Federal Jury Awards $10 Million Against TASER International for Teenager's Death

Black blogger and social activist Eddie G. Griffin, BASG says:

HALLELUJAH! Praise the Lord! After 674 taser related death... a four-year campaign to raise public awareness... and 31 blog posts at my site on the subject... FINALLY, TASER International, with all its slick high-power lawyers and intimidated and bribed medical examiners and pseudo-scientific babbling experts... FINALLY, TASER International get shocked in the pocketbook... Eddie G. Griffin

Federal Jury Awards $10 Million Against TASER International for Teenager's Death

CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Attorneys John Burton and Peter M. Williamson announce that at 2:30 p.m. EDT today, a federal court jury returned a verdict for wrongful death in the amount of $10,000,000.00 against TASER International Inc., for the wrongful death of 17-year-old Darryl Turner, who collapsed and died in a Charlotte, North Carolina supermarket on March 20, 2008, following shocks to the chest from a TASER Model X26 electronic control device.

CNBC also reports that:

After the verdict was announced, John Burton, lead counsel for the plaintiffs, explained the importance of the verdict: "TASER has been irresponsible in representing the safety of its products. Hopefully, this verdict will sound the alarm to police officers around the world that firing these weapons into the chests of people should be avoided. No other family should have to endure the tragedy that the Fontenot family has experienced." The lawsuit is Fontenot v. TASER International, Inc., United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina, Charlotte Division, Case No.

3:10-CV-125.  United States District Judge Robert Conrad presided. 

However, Taser International has announced it will appeal.

The jury consisted of five women and three men [whose skin color is not reported in the article].

If you are in North Carolina and looking for lawyers for a Taser lawsuit, you might want to contact and consider the following lawyers, who won the ten million dollar jury award.

Plaintiffs' Counsel: John Burton, Esq. THE LAW OFFICES OF JOHN BURTON65 North Raymond Ave, Ste 300Pasadena, CA 91103Tel: 626-449-8300/Email: jb@johnburtonlaw.comWeb: http://www.johnburtonlaw.com Peter M. Williamson, Esq.WILLIAMSON & KRAUSS21800 Oxnard Street, Suite 305Woodland Hills, CA 91367Tel: 818-226-5700/Email: pmw@wandklaw.comWeb: http://www.wandklaw.com Charles A. Everage, Esq.EVERAGE LAW FIRM, PLLC1800 Camden Road, Ste. 104 Charlotte, NC 28216Tel: 704-377-9157/ Email: cae@everagel

They Electrocuted and "They Executed My Son," Says Middlebury Heights, OH Parent

It's not Just Black People

Seen at Excited Delirium blog.

In Middlebury Heights, Ohio, police responded to the scene after 41 year-old Howard Hammond rear-ended another driver's car at a traffic light. While there is no evidence of a struggle in the police video, the police nonetheless electrocuted and "executed" (the father's word) Hammond.   

"They executed my son," the father told Fox 8, Cleveland, OH.

Police fired their electrocution devices at Howard Hammond twice, and the failed to call an ambulance, even though electric shock devices are known to cause serious injury and death, particularly in people who are intoxicated, as the police say they believe Hammond was.

Tasers Are Perfectly Safe as Long as They Aren’t Used on the People Most Likely To Be Tasered, Says "The Agitator" Blog.

I saw the following over at "The Agitator" blog and I am compelled by its relevance to share it with readers:

Tasers Are Perfectly Safe as Long as They Aren’t Used on the People Most Likely To Be Tasered

An NIJ report on Tasers gives us the ol’ “Nothing to see, here”.  Nut graph:

“There is no conclusive medical evidence in the current body of research literature that indicates a high risk of serious injury or death to humans from the direct or indirect cardiovascular or metabolic effects of short-term CED exposure in healthy, normal, nonstressed, nonintoxicated persons,” the report concludes.

And we all know that Tasers are never, ever used on people who are unhealthy, or who are intoxicated, or who are under some sort of duress. So the debate is settled!

A List of Persons Extra-Judicially Electrocuted by Police Using Taser (and other) Electrocution Devices

Hat Tip to Eddie G. Griffin (BASG)  and Truth Not Tasers (TNT), where Patti Gillman compiles and updates this list.


A list of known torture victims that died after being intentionally electrocuted.
Most of these torture deaths resulted from being shocked with a Taser brand electronic torture device. A few were tortured and died from being electrocuted with another brand of electrical torture device
1983
1. August 10, 1983, Vincent Alvarez, 27, Los Angeles, California

1984

2. January 22, 1984: Raul Guevara, Jr. 30, Los Angeles, California
3. August 17, 1984: Larry Donnell Gardner, 32, Burke County, Georgia

1985

4. April 11, 1985: Cornelius Garland Smith, 35, Los Angeles, California
5. August 29, 1985: Lannie Stanley McCoy, 35, Los Angeles, California
6. December 27, 1985: Joseph Rodriguez, 24, Santa Clara, California

1986
7. May 9, 1986: Anthony Manwell Williams III, 35, Pomona, California
8. May 18, 1986: Robert Zapata, 37, Los Angeles, California
9. June 2, 1986: Robert Herbert Bobier, 31, Los Angeles, California
10. October 7, 1986: Yale Larry Wilson, 25, Vacaville, California

1987

11. July 22, 1987: Miguel Contreras, 27, Los Angeles, California
12. November 2, 1987: Mario Antonio Gastelum, 24, San Diego, California
13. December 4, 1987: Stewart Alan Vigil, 29, Los Angeles, California

198814. January 13, 1988: William McCall, 39, Los Angeles, California
15. September 10, 1988: Edward Breen, 38, Bell-Cudahy, California
16. September 10, 1988: Charles Eugene Miles, 37, Los Angeles, California

1989

17. February 14, 1989: Jose Torres, 31, Los Angeles, California
18. May 15, 1989: Jorge Hernandez, 28, Los Angeles, CA
19. May 22, 1989: Anthony Puma, 34, New York, New York
20. May 24, 1989: Jeffrey Michel Leonti, 37, Santa Clara, California

1990
21. February 13, 1990: Duane J. Johnson, 24, Ventura, California
22. August 13, 1990: Glen Gonzalez, 26, Los Angeles, CA

1991

23. April 21, 1991: Douglas L. Danville, 47, Los Angeles, California
24. July 1, 1991: Douglas Charles, 24, Los Angeles, California
25. November 2, 1991: Max Leyza Garcia, 40, Fullerton, California
26. December 9, 1991: Donnie Ray Ward, 38, Deuel, California

1992

27. July 18, 1992: James Ricard’ 32, Los Angeles, California
28. August 20, 1992: Clarice A. Younger, 62, Prince George`s County, Maryland
29. September 14, 1992: David Martinez, 27, Los Angeles, California

1993
30. March 8, 1993: Michael James Bryant, 37, Los Angeles, California
31. December 2, 1993: Vital Montilla, 28, New York, New York

1994
32. January 6, 1994: Daniel Scott Gizowski, 25, Los Angeles, California
33. March 18, 1994: Ephraim Lewis, 26, Los Angeles, California
34. April 16, 1994: Richard Wayne Harris, 32, Los Angeles, California
35. May 24, 1994: Brandon Jordan, 7 months, killed by his foster mother with repeated shocks, Peoria, Illinois (NOT TASER- Bestex? Space Thunder)
36. June 5, 1994: LeGrand Griffin, 39, Cincinnati, Ohio

1995

37. August 18, 1995: Bruce Klobuchar, 25, Los Angeles, California
38. December 1, 1995: Harry Landis, (Prison guard died after two compulsory training shocks from a NOVA shield, Coryell County, Texas (NOT TASER- NOVA shield)

1996

39. January 5, 1996: Byron Williams, 36, Los Angeles, California
40. June 1, 1996: Scott Jaron Norberg, 33, Maricopa, Arizona
41. June 8, 1996: James Quentin Parkinson, 25, Fairfield, California
42. July 20, 1996: Kimberly Lashon Watkins-Oliver, 38, Los Angeles, California
43. December 27, 1996: Andrew Hunt Jr. , 38. Pomona, California

1997

44. July 6, 1997: Garner Roosevelt Hicks Jr., 25, Santa Ana, California

1998
45. March 10, 1998: Mark Andrew Brown, 43, Los Angeles, California
46. January 29, 1999: Michael Labmeier, 43, Kenton County, Kentucky
47. September 28, 1999: David Torres Flores, 37, Fairfield County, California

2000In approximately 2000, Taser International began to replace early taser models up to the Air Taser with the M26 model and starting in 2003 by the X26. The electrical charge is different in these models so the medical reaction should differ. However the ways in which these weapons have been used did not appear to differ.
48. May 14, 2000: Enrique Juarez Ochoa, 34, Bakersfield, California
49. June 29, 2000: Lawrence Frazier, Wallens Ridge, Virginia (NOT TASER- Stinger Ultron II)

2001

50. June 17, 2001: Mark Burkett, 18, Gainesville, Florida
51. December 17, 2001: Marvin Hendrix, 27, Hamilton, Ohio
52. December 21, 2001: Steven Vasquez, 40, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

