting. I, like Beachbum, have been Taser-ed, darts and all, and had a similar experience. I am still alive. Beachbum gives an excellent explanation of how Tasers work in layman’s terms.

Tasers are important and useful tools for law enforcement and statistically have reduced injuries and a few deaths to officers and suspects.

[BeachBum]

Wrong

Those deaths were due to the combination of pre-existing conditions and the use of the taser.

It has been established beyond reasonable doubt that tasers can be lethal to people with those pre-existing conditions.

It is not practical to pre-screen people as possible taser subjects, therefore it is necessary to always consider taser use as potentially lethal.

Still, I am glad that police have a 'less lethal' tool at their disposal.

-Mark

Sorry Mark but you missed the boat on this one. There is nothing that supports the assumption that the use of the taser caused any death. As a matter of fact, the guy who invented the taser technology is the same guy that built the pace maker in Dick Cheney's chest. The suspect in this article could have died just as easily from pepper spray/mace or from any other non-lethal weapon. As a matter of fact, ANYTHING can be a lethal weapon if the circumstances are right -- last year a guy died from a water overdose.

"It has been established beyond reasonable doubt that tasers can be lethal to people with those pre-existing conditions." I would be interested in reading the material you based this quote on. Most of the "experts" who have expressed this view were individuals who had little knowledge of the taser technology and were hired by defense lawyers in an attempt to sue the manufacturer. None of them have been successful in selling that idea in a court of law.

Jay

[Bob S.]

Beachbum:"All of the deaths which people have attempted to contribute to tasers were medically shown to be a result of pre-existing conditions."

I think it can be agreed that a lot of people who are tasered do live. But there are some who have died due to the combination of the pre-existing condition and the act of being tasered. It would be one major coincidence if someone died right after being tasered due to their condition with the taser not being a contributing factor. It would be like saying that someone died due to their hemophilia after being shot with a gun. The pre-existing condition was severely aggravated by the taser. While neither of them may have been enough to kill the person at a specific time, together, they were fatal.

As for the original story, I agree that he was more than likely on drugs. His actions do not reflect someone who is in control of his facilities.

Bob S.

[nacktman]

Haven't been able to find any more details or a follow up to the original story so I don't know the 'actual' cause of death but the combination of the taser and a weakened condition due to the drug use and/or an illness did kill him.
Now whether he was 'rushed' to his demise by that combination is open to debate.

And from the brief blurb which I posted in it's entirety one would gather from the description of his behavior at the time of has encounter with the police he was under the influence of something.
As to the need to use the taser - well that to is up for discussion.

[Naturist Mark]

Sorry Mark but you missed the boat on this one. There is nothing that supports the assumption that the use of the taser caused any death.

So you are saying these people just happened to die of natural causes (pre-existing conditions) while being tasered.

nonsense

A taser will not kill a normal healthy adult under normal conditions. But IF the subjects health is compromised, or is under some unusual stress, the act of being sh0cked by a taser can CAUSE death. And I am unanimous in that!

-Mark

[Bingham]

There always have been incidents of "in custody deaths" prior to Tasers being used. People have died by being restrained by staff at psychiatric facilities (it's not just the police). Over the years some people have tried to attribute the deaths to some equipment, tactic or technique that police have used to control resisting suspects. Pepper spray was blamed for killing people who have died after fighting with the police as was the use of the lateral vascular neck restraint (aka sleeper hold).

I will agree that restraining these people may contribute to their struggle exertion and deaths. I do not think it can be attributed to the Taser, pepper spray or any particular technique it is attributed to their behavior. I think it is the suspect's resistance to restraint, not the police's restraint methods themselves, that cause a fatal reaction. What is the alternative? As was cited in the death of Deputy Herzog in my prior post, these people have an altered mental state brought on by a mental or drug problems and they can be unpredictable and very dangerous. They can't be left to roam the street in that state.

This is a phenomenon has been called excited delirium. The experts can not agree on the extent of this being the cause of in custody deaths so I don't think we will get to the bottom of it. There was, according to the following article, an increase of this happening in the 1980s which saw a marked increase of cocaine abuse. Most accounts of people suffering from this condition include irrational and aggressive behavior, high pain threshold and stripping off their clothing due to elevated body temperature (not because they are nudists). I guess the best tactic to avoid this problem from happening to you is not to use cocaine or meth. and don't fight with the cops.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15001627/

[Boreas]

It seems that the RCMP and taser use is being questioned:


http://www.thecanadianpress.com/english/online/OnlineFullStory.aspx?filename=n032433A&newsitemid=21385017&languageid=1