To Kill a Black Man

Thoughts from the Publisher of the blog Tasered While Black:

The Charlotte Observer recently wrote an editorial on the brutal slaying and torture death of Darryl Turner at the hands of a member of the Charlotte Police Department. They wrote about how the officer delivered, what black social activist and blogger, Francis L. Holland and I call on-site pre-trial police electrocution. It's interesting the the Charlotte Obeserver failed to ask for the termination of the officer in question after he gave his own brand of pre-trial a continuous 37-second electric shock.

You see black life is only worth five days of pay. You see the Charlotte observer makes some good points and raises good questions for all police departments to address like:

Do police officers lean too readily on Tasers rather than reasoning with suspects?

Do guidelines leave too much up to the discretion of officers?

Has training kept up as Tasers have become more powerful and sophisticated?

We at Tasered While Black agree that Mr. Turner's death is proof more must be done to protect the public. Tasers ought to be used sparingly and with strict, consistent limits.

It's true, nothing can undo what happened to 17-year-old Darryl Turner. but its one hell of a way to start off an editorial about the electrocution of a teenager. But I guess the folks at the Observer and many of the citizens of Charlotte see nothing wrong. You see, they would treat the issue differently if the victim were of a different skin color. ooops, I was not suppose to say that right? Check out the editorial below and some of the "color aroused' comments

Look at the video! Look at the muscles on the guy and the attitude...
Maybe people will learn to do what police tell them to do. Now we...
I'm just repeating what the police review board said
It may be that the officer kept the taser on too long, but the...
If you watched the video, what you saw was Mr. Turner walking AWAY...

»Read More from the readers.

Charlotte Observer Editorial

Nothing can undo what happened to 17-year-old Darryl Turner. He died in March of cardiac arrest after being shot with a Taser gun by a Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer.

He died in March of cardiac arrest after being shot with a Taser gun by a Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer.

Yet police can and must rein in the use of these widely carried weapons until their medical risks are more fully known. CMPD should use what it learned from a review of this tragedy to set stricter limits on when, how and on whom Tasers are used. Specifically, the department should prohibit multiple shots and prolonged shots with Tasers and look carefully at whether they should be used, period, on teenagers.

Police last week released details from a review of the confrontation between Mr. Turner and police officer Jerry Dawson Jr. They also released a surveillance video showing that confrontation and some of the events leading up to it. The review concluded that Officer Dawson, a 15-year veteran on the force, acted within the guidelines when he decided to use his Taser on Mr. Turner. But it found he broke departmental rules when he delivered a continuous 37-second shock. He has been suspended for five days without pay.

This is a painful time for Mr. Turner's family. Their loss is irreplaceable. It's assuredly a painful time for a seasoned police officer, too, who must live with the consequences of an error made in the line of duty.

Yet it's a wake-up call for police about Tasers – popular, effective and usually non-lethal tools.

A June study by U.S. Department of Justice cautioned law enforcement agencies about repeatedly shocking suspects with stun guns. The study found that many of the deaths they reviewed are associated with repeated shocks. It also warns agencies the medical risks of Tasers are not known, particularly on youths, and urges agencies not to use them whenever possible on small children, people with heart disease, the elderly and pregnant women.

Yet many agencies in North Carolina have no policies limiting the number of shocks or to protect particularly vulnerable groups, according to the N.C. Taser Project. That needs to change, and CMPD should lead the way.

CMPD's policies are being reviewed after Mr. Turner's death. These questions should be included:

Do police officers lean too readily on Tasers rather than reasoning with suspects?

Do guidelines leave too much up to the discretion of officers?

Has training kept up as Tasers have become more powerful and sophisticated?

Mr. Turner's death is proof more must be done to protect the public. Tasers ought to be used sparingly and with strict, consistent limits. More HERE

Police Electrocute and then Shoot to Death a Man Burned in an Auto Accident

kathy has left a new comment on your post "Officer stunned teen for 37 seconds in Taser death...":

A taser shouldn't be able to emit after ten seconds, and to avoid repeated attacks, there should be a delay programmed into the thing if it's going to be used at all. The excuse that if he had just listened to the police, he wouldn't have died is stupid, but somehow, people buy this excuse?