2002
53. January 27, 2002: Vincent Delostia, 31, Hollywood, Florida
54. February 12, 2002: Anthony Spencer, 35, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
55. March 27, 2002: Henry Canady, 46, Hilliard, Florida
56. May 17, 2002: Richard Baralla, 36, Pueblo, Colorado
57. June 10, 2002: Eddie Alvarado, 32, Los Angeles, California
58. June 13, 2002: Nicholas Aguilar, 39, Phoenix, Arizona
59. June 15, 2002: Jason Nichols, 21, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
60. June 27, 2002: Fermin Rincon, 24, Fontana, California
61. June 28, 2002: Clever Craig, 46, Mobile, Alabama
62. July 19, 2002: Johnny Lozoya, 24, Gardena, California
63. July 19, 2002: Gordon Jones, 37, Windermere, Florida
64. September 1, 2002: Frederick Webber, 44, Orange City, Florida
65. November 7, 2002: Stephen Edwards, 59, Shelton, Washington
66. December 31, 2002: Ronald Edward Wright, 35, Arlington, Texas

2003In 2003, Taser International introduced the X26 model.
67. March 16, 2003: Christopher Smith, 31, Albuquerque, New Mexico
68. April 16, 2003: Corey Calvin Clark, 33, Amarillo, Texas
69. April 19, 2003: Terrence Hanna, 51, Burnaby, British Columbia
70. May 10, 2003: Joshua Hollander, 22, Normal Heights, California
71. June 9, 2003: Timothy Sleet, 44, Springfield Missouri
72. June 26, 2003: David Lewandowski, 26, Escambia County, Florida
73. July 22, 2003: Clayton Willey, 33, Prince George, British Columbia
74. August 4, 2003: Troy Nowell, 51, Amarillo, Texas
75. August 8, 2003: John Lee Thompson, 45, Carrollton Township, Michigan
76. August 8, 2003: Walter Curtis Burks Jr., 36, Minneapolis, Minnesota
77. August 17, 2003: Gordon Rauch, 39, Citrus Heights, California
78. September 24, 2003: Ray Austin, 25, Gwinnett, Georgia
79. September 29, 2003: Glenn Leyba, 37, Glendale, Colorado
80. September 28, 2003: Clark Whitehouse, 34, Whitehorse, Yukon
81. October 7, 2003: Roman Pierson, 40, Brea, California
82. October 11, 2003: Dennis Hammond, 31, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
83. October 21, 2003: Louis Morris, 50, Orlando, Florida
84. November 6, 2003: James Borden, 47, Monroe County, Indiana
85. November 10, 2003: Michael Johnson, 32, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
86. November 11, 2003: Kerry O’Brien, 31, Pembroke Pines, Florida
87. December 9, 2003: Curtis Lawson, 40, Unadilla, Georgia
88. December 9, 2003: Lewis King, 39, St. Augustine, Florida

2004
89. February 4, 2004: David Glowczenski, 35, Southampton Village, New York
90. February 13, 2004: Raymond Siegler, 40, Minneapolis, Minnesota
91. February 21, 2004: Curt Rostentangle (Rostengale), 44, Silverdale, Washington
92. February 21, 2004: William Lomax Jr., 26, Las Vegas, Nevada
93. March 23, 2004: Ronald Perry, 28, Edmonton, Alberta
94. March 28, 2004: Terry Williams, 45, Madison, Illinois
95. April 1, 2004: Phillip LeBlanc, 36, Los Angeles, California
96. April 16, 2004: Melvin Samuel, 28, Savannah, Georgia
97. April 17, 2004: Robert Harold Allen, 45, Little Rock, Arkansas
98. April 18, 2004: Alfredo Diaz, 29, Orange County, Florida
99. April 27, 2004: Eric Wolle, 45, Washington Grove, Maryland
100. May 1, 2004: Roman Andreichikov, Vancouver, British Columbia
101. May 13, 2004: Peter Lamonday, 38, London, Ontario
102. May 22, 2004: Henry Lattarulo, 40, Hillsborough, County Florida
103. May 27, 2004: Frederick Williams, 31, Lawrenceville, Georgia
104. May 30, 2004: Darryl Smith, 46, Atlanta, Georgia
105. May 31, 2004: Anthony Oliver, 42, Orlando, Florida
106. June 4, 2004: Jerry Pickens, 55, Bridge City, Louisiana
107. June 9, 2004: James Cobb, 42, St. Paul, Minnesota
108. June 9, 2004: Jacob Lair, 26, Sparks, Nevada
109. June 16, 2004: Abel Ortega Perez, 36, Austin, Texas
110. June 23, 2004: Robert Bagnell, 44, Vancouver, British Columbia
111. June 24, 2004: Kris Lieberman, 32, Bushkill Township, Pennsylvania
112. June 30, 2004: Bernard Christmas, 36, Dayton, Ohio
113. July 3, 2004: Demetrius Tillman Nelson, 45, Okaloosa County, Florida
114. July 11, 2004: Willie Smith, 48, Auburn, Washington
115. July 17, 2004: Jerry Knight, 29, Mississauga, Ontario
116. July 23, 2004: Milton Salazar, 29, Mesa Arizona
117. August 2, 2004: Keith Tucker, 47, Las Vegas, Nevada
118. August 8, 2004: Samuel Truscott, 43, Kingston, Ontario
119. August 11, 2004: Ernest Blackwell, 29, St. Louis, Missouri
120. August 11, 2004: David Riley, 41, Joplin, Missouri
121. August 13, 2004: Anthony Lee McDonald, 46, Harrisburg, North Carolina
122. August 16, 2004: William Teasley, 31, Anderson, South Carolina
123. August 19, 2004: Richard Karlo, 44, Denver, Colorado
124. August 20, 2004: Michael Sanders, 40, Fresno, California
125. August 24, 2004: Lawrence Davis, 27, Phoenix, Arizona
126. August 27, 2004: Jason Yeagley, 32, Auburndale, Florida
127. August 29, 2004: Michael Rosa, 38, Del Rey Oaks, California
128. September 12, 2004: Samuel Wakefield, 22, Rio Vista, Texas
129. September 15, 2004: Andrew Washington, 21, Vallejo, California
130. September 20, 2004: Jon Merkle, 40, Miami, Florida
131. October 4, 2004: Dwayne Dunn, 33, Lafayette, Louisiana
132. November 2, 2004: Greshmond Gray, 25, LaGrange, Georgia
133. November 2, 2004: Robert Guerrero, 21, Fort Worth, Texas
134. November 7, 2004: Keith Raymond Drum, Clearlake, Califormnia
135. November 8, 2004: Ricardo Zaragoza, 40, Elk Grove, California
136. November 15, 2004: Jesse Robert Tapia, 37, Pomona, California
137. November 25, 2004: Charles Keiser, 47, Hartland Township, Michigan
138. November 27, 2004: Byron Black, 39, Lee County, Florida
139. December 4, 2004: Patrick Fleming, 35, Metairie, Louisiana
140. December 15, 2004: Kevin Downing, 36, Hollywood, Florida
141. December 17, 2004: Douglas Meldrum, 37, Wasatch County, Utah
142. December 17, 2004: Lyle Nelson, 35, Columbia, Illinois
143. December 22, 2004: Jeanne Hamilton, 46, Palmdale, California
144. December 23, 2004: Timothy Bolander, 31, Delray Beach, Florida
145. December 23, 2004: Ronnie Pino, 31, Sacramento, California
146. December 28, 2004: Christopher Hernandez, 19, Naples, Florida
147. December 30, 2004: David Cooper, 40, Marion County, Indiana

