UN calls Tasers "torture"- finally...
I heard a blurb on NPR about this over the weekend, and finally found a source to verify.
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegrap...rom=public_rss
Tasers a form of torture, says UN
Article from: Agence France-Presse
From correspondents in Geneva
November 24, 2007 04:44pm
TASER electronic stun guns are a form of torture that can kill, a UN committee has declared after several recent deaths in North America.
"The use of these weapons causes acute pain, constituting a form of torture,'' the UN's Committee against Torture said.
"In certain cases, they can even cause death, as has been shown by reliable studies and recent real-life events,'' the committee of 10 experts said.
Three men, all in their early 20s, were reported to have died in the United States this week, days after a Polish man died at Vancouver airport after being Tasered by Canadian police.
The man, Robert Dziekanski, 40, fell to the ground and died after the police officers piled on top of him.
There have been three deaths in Canada after the use of Tasers over the past five weeks.
The company that makes the weapons has said that similar deaths have been shown by "medical science and forensic analysis'' to be "attributable to other factors and not the low-energy electrical discharge of the Taser".
The UN committee made its comments in recommendations to Portugal, which has bought the newest Taser X26 stun gun for use by police.
Portugal "should consider giving up the use of the Taser X26,'' as its use can have a grave physical and mental impact on those targeted, which violates the UN's Convention against Torture, the experts said.
Pregnant Woman Tased in Ohio
CNN Video
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/...o?iref=24hours
Article
http://www.onnnews.com/?sec=&story=s...564114117.html
FBI Investigates After Officer Uses Taser On Pregnant Woman
Southwest
Nov 28 2007 8:17PM
TROTWOOD, Ohio -- The FBI is investigating after a Trotwood police officer used a Taser on a pregnant woman.
Trotwood Public Safety Director Michael Etter said the incident happened on Nov. 18. He said the woman arrived at the police department asking to give up custody of her 1-year-old son.
Etter said his officer spoke with the woman as she held on to the child outside the police department.
"(He) attempted to obtain information on both the mother and the child, at which time the mother refused to give any information and became very agitated," Etter said.
Surveillance video from the police department shows the woman try to leave with the child. The officer then grabs her coat in an effort to get her to stop. Etter said the officer was doing what he thought was in the best interest of the 1-year-old boy.
The video shows the woman struggle with the officer, who then takes the child from her and gives the boy to another officer. The first officer then forces the woman down on her stomach, and he then deploys a Taser on her neck.
Etter said the officer did not know the woman was pregnant.
"She did not disclose, even after she was arrested, that she was pregnant," Etter said. He said the woman was wearing a large winter coat and had her child on her lap when she was talking to the officer.
Etter said the department is cooperating with the FBI investigation, and there is also an ongoing internal investigation to see if the use of force was warranted for the situation.
Etter said the officer involved is still on duty.
Trotwood's use of force policy states officers should "greatly evaluate each situation with discretion when anticipating the deployment of the Taser on young children, elderly persons, and pregnant females."
News Center 7 spoke with the woman involved in the case, but she declined the opportunity to make a statement, saying only that she feels "unjustly served."
Officers said the 1-year-old boy was put into the custody of a family member after the incident.
Copyright 2007 by WHIOTV.com.
