Finally major news outlets, like ABC News are reporting on the debate emerging over the use of electric stun guns as a "pain compliance" or better yet a "torture device" by law enforcement.
As reported by ABC News, At issue isn't whether police can use the weapon, known as a Taser, to protect themselves from dangerous suspects or to prevent a criminal from escaping. That is its designed purpose. Instead, the question is to what extent police may use a stun gun against someone who is not actively resisting arrest but who is passively refusing to obey a police command.
To some officers, such refusal is a form of resisting arrest and constitutes grounds to shoot 50,000 volts of electricity into that person's body in five-second bursts. When a person is tased, the central nervous system is overridden and the person experiences a seizure accompanied by intense pain. More HERE
Maybe it's about time national organizations such as the NAACP get on board and support the petition for Congressional hearings on Tasering. I'm sure the pregnant women, April Griffin and the thousands of taser victims would appreciate some advocacy on this issue from the national organization. I also know many bloggers would appreciate some advocacy from national black organizations, who have been sitting by the side lines as black folks are being electrocuted to death, in a high-tech pre-trial torture American style. The use of electric shock as a method of torture was first documented in Nazi, Germany, but today it is still used as an acceptable use of police departments in America.
Who could forget the torture killing in Gwinnett County, Georgia, an un-edited police videotape shows 31-year-old Deacon Frederick Williams being struck with a TASER five times in 43 seconds, just 4 minutes after being led into the jail. He was handcuffed behind his back and in leg restraints, following an epileptic seizure at his home; an ambulance was called by his wife and son, but the police arrived first. His last words were: "Don't kill me, man. Don't kill me." No charges have been filed in the torture / murder; the County DA refused to show this video to a Grand Jury, even though another man in custody was murdered just months earlier after being tortured with a TASER by the same police. The Video has been since taken off of YouTube, to the horror.
Check out what bloggers recently wrote during a day of blogging for justice:
April Davis - Around Harlem.com http://blog-aroundharlem.com/
PaJoyner - PlezWorld - http://pajoyner.blogspot.com/
Yobachi - Black Perspective.net - http://www.blackperspective.
Ms. Lady Deborah - From my Brown Eyed View - http://msladydeborah.blogspot.
Eddie Griffin BASG - http://eddiegriffinbasg.
Rev. Sequoyah Kofi bin-Tomas, Intelligent Aboriginal News Service (IANS) - The Angry Indian - Inteligentaindigena Novajoservo: When "Non-Lethal" Weapons Kill
Wayne Hicks - Villager, OxDown. Firedoglake - http://oxdown.firedoglake.com/
Wayne Hicks - Villager - Electronic Village-.. http://tinyurl.com/59jet6 - Use of Force Continuum
SjP - Sojourners Place - http://sojournersplace.
LN Rock - Post Racial Blog - http://postracial.blogspot.
The SuperSpade - http://www.thesuperspade.com/
Anyway I Have To - http://underovr.blogspot.com/
Vanessa Byers- On The Black Hand Side - http://www.blackhandside.net/
It All Goes Here - http://nateo.blogspot.com/
Independent Bloggers Alliance - http://
Rover's Morning Glory - http://www.roverradio.com/
Assata Shukur Forum - http://www.assatashakur.org/
RiPPa - The Intersection between Maddness and Reality - http://rippdemup.blogspot.com/
Lola - Whatever Lola Wants - http://lolagetslife.blogspot.
African American Political Pundit Report - http://aappreport.blogspot.
African American Political Pundit Blog - http://aapoliticalpundit.
Electrocuted While Black - http://electrocutedwhileblack.
Scotty - Black Talk Radio - http://blacktalkradio.ning.
Proud Black Blogger - http://proudblackvoter.
Carmen D. - Black Voices - http://www.blackvoices.com/
Chicago Cop Watch - http://chicagocopwatch.org/
Don't forget to sign the Afrospear Petition to request Congressional hearings on the Taser torture of Americans: http://www.petition2congress.
UPDATE: Police Get Away With Murder!
NO Charges Against Police who Killed 15 Year Old Teen.
BAY CITY -- The Bay City Police will not be charged in the death of a 15-year-old Brett Elder who died after an officer tased him on March 22, 2009.
Prosecutor Kurt Asbury says there isn't evidence that officers "committed any criminal act that caused or contributed to the death of Brett Elder."
Elder died March 22 after police were called to his Aunt's home in Bay City. Elder and other teenagers were reported to be very drunk. When police allegedly attempted to calm Elder, the teenager began fighting police.
Reports say an autopsy found both the alcohol and the taser contributed to the boy's death.
In a statment, Prosecutor Asbury said, "The unfortunate reality of the situation was that the underaged Brett Elder was very intoxicated durikng the early morning hours of March 22, 2009, and wihtout any meaningful adult supervision or guidance, placed himself in a situation which resulted in his death. He was highly agitated and combative, tried to start fights with numerous people, as well as the police officers called to the resience to deal with his 'uncontrollable behavior,' all which contributed to his untimely death." MORE HERE
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