There's a really well done video (above) about the murder of a man severely injured and burned in an auto accident, he wouldn't lay down on the road as directed by police, they tasered him, and then to avoid getting any blood on themselves, they shot him to death. The police didn't get in any trouble.

Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8WijDe5BhQ

17 Year Old Black male gets "on the spot - death by electrocution sentence" - Tased to death for 37 seconds in Sternum.

Police Officer in Charlotte, N.C. gets 5 day suspension for sentencing and carrying out "on the spot death by electrocution" of 17 year old black teen. The Black teen was tased 37 seconds! No national black leadership organization see anything wrong with the on-going killings of blacks by rogue cops.

• No charges in teen's Taser death
• Autopsy: Tasered teen died of heart attack
• Funeral held for teen who died after Taser shock

Yes, a Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer involved in a deadly "on the spot death by electrocution" of a teenager will not lose his job, but he will be suspended for five days.

As reported by WNCN Darryl Turner died in March after the officer Tased him seven-times longer than recommended. Surveillance video from the Food Lion where Turner worked shows his last moments alive.

It shows a confrontation with a supervisor, and then Officer Jerry Dawson arrives and fires his Taser at the 17-year-old, striking Turner in the sternum.

Tasered While Black publisher says "There is growing evidence that a number of blacks in America are receiving 'high tech judge and jury on-site electrocution' by police around the country. Not only should the justice department investigate these crimes against humanity in the streets of America, we a nation must stand up and demand the end of these actions by police who seem to be ill-trained to use this weapon of next to last resort."

As reported by station kare11.com

Charlotte, North Carolina police officer is on a five-day suspension after using a Taser on a teen for too long. Darryl Turner died in March after the officer Tased him for 37 seconds, more than seven-times longer than recommended by the manufacturer of the stun gun.

Surveillance video from the Food Lion grocery store where Turner worked showed his last moments alive.

It shows a confrontation with a supervisor, and then Officer Jerry Dawson arriving and firing his Taser at the 17-year-old, striking Turner in the sternum.

"The initial use of the Taser is not in question," said Deputy Chief Ken Miller of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.

For 37 seconds, Dawson continued to stun the teen.

An autopsy revealed Turner died of a heart attack.

"I wouldn't want to be Tased for 37 seconds," said Dr. Joe Kuhns with the University of North Carolina at Charlotte's Department of Criminal Justice. "I can assure you of that. It's a lengthy period of time."

Kuhns said he supports the use of Tasers.

"For the most part, their use has been effective," he said. "It's reduced officer injuries. It's reduced suspect injuries."

But a report by the National Institute of Justice study says that since 1987, there have been 300 deaths from so-called "CEDs" or conducted energy devices.

"Many are associated with continuous or repeated discharge of the CED," the report states.

"Typically, people are incapacitated with a Taser in under 10 seconds," Kuhns said.

According to the NIJ report, "There may be circumstances in which repeated or continuous exposure is required, but law enforcement should be aware that the associated risks are unknown. Therefore, caution is urged in using multiple activations of CED as a means to accomplish subdual."

Turner's family believes he didn't have to die.

"The officer was not confronted with circumstances that required the use of that type of force," said Ken Harris, an attorney for Turner's family.

Tased To Death While In Restraints

Killing of another black man by taser while he was in restraints. H/T

Octavia Jackson for the information

First cousin to Mychal Bell, of the Jena Six, killed after being tased nine times over the course of 30 minutes. He was in restraints- in police custody when he died. And the certificate labels the death a homicide.

A News Broadcaster reports, "The two other Winnfield Officers who were involved in the incident: Alan Marsdin and Cargyle Junior Branch-- Both are still on the force. Neither one has been disciplined."