2005
148. January 2, 2005: Gregory Saulsbury, 30, Pacifica, California
149. January 5, 2005: Dennis Hyde, 30, Akron, Ohio
150. January 8, 2005: Carl Trotter, 33, Pensacola, Florida
151. January 10, 2005, Jerry Moreno, 33, Los Angeles, California
152. January 28, 2005: James Edward Hudson, 33, Chickasha, Oklahoma
153. January 31, 2005: Jeffrey Turner, 41, Lucas County, Ohio
154. February 10, 2005: Ronald Alan Hasse, 54, Chicago, Illinois
155. February 12, 2005: Robert Camba, 45, San Diego, California
156. February 18, 2005: Joel Don Casey, 52, Houston, Texas
157. February 20, 2005: Robert Heston, 40, Salinas, California
158. March 3, 2005: Shirley Andrews, 38, Cincinnati, Ohio
159. March 6, 2005: David Levi Evans Jr.,45, Los Angeles, California
160. March 6, 2005: Willie Towns, 30, Deland, Florida
161. March 12, 2005: Milton Woolfolk, 39, Lake City, Florida
162. March 17, 2005: Mark Young, 25, Indianapolis, Indiana
163. April 3, 2005: James Wathan Jr., 32, Delhi, California
164. April 3, 2005: Eric Hammock, 43, Fort Worth, Texas
165. April 8, 2005: Ricky Barber, 46, Carter County, Oklahoma
166. April 22, 2005: John Cox, 39, Bellport, New York
167. April 24 2005: Jesse Colter, 31, Phoenix, Arizona
168. May 4, 2005: Keith Graff, 24, Phoenix, Arizona
169. May 5, 2005: Kevin Geldart, 34, Moncton, New Brunswick
170. May 6, 2005: Stanley Wilson, 44, Miami, Florida
171. May 6, 2005: Lawrence Berry, 33, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana
172. May 13, 2005: Vernon Young, 31, Union Township, Ohio
173. May 17, 2005: Leroy Pierson, 55, Rancho Cucamonga, California
174. May 20, 2005: Randy Martinez, 40, Albuquerque, New Mexico
175. May 23, 2005: Lee Marvin Kimmel, 38, Reading, Pennsylvania
176. May 23, 2005: Richard Alverado, 38, Tustin, California
177. May 26, 2005: Walter Lamont Seats, 23, Nashville, Tennessee
178. May 28, 2005: Richard T. Holcomb, 18, Akron, Ohio
179. June 2, 2005: Nazario J. Solorio, 38, Escondido, California
180. June 4, 2005: Ravan Conston, 33, Sacramento, California
181. June 6, 2005: Russell Walker, 47, Las Vegas, Nevada
182. June 11, 2005: Horace Owens, 48, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
183. June 13, 2005: Michael Anthony Edwards, 32, Palatka, Florida
184. June 13, 2005: Shawn Pirolozzi, 30, Canton, Ohio
185. June 14, 2005: Robert Earl Williams, 62, Waco, Texas
186. June 24, 2005: Carolyn Daniels, 25, Fort Worth, Texas
187. June 24, 2005: Melinda Kaye Neal Fairbanks, 33, Whitfield County, Georgia
188. June 29, 2005: Pharoah Knight, 33, Miami, Florida
189. June 30, 2005: Gurmeet Sandhu, 41, Surrey, B.C.
190. July 1, 2005: James Foldi, 39, Beamsville, Ont.
191. July 2, 2005: Tommy V. Gutierrez, 38, Sacramento County, California
192. July 7, 2005: Rocky Brison, 41, Birmingham, Alabama
193. July 8, 2005: Raul Jimenez Buenrostro, 29, Fontana, California
194. July 12, 2005: Kevin Omas, 17, Euless, Texas
195. July 15, 2005: Ernesto Valdez, 37, Phoenix, Arizona
196. July 15, 2005: Paul Sheldon Saulnier, 42, Digby, Nova Scotia
197. July 15, 2005: Otis G. Thrasher, 42, Butte, Montana
198. July 17, 2005: Michael Leon Crutchfield, 40, West Palm Beach, Florida
199. July 16, 2005: Carlos Casillas Fernandez, 31, Santa Rosa, California
200. July 23, 2005: Maury Cunningham, 29, Lancaster, South Carolina
201. July 25, 2005: Elisio Maldanado, 33, Los Angeles, California
202. July 27, 2005: Terrence L. Thomas, 35, Rockville Centre, New York
203. August 1, 2005: Brian Patrick O’Neal, San Jose, California
204. August 3, 2005: Eric Mahoney, 33, Fremont, California
205. August 4, 2005: Dwayne Zachary, 44, Sacramento, California
206. August 5, 2005: Olsen Ogodidde (Agoodie?), 44, Glendale, Arizona
207. August 7, 2005: Frank Gilman Edgerly, 47, Phoenix, Arizona
208. August 26, 2005: Shawn Norman, 40, Laurelville, Ohio
209. August 27, 2005: Brian Lichtenstein, 31, Stuart, Florida
210. August 29, 2005: Robert E. Boggon, 65, Escambia County, Florida
211. September 4, 2005: Leonard A. Mitchell, 36, Darby Borough, Pennsylvania
212. September 18, 2005: David Anthony Cross, 44, Santa Cruz, California
213. September 22, 2005: Timothy Michael Torres, 24, Sacramento, California
214. September 24, 2005: Patrick Aaron Lee, 21, Nashville, Tennessee
215. September 26, 2005: Michael Clark, 33, Austin, Texas
216. October 1, 2005: Mary Ellen Malone Jeffries, 51, Marshall County, Mississippi
217. October 13, 2005: Steven Cunningham, 45, Fort Myers, Florida
218. October 18, 2005: David Michael Croud, 29, Duluth, Minnesota
219. October 20, 2005: Jose Perez, 33, San Leandro, California
220. October 25, 2005: Timothy Mathis, 35, Loveland, Colorado
221. October 25, 2005: Cedric Stemberg-Barton, 21, King County, Washington
222. November 1, 2005: Miguel Serrano, 35, New Britain, Connecticut
223. November 13, 2005: Josh Brown, 23, Lafayette, Louisiana
224. November 17, 2005: Jose Angel Rios, 38, San Jose, California
225. November 20, 2005: Hansel Cunningham, 30, Des Plaines, Illinois
226. November 21, 2005: Barney Lee Green, 38, Pasadena, Texas
227. November 25, 2005: Tyler Marshall Shaw, 19, Asotin County, Washington
228. November 26, 2005: Tracy Rene Shippy, 35, Fort Meyers, Florida
229. November 30, 2005: Kevin Dewayne Wright, 39, Kelso, Washington
230. December 1, 2005: Jeffrey Earnhardt, 47, Orlando, Florida
231. December 7, 2005: Michael Tolosko, 31, Sonoma, California
232. December 17, 2005: Howard Starr, 32, Florence, South Carolina
233. December 21, 2005: Clint R. Yarbrough, 33, Maricopa County, Arizona
234. December 24, 2005: Alesandro Fiacco, 33, Edmonton, Alberta
235. December 29, 2005: David Moss, 26, Omaha, Nebraska

