Use of Tasers Draws Inquiry By the Judicial Department

By Andrew Benfield

Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

UNITED STATES – In recent years, law enforcement has perpetuated the use of high-powered Tasers.  A Taser is a hand-held weapon that sends a burst of electricity through a set of wires that are propelled by compressed air.  The wires latch into a person’s skin and deliver a jolt of electricity that is intended to stun the target.  The jolt stuns the target by causing uncontrollable muscle contractions.  These muscle contractions leave the target immobile. 

Law enforcement uses Tasers, or “stun guns,” as an alternative to drawing their firearm.  The Taser allows the officer to incapacitate the individual without killing the person. 

Tasers have the ability to deliver up to 50,000 volts of electricity to the target.  However, law enforcement officials claim that the actual voltage delivered to the targeted individual is usually around 1,500 volts.  The electricity must pass through air and clothing, poor conductors of electricity, which decreases the volts delivered to the individual. 

While Tasers are merely supposed to incapacitate the individual, an alarming amount of deaths have stemmed from incidents where a Taser was used.  The Justice Department launched an inquiry into taser use in 2006.  The inquiry revolves around the review of more than one hundred deaths of individuals subdued by police Tasers to determine whether the Taser played a significant role in the deaths.  The Justice Department is scheduled to report their findings in 2008. 

Amnesty International has compiled a list of nearly 290 cases of individuals who died after being struck by a police Taser in 2001.  Amnesty International’s research focused on the use of Tasers on “at-risk” adults (individuals who are in poor health, abuse substances or other like factors).  They claim that many of the Taser deaths come from this “at-risk” category of adults.  Amnesty International asserts that there has been insufficient testing of Tasers effects on this category of “at-risk” adults. 

For more information, please see:

Amnesty International – Briefing on Tasers submitted to the Judicial Department – 10 October 2007

CBC – Taser FAQs – 19 October 2007

AlterNet – Trouble with Tasers – 11 April 2005