Letters to the Editor
Issue date: 3/6/09 Section: Opinion
Tasers are unacceptably lethal
In the recent Traveler article about the UA Police Department's Taser proposal, UAPD Director Steve Gahagans is quoted as saying Tasers are "less-than-lethal" tools.
This statement is untrue, and the truth is extremely important.
Amnesty International issued a 2008 report that warned against the proliferation of Tasers because between 2001 and 2008, 334 Americans had died after being stunned by Tasers.Researcher Angela Wright stated that "Tasers are not the 'non-lethal' weapons they are portrayed to be … they can kill … [and] are inherently open to abuse, as they are easy … to use and can inflict severe pain at the push of a button without leaving substantial marks."
The darts fired from Tasers deliver a 50,000-volt shock that paralyzes victims from up to 30 feet away. In reviewing the Taser deaths, Amnesty found that using Tasers may "exacerbate cardio-respiratory problems in individuals whose health is already compromised by drug abuse, exertion, heart disease, psychosis or positional restraint."
Amnesty also found that "some [who] died had no underlying [problems], but collapsed after being subjected to repeated or prolonged shocks."
Another report from University of California researchers discovered that after Tasers were adopted by California law enforcement, in-custody deaths increased dramatically. They found a six-fold increase in sudden deaths after the first year of Taser use.
Researching cardiologist Byron Lee stated, "Tasers are not as safe as thought."
Zian H. Tseng, another involved cardiologist, said Tasers can cause very rapid heart rhythm, and "the longer you hold the trigger, the higher the danger to the heart."
Finally, I know witnesses who have seen policemen hold the trigger for extended periods of time, and it is probably na've to assume they will always act compassionately when using a Taser.
For damning documentation of Taser lethality, please search YouTube.com for "Taser death" and witness an unintoxicated man killed by a Taser.
Abel Tomlinson
Graduate student
Political science
Letters to the editor may be sent to traveler@uark.edu or by following a link on the left.
In the recent Traveler article about the UA Police Department's Taser proposal, UAPD Director Steve Gahagans is quoted as saying Tasers are "less-than-lethal" tools.
This statement is untrue, and the truth is extremely important.
Amnesty International issued a 2008 report that warned against the proliferation of Tasers because between 2001 and 2008, 334 Americans had died after being stunned by Tasers.Researcher Angela Wright stated that "Tasers are not the 'non-lethal' weapons they are portrayed to be … they can kill … [and] are inherently open to abuse, as they are easy … to use and can inflict severe pain at the push of a button without leaving substantial marks."
The darts fired from Tasers deliver a 50,000-volt shock that paralyzes victims from up to 30 feet away. In reviewing the Taser deaths, Amnesty found that using Tasers may "exacerbate cardio-respiratory problems in individuals whose health is already compromised by drug abuse, exertion, heart disease, psychosis or positional restraint."
Amnesty also found that "some [who] died had no underlying [problems], but collapsed after being subjected to repeated or prolonged shocks."
Another report from University of California researchers discovered that after Tasers were adopted by California law enforcement, in-custody deaths increased dramatically. They found a six-fold increase in sudden deaths after the first year of Taser use.
Researching cardiologist Byron Lee stated, "Tasers are not as safe as thought."
Zian H. Tseng, another involved cardiologist, said Tasers can cause very rapid heart rhythm, and "the longer you hold the trigger, the higher the danger to the heart."
Finally, I know witnesses who have seen policemen hold the trigger for extended periods of time, and it is probably na've to assume they will always act compassionately when using a Taser.
For damning documentation of Taser lethality, please search YouTube.com for "Taser death" and witness an unintoxicated man killed by a Taser.
Abel Tomlinson
Graduate student
Political science
Letters to the editor may be sent to traveler@uark.edu or by following a link on the left.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Bman
posted 3/06/09 @ 3:35 AM CST
Come on be honest, you just don't want to be tasered next time you get arrested on campus for unruly behavior.
Although reluctant to admit it, this is an excellent point. (Continued…)
Gentry Lassiter
posted 3/07/09 @ 12:34 AM CST
Your position and the facts are some with which I was unfamiliar. It is a good point that the director's statement appears to be untrue. However, I am in support of officers' use of Tasers. (Continued…)
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