2006
236. January 3, 2006: Roberto Gonzalez, 34, Waukegan, Illinois
237. January 4, 2006: Steven Hooker, 21, Kalamazoo, Michigan
238. January 5, 2006: Matthew Dunlevy, 25, Laguna Beach, California
239. January 7, 2006: Carlos Claros Castro, 28, Davidson County, North Carolina
240. January 13, 2006: Daryl Dwayne Kelley, 29, Houston, Texas
241. January 16, 2006: Shmekia Lewis (female), 24, Beaumont, Texas
242. January 18, 2006: Daniel Rivera Tamez, 21, Harlingen, Texas
243. January 22, 2006: Nick Ryan Hanson, 24, Ashland, Oregon
244. January 25, 2006: Murray Bush, Metairie, Louisiana
245. January 25, 2006: Jorge Luis Trujillo, San Jose, California
246. January 28, 2006: Karl W. Marshall, 32, Kansas City, Missouri
247. January 29, 2006 Benites Sichero, 39, Spokane County, Washington
248. January 31, 2006: Jaime Coronel, Castroville, California
249. February 6, 2006: Jessie Williams Jr., 40, Harrison County, Mississippi
250. February 6, 2009: Troy Rigby, 29, Broward, Florida
251. February 13, 2006: Darval Smith, New Orleans, Louisiana
252. February 19, 2006: Gary Bartley, 36, Mandeville, Louisiana
253. February 24, 2006: Samuel Hair, 48, Fort Pierce, Florida
254. March 8, 2006: Robert R. Hamilton, 42, St. Augustine, Florida
255. Approx. March 13, 2006: Twan Tran, Port Arthur, Texas
256. March 18, 2006: Otto Zehm, 35, Spokane, Washington
257. March 18, 2006, Cedric Davis, 26, Merced County, California
258. March 20, 2006: Timothy Grant, 46, Portland, Oregon
259. March 24, 2006: Theodore Rosenberry, 35, Hagerstown, Maryland
260. April 5, 2006: Thomas Clint Tipton, 34, Clearwater, Florida
261. April 15, 2006: Nick Mamino Jr., 41, St. Louis, Missouri
262. April 16, 2006: Billy Ray Cook, 39, Dublin, North Carolina
263. April 16, 2006: Juan Manuel Nunez III, 27, Lubbock, Texas
264. April 18, 2006: Richard McKinnon, 52, Cumberland County, North Carolina
265. April 22, 2006: Alvin Itula, 35, Salt Lake City, Utah
266. April 24, 2006: Jose Romero, 23, Dallas, Texas
267. April 24, 2006: Emily Marie Delafield, 56, Green Cove Springs, Florida
268. April 25, 2006: Curtis Lee Smith, 45, New Holland, Pennsylvania
269. April 30, 2006: Brian Craig Carlile, 37, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
270. May 1, 2006: Jeremy Davis, 24, Bellmead, Texas
271. May 7, 2006: Kenneth Cleveland, 63, Ashtabula, Ohio
272. May 25, 2006: Brian Davis, 43, Los Angeles, California
273. June 4, 2006: Unidentified man, Phoenix, Arizona
274. June 4, 2006: Felipe Herrera, 48, Las Vegas, Nevada
275. June 5, 2006: James Simms, 52, Phoenix, Arizona
276. June 10, 2006: Vicki Avila, 31, Orance County, California
277. June 13, 2006: Jerry Preyer, 43, Pensacola, Florida
278. June 18, 2006: Jason Troy Dockery, 31, Coolville, Tennessee
279. June 21, 2006: Kenneth Eagleton, 43, Crosby, Texas
280. June 21, 2006: Joseph Stockdale, 26, Indianapolis, Indiana
281. June 24, 2006: John Martinez, San Jose, California
282. July 2, 2006: Jermail Williams, 32, South Bend, Indiana
283. July 3, 2006: Rodney Sisneros Jr., 26, Evans, Colorado
284. July 7, 2006: Michael Deon Babers, 26, Shreveport, Louisiana
285. July 8, 2006: Christopher Tull, 36, Cincinnati, Ohio
286. July 9, 2006: Nickolos Cyrus, 29, Mukwonago, Wisconsin
287. July 9, 2006: Ramiro Garcia, 39, Patterson, California
288. July 11, 2006: Jesus Negron, 29, New Britain, Connecticut
289. July 23, 2006: Shannon Johnson, 37, Pittsboro, North Carolina
290. July 30, 2006: George Victor. Holder, 34, Salina, Kansas
291. August 2, 2006: Anthony Jones, 39, Merced, California
292. August 4, 2006: Ryan Michael Wilson, 22, Lafayette, Colorado
293. August 8, 2006: Curry McCrimmon, 26, Melbourne, Florida
294. August 8, 2006: James Nunez, 27, Santa Ana, California
295. August 9, 2006: Glen Thomas, 33, Wabasso, Florida
296. August 18, 2006: Kenyata H. Allen, Mobile, Alabama
297. August 17, 2006: Raul Gallegos-Reyes, 34, Centennial, Colorado
298. August 18, 2006: Kenyata Allen, 23, Mobile, Alabama
299. August 20, 2006: Mark McCullaugh, 28, Akron, Ohio
300. August 20, 2006: Timothy Picard, 41, Woonsocket, Rhode Island
301. August 23, 2006: Noah Lopez,25, Fort Worth, Texas
302. August 25, 2006: Mark L. Lee, 30, Rochester, New York
303. August 26, 2006: Terry Wayne Robinson, 42,Jackson Township, Ohio
304. August 30, 2006: Jason Doan, 28, Red Deer, Alberta
305. August 30, 2006: John (Juan) Soto, Jr., 39, Liberal, Kansas
306. September 4, 2006, Jesus Mejia, 33, Los Angeles, California
307. September 5, 2006: Larry Noles, 52, Louisville, Kentucky
308. September 8, 2006: Perry Simmons, 35, Montgomery, Alabama
309. September 13, 2006: Laborian Simmons, 24, Marion County, Florida
310. September 17, 2006: Marcus Roach-Burrus, 42, Menasha, Wisconsin
311. September 17, 2006: James Philip Chasse Jr., 42, Portland, Oregon
312. September 29, 2006: Joseph Kinney, 36, Madison Twp., Ohio
313. September 30, 2006: Vardan Kasilyan, 29, Las Vegas, Nevada
314. September 30, 2006: John David Johnson III, 27, Orange Park, Florida
315. October 1, 2006: Kip Darrell Black, 38, North Charleston, South Carolina
316. October 4, 2006: Michael Templeton, 50, Jonesboro, Arkansas
317. October 6, 2006: Herman Carroll, 31, Houston, Texas
318. October 8, 2006: Armando Ibarra, Greenacres, Florida
319. October 9, 2006: Gerald Raymond Guimond, Patagonia City, Arizona
320. October 9, 2006: James Simons, 35, Lincoln Park, Michigan
321. October 19, 2006: James Lewis, 37, Las Vegas, Nevada
322. October 19, 2006: Nicholas Brown, Milford, Connecticut
323. October 22, 2006: Eddie Charles Ham Jr., 30, Montgomery, Alabama
324. October 23, 2006: Michael Todd Gleim, 40, Milford, Ohio
325. October 29, 2006: Roger Holyfield, 17, Jerseyville, Illinois
326. October 30, 2006: Jeremy Foos, 29, Columbus, Ohio
327. November 1, 2006: Curtis M. Sloan, 47, Georgetown, Illinois
328. November 5, 2006: Rosendo Gaytan, 52, Austin, Texas
329. November 7, 2006: Matthew Barnett, East Norriton, Pennsylvania
330. November 9, 2006: William Jobe, 40, Federal Way, Washington
331. November 10, 2006: Weizhong Wang, Los Angeles County, California
332. November 14, 2006: Timothy Wayne Newton, 43, Rocky Mount, North Carolina
333. November 14, 2006: Darren Faulkner, 41, Southaven, Mississippi
334. November 14, 2006: Gregory Nykiel, 34, Sharpsbury, Pennsylvania
335. December 3, 2006: Briant K. Parks, 39, Columbus, Ohio
336. December 17, 2006: Anthony Placido, 38, West Palm Beach, Florida
337. December 17, 2006: Terrill Enard, 29, Lafayette, Louisiana
338. December 30, 2006: Daniel Walter Quick, 43, Magalia, California

2007
339. January 5, 2007: James Barber, 25, Ottawa, Ontario (incidental?)
340. January 5, 2007: Calvin Thompson, 42, Gastonia, North Carolina
341. January 6, 2007: Douglas John Ilten, 45, Fort Pierce, Florida
342. January 7, 2007: Blondel Lassegue, 38, Nassau County, New York
343. January 12, 2007: Pedro Carlos Madrid, 44, Fresno, California
344. January 17, 2007: Keith Kallstrom, 56, Milan, Michigan
345. January 18, 2007: Andrew J. Athetis, 18, Gilbert, Arizona
346. February 19, 2007: Brett Howie, 36, Pine Bluffs, Arkansas
347. January 29, 2007: Michael Keohan, 45, Huntingdon Park, California
348. January 30, 2007: Christopher L. McCargo, 43, Dayton, Ohio
349. February 11, 2007: Stephen Krohn, 44, Mesa, Arizona
350. February 21, 2007: Martin Mendoza, 43, Oceanside, California
351. March 12, 2007: Michael J. Hartshorn, 38, Montgomery County, Kansas
352. March 13, 2007: Muszack Nazaire, 24, East Naples, Florida
353. March 15, 2007: Randy Buckey, 42, Marion, Ohio
354. March 16, 2007: Ryan Lee Myers, 40, Essex, Maryland
355. March 17, 2007: David Brown, 47, Park Forest, Illinois
356. March 17, 2007: David Mendoza, 25, West Covina, California
357. March 18, 2007: Brandon Lee Hessler, 28, New Richmond, Wisconsin
358. March 20, 2007: Christopher Eugene Fagan, 27, Harris County, Texas
359. March 23, 2007: Sergio Galvan, 35, San Antonio, Texas
360. April 10, 2007: Eugene Donjuall Gilliam, 22, Prattville, Alabama
361. April 11, 2007: Roberto Perez, 25, Indio, California
362. April 14, 2007: Unidentified male, Phoenix, Arizona
363. April 22, 2007: David Mills, 26, Hamden, Connecticut
364. April 23, 2007: Unidentified male, Houston, Texas
365. April 24, 2007: Louis Jermaine Broomfield, 35, Charleston, South Carolina
366. April 24, 2007: Walter Heller, 55, Santa Rosa, California
367. April 24, 2007: Uywanda Peterson, 43, Baltimore, Maryland
368. April 30, 2007: Roy Hamner, 59, Pearl, Mississippi
369. May 5, 2007: Daniel Bradley Young, 33, Seminole, Florida
370. May 7, 2007: Robert A. Keske, 45, Seminole, Florida
371. May 12, 2007: Trent A. Yohe, 37, Spokane, Washington
372. May 12, 2007: Jeffry Young, 54, Bremerton, Washington
373. May 14, 2007: Terrill Heath, 31, Baltimore, Maryland
374. May 15, 2007: Chance W. Shrum, 20 years old, Iola, Kansas
375. May 16, 2007: Patrick D. Hagans, 42, Valleyview, Ohio
376. May 19, 2007: Milisha Thompson, 35, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
377. May 22, 2007: Kevin DeWayne Hill, 39, Knoxville, Tennessee
378. May 23, 2007: Raymundo Guerrerro Garcia, 33, Simi Valley, California
379. May 24, 2007: Cecil Wayne Valenzuela, 39, Bakersfield, California
380. May 25, 2007: Steve Salinas, 47, San Jose, California
381. May 26, 2007: Marcus D. Skinner, 22, Seat Pleasant, Maryland
382. May 29, 2007: Doyle Moniki Jackson, 34, Benton Harbor, Indiana
383. June 2, 2007: Aaron Roe, 23, Ironton, Ohio
384. June 10, 2007: Israel Guerrero, 29, San Benito County, California
385. June 19, 2007: Juan Flores Lopez, 47, San Angelo, Texas
386. July 2, 2007: Richard Baisner, 36, Pasadena, California
387. July 6, 2007: Rafael Valentin, 35, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana
388. July 8, 2007: Nathaniel Cobbs Jr., 25, Newburgh, New York
389. July 11, 2007: Donald Edward Willis, 37, Harris County, Texas
390. July 16, 2007: Albert Romero, 47, Denver, Colorado
391. July 20, 2007: Jermaine Thompson, 36, Kansas City, Missouri
392. July 25, 2007: Carlos Rodriguez, 27, Atlanta, Georgia
393. July 29, 2007: Ronald Marquez, 49, Phoenix, Arizona
394. August 2, 2007: Clyde Patrick, 44, Birmingham, Alabama
395. August 4, 2007: Gefery Johnston, 42, Chicago, Illinois
396. August 4, 2007: Stephen Spears, 49, Shelby County, Michigan
397. August 4, 2007: James Barnes, 21, Omaha, Nebraska
398. August 11, 2007: Craig Berdine, 37, Fremont, Ohio
399. August 14, 2007: Rafael Forbes, 21, Jackson, Mississippi
400. August 15, 2007: James Wells, 43, Waterford, California
401. August 16, 2007: Avery Sheron Winn, 27, Conway, South Carolina
402. August 18, 2007: Thomas Campbell, 50, Baltimore, Maryland
403. August 23, 2007: Chad Cekas, 27, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
404. August 26, 2007: Glenn Shipman Jr., 44, Portland, Oregon
405. September 3, 2007: Earl Guerrant, 47, Golf Manor, Ohio
406. September 3, 2007: Charles Gordon, 26, Vallejo, California
407. September 9, 2007: Jorge Renteria Terrquiz, 25, Anaheim, California
408. September 20, 2007: Claudio Castagnetta, 32, Quebec City, Quebec
409. October 1, 2007: Samuel Baker, 59, Quitman, Georgia
410. October 1, 2007: Keith White, 44, Kansas City, Kansas
411. October 11, 2007: Frederick L. Nelsen, 52, Wood County, Wisconsin
412. October 12, 2007: Michael Patrick Lass, 28, Orange County, California
413. October 14, 2007: Robert Dziekanski, 40, Richmond, British Columbia
414. October 14, 2007: Donald Clark Grant, 54, Asheville, North Carolina
415. October 17, 2007: Quilem Registre, 39, Montreal, Quebec
416. October 28, 2007: Randall Mark Blalock, 48, Kern County, California
417. November 1, 2007: Seldon Deshotels, 56, Lake Charles, Louisiana
418. November 2, 2007: Stefan McMinn, 44, Hendersonville, North Carolina
419. November 7, 2007: Roger Brown, 40, Miami, Florida
420. November 16, 2007: Paul Carlock, 57, Springfield, Illinois
421. November 18, 2007: Jesse Saenz, 20, Raton, New Mexico
422. November 18, 2007: Jarrel Gray, 20, Frederick, Maryland
423. November 18, 2007: Christian Allen, 21, Springfield, Florida
424. November 20, 2007: Conrad Lowman, Jacksonville, Florida
425. November 22, 2007: Howard Hyde, 45, Halifax, Nova Scotia
426. November 24, 2007: Robert Knipstrom, 36, Chilliwack, British Columbia
427. November 29, 2007: Ashley R. Stephens, 28, Ocala, Florida
428. November 30, 2007: Cesar Silva, 32, Los Angeles, California
429. December 5, Juan Mendoza Farias, 40, Maricopa County, Arizona
430. December 10, 2007: Leroy Patterson Jr., 41, Walton County, Georgia