What's up with the News Channel 5. Check out the report they make on the death of of a black man. They start of the report saying, "

It’s been five and a half months since the death of 21 year old Barron Scooter Collins, a convicted drug dealer. News Channel 5 has learned Collins birth name is Barron Pikes. And he was first cousin to Mychal Bell, of the Jena Six. Scooter died after being in police custody and being tased. The incident prompted over 100 blacks in Winnfield to protest downtown.

Video

Photos

Tasered While Black says: Why was it so important to say:

"The 21 year old Barron Scooter Collins, a convicted drug dealer. "

OK, so News Channel 5 says it has learned Collins birth name is Barron Pikes. And he was first cousin to Mychal Bell, of the Jena Six. Scooter died after being in police custody and being tased. The incident prompted over 100 blacks in Winnfield to protest downtown.

The Winn Parish Coroner, Dr. Randolph Williams, actually concluded his report 3 weeks ago and for the past 3 weeks News Channel 5 has been trying to get a copy of the report. Dr. Williams has refused to release anything to the media. But Radio Talk Show Host Tony Brown has provided News Channel 5 a copy of the death certificate. Tony Brown has been in close contact with Scooters relatives. The Pikes gave Brown the death certificate—and permission for him to give it to us.

Tasered While Black: big hat tip to Tony brown for standing in the gap with this family.

That document explains Scooter died after being tased nine times over the course of 30 minutes. He went into cardiac arrest. The certificate also confirms Collins was in restraints- in police custody when he died. And the certificate labels the death a homicide.

This is Scott Nugent, son of former Winnfield Chief of Police Gleason Nugent. Scott Nugent is the officer who tased Scooter after a foot chase. Nugent says Scooter was resisting arrest. But relatives of Scooter told NC5 that Nugent and Scooter went to high school together in Winnfield and had a bumpy personal history that they never liked each other. By the way, Nugent’s record with Winnfield PD also has a major bump. In 2007 Nugent arrested a man for DWI--while the man was in Nugent’s custody he somehow managed to steal Nugent’s police cruiser—he crashed the car and died in the wreck.

Because the coroner was taking such a long time with his investigation, the Winnfield city council held an emergency meeting back in May. Nugent had been on paid suspension since the incident. But under an officer’s bill of rights, there’s only so much time that can pass until the officer is either allowed back to work or fired. The deadline was fast approaching so the city council voted 3 to 2 to terminate Nugent.

Nugent can appeal his termination to the local civil services board to try to get his job back. But job aside, Nugent could be facing criminal charges for the death. State Police Investigators are reviewing the incident and will present a report to the Winn Parish District Attorney. After that the case could go before a grand jury and then possibly a trial. Meanwhile Scooter’s family is consulting with a lawyer about a lawsuit. Scooter had a 4 year old son named Kadarien.

More Here

Now the question is what are black folks going to do, just sit around and allow people to get tased to death - who is next? This is just another in the many cases (like the Deacon Williams case below) of men, women and children of our community being "Tasered While Black."








Cross Posted on African American Political Pundit and African American Opinion

Wheelchair-Bound Black Woman Dies After Being Tasered 10 Times To Death, Family Files Suit

"My aunt was basically tortured like an animal or something." Delafield's nephew, Ryan Delafield, told First Coast News months ago. More HERE

As reported by many News Outlets and USA: Amnesty International Nine months after Emily Delafield, 56, died after being tased by police, her family has few answers about the events that led to her death. "This has been a very tragic and sad situation," nephew Ryan Delafield said. According to Green Cove Springs Police, the wheelchair-bound Delafield was arguing with family members and swinging knives and a hammer when they arrived at her home. Ryan Delafield says he is his aunt’s personal representative. In the weeks after her death he needed a death certificate for matters of her estate. "May, June, July... it was three months before we got the death certificate," Delafield said.

On the death certificate, the Medical Examiner cited that the death was a homicide. To get more answers, Delafield says in the fight to get information, he was passed from department to department.