2008
431. January 2, 2008: Brandon Smiley, 27, Mobile, Alabama
432. January 4, 2008: Ryan Rich, 33, Las Vegas, Nevada
433. January 9, 2008: Otis C. Anderson, 36, Fayetteville, North Carolina
434. January 11, 2008: Xavier Jones, 29, Coral Gables, Florida
435. January 15, 2008: Mark Backlund, 29, New Brighton, Minnesota
436. January 17, 2008: Baron Scooter Collins-Pikes, 21, Winnfield, Louisiana
437. January 18, 2008: Daniel Hanrahan, 44, Staten Island, New York
438. February 3, 2008: Louis Cryer, 32, Port Arthur, Texas
439. February 3, 2008: Joseph Davis, 50, Brandon, Mississippi
440. February 7, 2008: Richard Earl Abston, 53, Merced, California
441. February 19, 2008: Garrett Sean Farn, 41, Bakersfield, California
442. February 26, 2008: Barron Harvey Davis, 44, Mayes County, Oklahoma
443. March 4, 2008: Christopher Jackson, 37, Clay, New York
444. March 5, 2008: Steven Drussell, 41, Albuquerque, New Mexico
445. March 6, 2008: Javier Aguilar, 46, Roswell, New Mexico
446. March 18, 2008: Roberto Gonzalez, 24, Chicago, Illinois
447. March 20, 2008: Darryl Wayne Turner, 17, Charlotte, North Carolina
448. March 21, 2008: James Garland, 41, Deerfield Beach, Florida
449. March 29, 2008: Henry Bryant, 35, Indianapolis, Indiana
450. March 30, 2008: Walter Edward Haake Jr., 59, Topeka, Kansas
451. April 1, 2008: Jason Jesus Gomez, 35, Santa Ana, California
452. April 6, 2008: Yvelt Occean, 31, New Kent County, Virginia
453. April 6, 2008: Jose Mendoza-Escobar, 35, Los Angeles County, California
454. April 22, 2008: Uriah Samson Dach, 26, Richmond, California
455. April 24, 2008: Kevin Piskura, 24, Cincinnati, Ohio
456. April 24, 2008: Dewayne Chatt, 39, Memphis, Tennessee
457. April 27, 2008: Paul Thompson, 24, Greensboro, North Carolina
458. April 28, 2008: Jermaine Ward, 28, Jackson, Tennessee
459. May 4, 2008: Joe Kubat, 21, St. Paul, Minnesota
460. May 6, 2008: James S. Wilson, 22, Alton, Missouri
461. May 8, 2008: Paul J. Swider, 29, Hammond, Indiana
462. May 28, 2008: Ricardo Manuel Abrahams, 44, Woodland, California
463. May 31, 2008: Robert Ingram, 27, Raceland, Louisiana
464. June 5, 2008: Willie Maye, 43, Birmingham, Alabama
465. June 6, 2008: Donovan Graham, 39, Meriden, Connecticut
466. June 8, 2008: Quintrell T. Brannon, 25, Vincennes, Indiana
467. June 9, 2008: Tony Curtis Bradway, 26, Brooklyn, New York
468. June 23, 2008: Jeffrey Marreel, 36, Norfolk, Ontario
469. June 24, 2008: Ernest Graves, 26, Rockford, Illinois
470. June 27, 2008: Nicholas Cody, 27, Dothan, Alabama
471. July 2, 2008: Isaac Bass, 34, Louisville, Kentucky
472. July 4, 2008: Othello Pierre, 23, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
473. July 7, 2008: Arthur Bennett, 36, Brewton, Mississippi
474. July 8, 2008: Samuel DeBoise, 29, St. Louis, Missouri
475. July 8, 2008: Carlos Vargas, 42, San Bernardino, California
476. July 8, 2008: Clarence J. Smith, Jr., 29, Bertie County, South Carolina
477. July 12, 2008: Deshoun Keyon Torrence, 18, Long Beach, California
478. July 14, 2008: Marion Wilson Jr., 52, Houston, Texas
479. July 22, 2008: Michael Langan, 17, Winnipeg, Manitoba
480. July 24, 2008: Richard Smith, 46, Dallas, Texas
481. July 27, 2008: Anthony Davidson, Statesville, 29, North Carolina
482. August 4, 2008: Jerry Jones, 45, Beaumont, Texas
483. August 4, 2008: Andre Thomas, 37, Swissvale, Pennsylvania
484. August 7, 2008: Lawrence Rosenthal, 54, Hemet, California
485. August 10, 2008: Kiethedric Hines, 31, Rockford, Illinois
486. August 15, 2008: Kenneth Oliver, 45, Miami, Florida
487. August 25, 2008: Ronald Adkisson, 59, Creston, Iowa
488. August 28, 2008: Stanley James Harlan, 23, Moberly, Missouri
489. September 3, 2008: Prince Swayzer, 38, San Jose, California
490. September 3, 2008: Andy Tran, 32, Garden Grove, California
491. September 11, 2008: Roney Wilson, 46, Hillsborough, Florida
492. September 15, 2008: Guadalupe Zavala, 87, San Diego, California
493. September 17, 2008: Sean Reilly, 42, Mississauga, Ontario
494. September 19, 2008: Gabriel Bitterman, 23, Lincoln, Nebraska
495. September 25, 2008: Iman Morales, 35, New York, New York
496. September 30, 2008: Frank Frachette, 49, Langley, BC
497. October 1, 2008: Jose Anibal Amaro, 45, Orange County, Florida
498. October 18, 2008: Homer Taylor, 39, Chicago, Illinois
499. October 29, 2008: Trevor Grimolfson, 38, Edmonton, Alberta
500. October 31, 2008: Marlon Oliver Acevedo, 35, Riverside, California
501. November 2, 2008: Gordon Walker Bowe, 30, Calgary, Alberta
502. November 3, 2008: Adren Maurice Turner, 44, Mexia, Texas
503. November 9, 2008: Guy James Fernandez, 42, Santa Rosa, California
504. December 3, 2008: Leroy Hughes, 52, Covington, Kentucky
505. December 9, 2008: Quincy Smith, 24, Minneapolis, Minnesota
506. December 19, 2008: Edwin Rodriguez, 26, San Jose, California
507. December 20, 2008: Nathan Vaughn, 39, Santa Rosa, California
508. December 24, 2008: Mark Green, 46, Houston, Texas