"I called the State Attorney's Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement - Jacksonville Regional Office, the Medical Examiner… and the City of Green Cove Springs Police Department," said Delafield. More HERE

Emily Delafield

Ryan Delafield

Law Suit

UPDATE: MyClaySun.com: Woman's family suing Green Cove over Taser death

More on the case below:

Wheelchair-Bound Woman Dies After Being Shocked With Taser 10 times

Democratic Underground - Police knew Emily Delafield and had been ...

My Disability Blog: Tasering the Mentally Ill

Newsvine - 56-Yr Old Woman in Wheelchair Tasered to Death by Police

Epidemic Of Police Brutality Sweeps America

Police Brutality and the Dead Groom

Cross-posted from SizeQueen at LiveJournal.Com with Hat Tip to DoctorScience at Pam's House Blend, who says, "The economic angle is a good one because it gives us a common frame of reference." Plaudits to TheAgitator as well.

* * * * *

While there are obviously individual officers who do their jobs and keep the peace, as a group, the police are out of control. They have too much power and we have too little.

The range of police problems includes —

1) Excessive use of deadly force.

2) Excessive use of physical force.

3) Discriminatory patterns of arrest.

4) Patterns of harassment of the homeless, youth, racial minorities and gays, including aggressive and discriminatory use of the "stop-and-frisk" and overly harsh enforcement of petty offenses.

5) The "code of silence" and retaliation against officers who report abuse and/or support reforms.

6) Overreaction to gang problems, which is driven by the assumption that those who associate with known gang members must be involved in criminal activity, even in the absence of concrete evidence that this is the case. This includes illegal mass stops and arrests, and demanding photo IDs from young men based on their race and dress instead of on their criminal conduct.

7) The "war on drugs," with its overbroad searches and other tactics that endanger innocent bystanders. This "war" wastes scarce resources on unproductive "buy and bust" operations to the neglect of more promising community-based approaches.

8) Lack of accountability, such as the failure to discipline or prosecute abusive officers, and the failure to deter abuse by denying promotions and/or particular assignments because of prior abusive behavior.
(http://www.aclu.org/police/gen/14614pub19971201.html#preface)

Frequently, I read about an instance of a police officer shooting or killing someone, and in nearly every instance, the violence was considered justified and the police were cleared of wrong doing. Between 2002 and 2004, for example, more than 10,000 complaints -- many of them involving brutality and assault -- were filed against Chicago police officers. Yet only 18 of them resulted in any meaningful disciplinary action. (http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/law/09/27/police.complaints/) I’m no mathematician, but the ratio of complaints to disciplinary action is ridiculously lopsided. The police protect their own.

If I shot somebody in self-defense, there would be a rigorous investigation and it is likely that I'd spend time in jail before and during the trial if I couldn't afford bail. Do cops receive the same scrutiny? I seriously doubt that.

Nowadays, we hear about some person who has been tasered and been seriously injured. Years ago, I was in a grocery store, and a middle-aged woman was caught stealing. She was viciously tasered, even after she was down on the ground, by the police officer on duty for the crime of stealing meat.

I occasionally watch the reality show COPS. On several occasions, I've seen police officers on this reality show use their cars to hit and, thereby, take down a suspect running on foot. How is that acceptable?

And don’t call the police to solve a problem with someone who is mentally ill or mentally handicapped. That person is likely to get shot.

Police corruption, incompetence, and overreaction do not just affect minorities, though they are far more likely to be the victims of police brutality and misconduct. Here in Chicago, recent incidents in which off-duty officers have been caught on film beating Caucasian women, have stirred a firestorm of controversy. Everyone, but especially anyone who lacks power (uneducated/poor), needs to be concerned about the police.

We have an armed police force, which has little community oversight. Complaints about police misconduct are routinely dismissed. Almost any incident in which the police are accused of misconduct is dismissed, even if it was caught on tape. Why the hell shouldn’t the populace be scared of the police? They have too much power, and we have too little.