2009In 2009, Taser International introduced the TASER X3, designed to enable law enforcers to render three targets powerless or, should the officer miss the target, have additional shots available quickly.
509. January 8, 2009: Derrick Jones, 17, Martinsville, Virginia
510. January 11, 2009: Rodolfo Lepe, 31, Bakersfield, California
511. January 22, 2009: Roger Redden, 52, Soddy Daisy, Tennessee
512. February 2, 2009: Garrett Jones, 45, Stockton, California
513. February 7, 2009: Phillip B. Munoz, 29, Pueblo County, Colorado
514. February 11, 2009: Richard Lua, 28, San Jose, California
515. February 13, 2009: Rudolph Byrd, 37, Thomas County, Florida
516. February 13, 2009: Michael Jones, 43, Iberia, Louisiana
517. February 14, 2009: Chenard Kierre Winfield, 32, Los Angeles, California
518. February 28, 2009: Robert Lee Welch, 40, Conroe, Texas
519. March 1, 2009: Terry Wayne Jackson, 22, San Bernardino, California
520. March 19, 2009: Levi Mahoney, 24, Pittsburgh, Pennsylania
521. March 22, 2009: Brett Elder, 15, Bay City, Michigan
522. March 26, 2009: Marcus D. Moore, 40, Freeport, Illinois
523. April 1, 2009: John J. Meier Jr., 48, Tamarac, Florida
524. April 3, 2009: Jermaine Lamonte Love, 35, Montclair, California
525. April 6, 2009: Ricardo Varela, 41, Fresno, California
526. April 10, 2009: Robert Mitchell, 16, Detroit, Michigan
527. April 13, 2009: Craig Prescott, 38, Modesto, California
528. April 16, 2009: Gary A. Decker, 50, Tuscon, Arizona
529. April 18, 2009: Michael Jacobs Jr., 24, Fort Worth, Texas
530. April 30, 2009: Kevin LaDay, 35, Lumberton, Texas
531. May 4, 2009: Gilbert Tafoya, 53, Holbrook, Arizona
532. May 6, 2009: Grant William Prentice, 40, Brooks, Alberta
533. May 17, 2009: Jamaal Ray Valentine, 27, La Marque, Texas
534. May 23, 2009: Gregory Rold, 37, Salem, Oregon
535. June 9, 2009: Brian Layton Cardall, 32, Hurricane, Utah
536. June 21, 2009: Kurt Platzer, 32, Warren, Ohio
537. June 13, 2009: Dwight Jerome Madison, 48, Baltimore, Maryland
538. June 20, 2009: Derek Kairney, 36, South Windsor, Connecticut
539. June 29, 2009: Shawn Iinuma, 37, Fontana, California
540. July 2, 2009: Rory McKenzie, 25, Bakersfield, California
541. July 5, 2009: Raynard Jensen Davis, 41, Los Angeles County, California
542. July 18, 2009: Charles Anthony Torrence, 35, Simi Valley, California
543. July 26, 2009: Kelly Michael Galindo, 40, San Bernardino, California
544. July 28, 2009: Eanice Cowart, 23, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana
545. July 30, 2009: Jonathan Michael Nelson, 27, Riverside County, California
546. August 9, 2009: Terrace Clifton Smith, 52, Moreno Valley, California
547. August 12, 2009: Ernest Owen Ridlehuber III, 53, Greenwood, South Carolina
548. August 14, 2009: Hakim Jackson, 31, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
549. August 18, 2009: Ronald Eugene Cobbs, 38, Greensboro, North Carolina
550. August 20, 2009: Francisco P. Sesate, 36, Mesa, Arizona
551. August 22, 2009: T.J. Nance, 37, Arizona City, Arizona
552. August 26, 2009: Miguel Molina, 27, Los Angeles, California
553. August 27, 2009: Manuel Dante Dent, 27, Modesto, California
554. September 7, 2009: Shane Ledbetter, 38, Aurora, Colorado
555. September 16, 2009: Alton Warren Ham, 45, Modesto, California
556. September 19, 2009: Yuceff W. Young II, 21, Brooklyn, Ohio
557. September 21, 2009: Richard Battistata, 44, Laredo, Texas
558. September 28, 2009: Derrick Humbert, 38, Bradenton, Florida
559. October 2, 2009: Rickey R. Massey, 38, Panama City, Florida
560. October 12, 2009: Christopher John Belknap, 36, Ukiah, California
561. October 17, 2009: Frank Cleo Sutphin, 19, San Bernardino, California
562. October 27, 2009: Jeffrey C. Woodward, 33, Gallatin, Tennessee
563. November 13, 2009: Herman George Knabe, 58, Corpus Christi, Texas
564. November 14, 2009: Darryl Bain, 43, Coram, New York
565. November 16, 2009: Matthew Bolick, 30, East Grand Rapids, Michigan
566. November 17, 2009: Edward Buckner, 53, Chattanooga, Tennessee
567. November 19, 2009: Jesus Gillard, 61, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
568. November 21, 2009: Ronald Petruney, 49, Washington County, Pennsylvania
569. December 10, 2009: Hatchel Pate Adams III, 36, Hampton, Virginia
570. December 11, 2009: Paul Martin Martinez Jr., 36, Roseville, California
571. December 11, 2009: Andrew Grande, Panama City Beach, 23, Florida
572. December 13, 2009: Douglas Boucher, 39, Mason, Ohio
573. December 20, 2009: Preston Bussey III, 41, Rockledge, Florida
574. December 21, 2009: Michael D. Hawkins, 39, Springfield, Missouri
575. December 30, 2009: Stephen Palmer, 47, Stamford, Connecticut

2010In 2010, Taser International introduced the TASER XREP – eXtended Range Electronic Projectile. The XREP projectile is self-contained, wireless, and fires from a 12-gauge shotgun (X12)
576. January 6, 2010: Delano R. Smith, 21, Elkhart, Indiana
577. January 17, 2010: William R. Bumbrey III, 36, Arlington, Virginia
578. January 20, 2010: Kelly Brinson, 45, Cincinnati, Ohio
579. January 27, 2010: Joe Nathan Spruill Jr., 33, Goldsboro, North Carolina
580. January 28, 2010: Patrick Burns, 50, Sangamon County, Illinois
581. January 28, 2010: Daniel Mingo, 25, Mobile, Alabama
582. January 29, 2010: Ronald Dennis Palacios, 28, Los Angeles, California
583. February 8, 2010: Mark Andrew Morse, 36, Phoenix, Arizona
584. March 4, 2010: Roberto Olivo, 33, Tulare, California
585. March 5, 2010: Christopher A. Wright, 48, Seattle, Washington
586. March 10, 2010: Jaesun Ingles, 31, Midlothian, Illinois
587. March 10, 2010: James J. Healy, 44, Rhinebeck, New York
588. March 19, 2010: Albert Valencia, 31, Downey, California
589. April 10, 2010: Daniel Joseph Barga, 24, Cornelius, Oregon
590. April 30, 2010: Adil Jouamai, 32, Arlington, Virginia
591. May 9, 2010: Audreacus Davis, 29, DeKalb County, Georgia
592. May 14, 2010: Sukeba Olawunmi, 39, Clarkston (Dekalb County), Georgia
593. May 24, 2010: Efrain Carrion, 35, Middletown, Connecticut
594. May 28, 2010: Carl D'Andre Johnson, 48, Baltimore, Maryland
595. May 29, 2010: Anastasio Hernandez Rojas, 42, San Ysidro (San Diego), California
596. May 29, 2010: Jose Martinez, 53, Waukegan, Illinois
597. June 9, 2010: Terrelle Leray Houston, 22, Hempstead, Texas
598. June 12, 2010, Curtis Robinson, 34, Albuquerque, New Mexico
599. June 13, 2010: William Owens, 17, Homewood, Alabama
600. June 14, 2010: Jose Alfredo Jimenez, 42, Harris County, Texas
601. June 15, 2010: Michael White, 47, Vallejo, California
602. June 22, 2010: Daniel Sylvester, 35, Crescent City, California
603. June 24, 2010: Aron Firman, 27, Collingwood, Ontario
604. July 5, 2010: Damon Lamont Falls, 31, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
605. July 5, 2010: Edmund Gutierrez, 22, Imperial, California
606. July 8, 2010: Phyllis Owens, 87, Boring, Oregon
607. July 9, 2010: Marvin Louis Booker, 56, Denver, Colorado
608. July 12, 2010: Anibal Rosario-Rodriguez, 61, New Britain, Connecticut
609. July 15, 2010: Jerome Gill, 31, Chicago, Illinois
610. July 18, 2010: Edward G. Stephenson, 46, Leavenworth, Kansas
611. July 23, 2010: Jermaine Williams, 30, Cleveland, Mississippi
612. August 1, 2010: Dennis C. Sandras, 49, Houma, Louisiana
613. August 9, 2010: Andrew Torres, 39, Greenville, South Carolina
614. August 18, 2010: Martin Harrison, 50, Dublin, California
615. August 19, 2010: Adam Disalvo, 30, Daytona Beach, Florida
616. August 20, 2010: Stanley Jackson, 31, Superior Township, Michigan
617. August 23, 2010: Michael Ford, 50, Livonia, Michigan
618. August 25, 2010: Eduardo Lopez-Hernandez, 21, Las Vegas, Nevada
619. August 31, 2010: King Ramses PJG Hoover, 27, Spanaway, Washington
620. September 4, 2010: Adam Collier, 25, Gold Bar, Washington
621. September 10, 2010: Larry Rubio, 20, Lemoore, California
622. September 12, 2010: Freddie Lee Lockett, 30, Dallas, Texas
623. September 16, 2010: Gary Lee Grossenbacher, 48, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
624. September 17, 2010: David Cornelius Smith, 28, Minneapolis, Minnesota
625. September 18, 2010: Joseph Frank Kennedy, 48, La Mirada, California
626. October 4, 2010: Javon Rakestrau, 28, Lafayette, Louisiana
627. October 7, 2010: Patrick Johnson, 18, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
628. October 10, 2010: Michael Ryan Bain, 31, Billings, Montana
629. October 14, 2010: Karreem A. Ali, 65, Montgomery County, Maryland
630. October 19, 2010: Troy Hooftallen, 36, Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania
631. November 4, 2010: Eugene Lamott Allen, 40, Wilmington, Delaware
632. November 4, 2010: Mark D. Shaver, 32, Kent, Ohio
633. November 6, 2010: Robert A. Neill Jr., 61, Mount Joy, Pennsylvania
634. November 25, 2010: Rodney Green, 36, Waco, Texas
635. November 27, 2010: Blaine Terrell McElroy, 37, Jackson County, Mississippi
636. December 2, 2010: Clayton Early James, 45, Elizabeth City, North Carolina
637. December 11, 2010: Anthony Jones, 44, Las Vegas, Nevada
638. December 13, 2010: Linel Lormeus, 26, Naples, Florida
639. December 21, 2010: Christopher Knight, 35, Brunswick, Georgia
640. December 31, 2010: Rodney Brown, 40, Cleveland, Ohio

2011In 2011, Taser International will roll out the new TASER X2, “the result of consulting with its customers about what they were seeking in a stun gun.”

641. January 5, 2011: Kelly Wayne Sinclair, 41, Amarillo, Texas
642. February 5, 2011: Robert Ricks, 23, Alexandria, Louisiana
643. February 24, 2011: Unidentified male, age unknown, Los Angeles, California
644. March 14, 2011: Christopher Davis, 36, Los Angeles, California
645. March 15, 2011: Brandon Bethea, 24, Harnett County, North Carolina
646. March 17, 2011: Christopher Apericio, 24, Las Cruces, New Mexico
647. March 20, 2011: Dale Lee Mitchell, 34, Pinellas Park, Florida
648. March 21, 2011: Jerry Perea, 38, Albuquerque, New Mexico
649. March 24, 2011: Johnny Leija, 34, Madill, Oklahoma
650. March 31, 2011: Estyl Lee Hall, 67, Pend Orielle, Oregon
651. April 3, 2011: Jairious McGhee, 23, Tampa, Florida
652. April 4, 2011: Demetrius Johnson, 38, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
653. April 9, 2011: Ervin Terrill Motley, 38, St. Francis City, Arkansas
654. April 9, 2011: James Robert Hudson, 34, Whittier, California
655. April 21, 2011: Adam Spencer Johnson, 33, Orlando Florida
656. April 23, 2011: Ronald H. Armstrong, 43, Pinehurst, North Carolina
657. April 25, 2011: Kevin Darius Cambell, 40, Tallahassee, Florida
658. May 1, 2011: Marcus Brown, 26, Waterbury, Connecticut
659. May 6, 2011: Daniel McDonnell, 40, West Babylon, New York

Electrocution Victim's Family Routed in California Taser Death Case

Hat Tip to Eddie G. Griffin (BASG).

Unfortunately, it seems that the estate of Robert Heston, and his family, have been routed so far in the electrocution device suit they first filed and was first heard in San Jose District Court and then appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Perhaps the family and their lawyers will petition for en banc (full court) review of the three-judge panel opinion, although their is no inherent right to en banc review and it is mostly granted in cases considered to be of great importance.

With so many District Court appointments to be made and affirmed by the US Senate still, this case was heard by a three judge panel, composed RYMER and N.R. SMITH, Circuit Judges, and "The Honorable Ronald B. Leighton, United States District Judge for the Western District of Washington, sitting by designation."

Bloomberg reported in June 2008 that:

A San Jose, California, jury yesterday said Taser had failed to warn police in Salinas, California, that prolonged exposure to electric shock from the device could cause a risk of cardiac arrest. The jury awarded $1 million in compensatory damages and $5.2 million in punitive damages to the estate of Robert Heston, 40, and his parents. The jury cleared the police officers of any liability.

However, the District Court judge immediately threw out the punitive damages, while affirming the jury's compensatory damages finding.

Now, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit  has affirmed the lower court's denial of punitive damages AND thrown out the compensatory damages as well. 

In overturning the compensatory damages, the Ninth Circuit said:

4. However, the district court abused its discretion when it affirmed the jury’s compensatory damages award to the estate. While the estate presented evidence suggesting that Heston was treated by emergency medical technicians, transported to the hospital, and received continuing medical treatment, it presented no evidence at trial showing compensable “loss or damage that the decedentsustained or incurred before death, . . . not includ[ing] any damages for pain, suffering, or disfigurement.’” County of L.A. v. Superior Court, 981 P.2d 68, 70 (Cal. 1999) (quoting Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 377.34; emphasis altered). Thus, although the trial judge had discretion to “weigh the evidence” when it considered TASER’s motion for a new trial, it abused that discretion by denying the motion where there was simply no evidence to weigh in support of the jury award. See Air-Sea Forwarders, Inc. v. Air Asia Co., 880 F.2d 176, 190 (9th Cir. 1989). We accordingly reverse and vacate the compensatory damages award.

In affirming the denial of punitive damages, the Court of Appeals found that:

Under California law, punitive damages may be awarded when a plaintiff proves by clear and convincing evidence that a defendant acted with “such a

7

conscious and deliberate disregard of the interests of others that his conduct may
be called willful or wanton.” Taylor v. Superior Court, 598 P.2d 854, 856
(Cal. 1979) (internal quotation marks and citation omitted); see Cal. Civ. Code
§ 3294(a). Here, TASER made efforts, albeit insufficiently, to warn its customers
about the risks posed by prolonged TASER deployment. While this may amount to negligence, it does not rise to the level “willful or wanton” conduct. Tomaselli v. Transamerica Ins. Co., 31 Cal. Rptr. 2d 433, 444 n.14 (Ct. App. 1994) (such conduct must be “inconsistent with the hypothesis that [it] . . . was the result of . . . mere negligence or other such noniniquitous human failing.”). Moreover, although the jury found that a “reasonable manufacturer” would have known that prolonged TASER deployment may cause cardiac arrest, it answered “No” to the question asking whether TASER actually “knew” of that risk. We accordingly affirm the district court’s order vacating the punitive damages award to the estate.

The only victory for the plaintiff's lawyers and the public is that the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit rejected a requested by Taser International that the plaintiffs pay Taser's legal fees. 

The Ninth Circuit Appeals judges said,

"Each party will bear its own costs." 

because there was sufficient merit to the case that plaintiffs should not be penalized for having brought the case in the first place.

Had the plaintiffs been ordered to pay legal fees it would have dissuaded families across the country from filing  complaints against Taser International. 

Overall, this is a particularly bad case result for Taser petitioners, even though the presiding judges said,

This disposition is not appropriate for publication and is not precedent except as provided by 9th Cir. R. 36-3.

Justice Clarence Thomas's Nephew Treated Like a Black Man with Rasta Locks by West Jefferson Hospital Security

Is it possible that in the current purportedly "color blind" and "post racial" USA, even a nephew of US Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas could be treated as so many other Black men and women have been? According to the Star Telegram, a newspaper owned by the McClatchy company, US Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas' nephew was known by hospital emergency room security to be epileptic, but was shocked with a "Taser" electrocution and execution device anyway. And over a hundred other hospitals have these weapons and may be using them on patients.

In July, a security guard used a stun gun on the nephew of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas after he allegedly became combative when trying to leave a Louisiana hospital against doctors' orders, The Washington Post reported.

ABC 26 WGNO reports:

MARRERO - Family members of Derek Thomas, nephew of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, are alleging that the younger Thomas, was punched and tased when he was admitted to West Jefferson Hospital Thursday.The family says the use of the taser caused Thomas to have a seizure.

According to at statement from the family, Derek Thomas, who is epileptic, refused to put on a hospital gown and tried to leave his examination after a possible suicide attempt. They say security "punched him in his lip, pulled out more than a fistful of his dreadlocks and tasered him to restrain him."

Doctors knew about Thomas' epilepsy, but ordered security officers to use the taser anyway, instead of sedating him, the family says.

The family is trying to have Thomas transferred to another facility.

Justice Thomas is expected to travel to New Orleans as soon as possible to check on his nephew.

Washington Post writer Philip Rucker reported:

A nephew of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas suffered a seizure after he was beaten and shocked during a scuffle with security guards at a New Orleans area hospital, relatives alleged Friday.

Derek Thomas, 25, was immobilized with a stun gun Thursday after he tried to leave the emergency room at West Jefferson Medical Center in Marrero, La., his sister told WDSU, a local television station. Security responded after Thomas refused a doctor's request to put on a hospital gown and started to leave, Kimberly Thomas said. 

"One of the security guards punched him in the lip," she told WDSU. "Another one pulled out more than a fist full of his hair and, from that point, they [shocked] him," possibly with a Taser.

Derek Thomas has epilepsy, she said, and he suffered a seizure shortly after the stun gun was used.

The same Washington Post article says:

Their mother, Dora Thomas, confirmed the account in an interview with The Washington Post. She said that she picked her son up from the hospital Friday and that he is resting at home.