Under the cut, I have posted summaries of more incidents of police misconduct.


On-duty cops in Nevada show up at a pool hall to rough up a guy who was arguing with one of their buddies. Unfortunately (for them), he wasn’t your typical out-of-town schmoe. He was a federal agent. And now he’s suing.
http://www.lvrj.com/news/16637006.html

Police chief in small Wisconsin town asks on-duty detectives to find out the identity of a local anonymous blogger who was criticizing him, the town, and the department.
http://www.madison.com/wsj/topstories/277169

What do you do when your star witness insists there was no crime? Apparently you harass the hell out of him. Even if he’s a 13-year-old boy with developmental problems. http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080316/COL04/803160557

A 92 year old woman was shot and killed by Atlanta Police officers. Kathryn Johnson was alone in her home waiting with her gun on Tuesday night when a group of plainclothes officers with a warrant knocked down her door searching for drugs, police said. The officers initially claimed that Johnson had a gun and shot all three of them, so they had to kill her in self-defense. It turns out that the police not only had the wrong house, but they actually shot each other in an instance of friendly fire. To cover up their misdeeds and incompetence, they planted marijuana in the house and then told their informant to lie and claim that he’d bought drugs at the house. Then they cooked up the story of Johnson shooing at them.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/91097/92_year_old_grandmother_killed_by_the.html
http://policecrimes.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=584

Another arrest of a man taking photos of a drug raid. If you’re wondering, yes, think citizens should be free to record and photograph undercover police, too. To give one example, if David Ruttenberg hadn’t recorded the multiple attempts to frame him by undercover Manassas Park police, they’d likely have framed him into several felonies by now.
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/mar/16/cell-phone-picture-undercover-officer-sparks-arres/?news-breaking
http://www.theagitator.com/category/rack-n-roll-billiards/

Using the “obstruction” arrest to cover police misbehavior. http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/353202_actmain29.asp

Deputy drifts over center line on a hilly road, wipes out a group of bicyclists, killing two and critically wounding another. It’s a terrible story, but note what happens next. Other police show up and tell the deputy to “stop talking” before he further implicates himself. They then escort him from the accident scene before investigators arrive. How many other people would get that kind of treatment?
http://velonews.com/article/73458/questions-about-the-cupertino-crash-

A California jury awarded a 72-year-old man $90,000 after California Highway Patrol officers entered his house and roughed him up while looking for a stolen motorcycle. They had the wrong house. Which would probably explain why he was described in the police report as “agitated” after they improperly and forcibly entered his home. Here’s the infuriating part: After the jury award, the judge cut the award to around $13,000, just enough to cover medical expenses related to the incident, which included two surgeries. The judge tossed out all punitive damages.
http://redding.com/news/2008/mar/18/jurors-rule-in-favor-of-cottonwood-man/

Also, per the link above, note that the man was initially arrested for “obstruction,” even though police had the wrong house, and he wasn’t suspected of any crime.

Source: http://www.theagitator.com/2008/03/20/new-professionalism-roundup-5/

If You're Black in America, Your Days Are Numbered

When you're a Black man in the United States, your days are numbered. Due to poorer health care and the stress that comes from incessantly fighting color-aroused oppression, as well as self-destructiveness, our life expectancy is 13 years less than a white woman's. Some of us are on our way to an early grave or the emergency room because of rampant police violence with impunity, and Ron and Roy Pettaway could attest that we really can't predict which of us it will be next.

During the riots, a member of the Black Panthers told me to keep my head down below window height, so as not to get hit by a bullet. Well, that is a metaphor for how all Black people live in the United States. In addition to literal stray bullets, we have stray color-aroused police, stray environmental racism, stray color-aroused denial of medical care, stray denial of employment and housing . . . How long can we keep our heads down, and for what ultimate purpose?

A lot of Panthers from back in day are still engaged in a revolutionary purpose: quietly going to work each day in the helping professions (medicine, law, government services) that never admitted Black people before the 1960's.