"He's as well as can be expected," she said.

Clarence Thomas was planning to go to New Orleans to check on his nephew, Kimberly Thomas told the television station. A Supreme Court spokesman said the justice had no comment on the matter.

Reached at her home in Georgia, Clarence Thomas's mother, Leola Williams, said she, too, was joining the family in Louisiana. "I'm just worried about my grandson," Williams told The Post.

Justice Clarence Thomas has at least de facto joined the Republican Party and joined the extreme right-wing members of the US Supreme Court in decision after decision  His wife is a white woman.  What else can and must Justice Thomas do to assure that he and his family will be treated by security guards and police just as white people would be treated under similar circumstances?  Maybe his family's trauma in this case will cause Justice Thomas to think about the problem of color-aroused injustice when Thomas votes on Supreme Court cases involving color-aroused treatment of other Blacks.

A Critical Look at TASER Policy and Effects

Thanks to Eddie G. Griffin (BASG) for providing the following:

May 10, 2:54 AM · Edward Nelson - NY Public Policy Examiner

http://www.examiner.com/x-48240-NY-Public-Policy-Examiner~y2010m5d10-A-Critical-Look-at-TASER-Policy-and-Effects?cid=exrss-NY-Public-Policy-Examiner

With the recent Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision in Bryan v. McPherson, 590 F.3d 767 (9th Cir. 2009), law enforcement heads across the nation are gradually revising their use of force policies surrounding TASER deployment.

The Bryan Court dealt with a 21-year-old Carl Bryan who exited his vehicle at a distance of 20 to 25 feet away from Officer Brian McPherson who had pulled Carl Bryan over for a traffic violation. Standing on the asphalt ground Carl Bryan was wearing tennis shoes and boxer shorts and was positioned with his back facing Officer McPherson. At that point, Officer McPherson deployed his TASER causing Carl Bryan to suffer a non-minor injury as a result of falling face first onto the asphalt fracturing four of his teeth and damaging his face. Finding that a jury could conclude that Officer McPherson used excessive force in violation of the Fourth Amendment, the court allowed Carl Bryan’s lawsuit to proceed to trial and denied Officer McPherson’s request for summary judgment on qualified immunity grounds. A reasonable officer would have known that in a situation where force is at its lowest, the target is a nonviolent and stationary misdemeanant, would have concluded that deploying intermediate force without warning was not justified.

If you didn’t know, TASER is an acronym for Thomas A. Swift’s Electronic Rifle.

What’s significant about the Bryan Court’s decision is that it recognized that TASERs can actually cause death. In the past, TASER International, Inc. had a practice of suing researchers for making that conclusion. In fact, some researchers have accused TASER International, Inc. of employing intimidation tactics to discourage and prohibit them from publishing research that contends with the “less than lethal” stigmatization strategically associated with TASERs. Normally, researchers make findings and subject their work to the criticisms of their peers if their findings cannot be replicated. Why does that concept not apply to TASERs? Rick Smith, CEO of TASER International, must evaluate his SWOT analysis to include a new externality. America’s courts are now an externality that Mr. Smith must recognize as one of TASER International’s weaknesses and threats. The author John Grisham shows how easy it is for a company to purchase a judge to favor its position in his latest book titled, “The Appeal.” However, that would be a serious invocation of Game Theory on the part of TASER International.

Nationally, TASER International has placed itself in a powerful, yet, unique position of steering policy for law enforcement agencies nationwide. Law enforcement heads are forced to rely entirely on TASER International’s training and policies on use, deployment, and research methods. Unfortunately, the Chiefs of Police that use TASERs have delegated their duty to protect the public to a Fortune 500 business like TASER International whose sole concern is its bottom line. A government functions on inputs that maximize outputs. Apparently the TASER is the input and the death of a citizen is the output. Even an insignificant number like 1% of the nation dying from in custody death syndrome and excited delirium syndrome is too much. Stated another way, the trade off is more officers living and a marginal number of citizens dying. As government officials, law enforcement administrators should be concerned with protecting the individual rights of each individual citizen; a publicly traded IPO company like TASER International, trading under the ticker symbol TASR, is not concerned with individual rights.

While TASER International can write-off the deaths of 334 citizens mentioned by Amnesty International between 2001 and 2008 as collateral damage, law enforcement administrators must consider the individual rights of each person on a case-by-case basis. If not, they are deliberately indifferent to the Constitutional rights of the population of citizens they are hired to serve. Everyday anecdotal evidence is mounting and increasingly shows that TASERed citizens are dying in the custody of police officers. However, with TASER International steering the policies of law enforcement on TASER usage and training, the in custody death syndrome immediately following TASER usage is remarkably written-off as if death is the cost of not complying with police officers. If the officer, victim, or bystander is not facing an imminent threat from a subject, the deployment of a TASER would be unreasonably excessive. On March 3, 2010, an officer TASERed a 17 year old Philadelphia Phillies fan simply for running on the baseball field. The incident has caused a lot of public clamor because the officer, a victim, nor bystander was threatened by the 17 year old when he ran onto the baseball field. Unfortunately, the lesson behind the incident is that it shows how officers arbitrarily and capriciously use their TASERs.

Law enforcement officials have tenaciously maintained that TASERs save lives. Agreed! When used appropriately, TASERs can save lives. But an inappropriate use of a TASER by law enforcement is a rare finding. Statistically, the chance of finding a citizen dead from in custody death syndrome is greater than finding an officer improperly used a TASER. Even law enforcement officers have sued TASER International claiming that they were injured by a TASER during their training. In another instance, an officer’s TASER malfunctioned as he pursued a perpetrator and he was shot six times. TASER International was sued as a result. Therefore, the claims against TASER International and law enforcement aren’t isolated to members of the public. Moreover, it begs the question of whether TASER International knows, or, expects deadly malfunctions in its TASER product prior to marketing.

TASER International has warned that TASERs can contribute in death if the following variables are present within a TASERed subject:

• alcohol intoxication
• cocaine
• methamphetamine
So why are officers deploying TASERs on drug abusers when there is a real possibility of death occurring? If law enforcement agencies have no policy directing officers to refrain from deploying their TASERs on the above category of individuals, the answer is clear: It’s because their municipality has become deliberately indifferent to the individual rights of intoxicated /drugged citizens. A well informed law enforcement agency would know from anecdotal evidence collected on excited delirium syndrome and in custody death syndrome that those citizens who are intoxicated, high on cocaine or methamphetamine fall within a category of individuals that are likely to die post-TASER deployment. Unfortunately, post-TASER deployment has a medical aspect that makes most law enforcement administrators appear acutely obtuse and woefully incapable of understanding the injurious nature of TASER weaponry. Over the years, a medical examiner’s finding of excited delirium syndrome or in custody death syndrome is the only justification required to relieve an officer of liability for a citizen’s death. Today, excited delirium syndrome is a questionable medical condition in the medical community.

Lawyers that are worth their salt have quickly learned that the preparation of litigation against TASER International and law enforcement requires that they be as savvy as TASER’s medical experts regarding excited delirium syndrome and in custody death syndrome. Commonly, the coups de grace in TASER litigation involves a showing of death or non-minor injury resulting from brain injury, cardiac arrest, short term loss of memory, cardiac infarction, and metabolic acidosis proximately caused by a TASER. As alluded to earlier, TASER International is an aggressive publicly traded company concerned about its bottom line and answers to a board of directors. To maintain a pristine public image, TASER International strategically uses sneaky semantics, omissions, lawsuits, dry threats, scandalous and vexatious comments to fend off any undesired comments that can potentially have a negative economic impact on its TASER product. TASER International has successfully sued medical examiners to change the cause of death on a death certificate from being associated with a TASER to being “accidental.”

Unlike most weapons that cause visible superficial wounds, the TASER permeates the human body internally using voltage and amperes to overwhelm neurotransmitters emanating from the brain. In other words, it has a subtle way of causing damage to the body’s internal biological functions. It’s the fluctuating AC (alternative current) power source that causes the muscles within the body to experience a condition called tetany. Meaning the AC power source actually causes the muscles within the body to contract when in contact with an AC power source. However, a DC (direct current) power source pushes a person away when contact is made. The electricity from a TASER travels through the body looking for a place to ground. However, for the brief moment that it takes residence within the human body, the electricity from the TASER quickly transforms plasma glucose into lactic acid which ultimately forms a condition called metabolic acidosis. It’s important to note that a primary source of energy for the brain is glucose. Now imagine your brain’s primary source of energy being transformed into lactic acid. That’s a problem! Even a person with minimal medical experience would know that the heart is the biggest muscle in the body. Yet, researchers are divided as to whether a TASER can cause cardiac arrest.

Comparatively, TASER litigation reminds me of the long and hard fight attorneys had with cigarette companies. Remember the days when cigarette companies said their product was safe? Well, the federal government must have the same feeling because the National Institute of Justice is currently soliciting to fund research for a “less-lethal” weapon that is safer than a TASER. This article is dedicated to the memory of all those American citizens who gave their lives so law enforcement officers could enjoy deploying their new toys in the absence of perceiving an imminent threat to themselves, bystanders or victims. It’s because all of you existed that others are inspired to find the truth concerning your deaths. May your souls find rest!