Louisiana policeman indicted in racially charged Taser manslaughter case

[Truth4Justice]

Source: guardian.co.uk

Louisiana policeman indicted in racially charged Taser manslaughter case

• Baron Pikes died of cadiac arrest following multiple Taser shocks
• Policeman Scott Nugent faces up to 45 years in prison if convicted

Thursday August 14 2008

Ruling in a racially explosive case that some forensic experts have described as police torture, a grand jury in the small Louisiana town of Winnfield indicted a white police officer yesterday on charges of manslaughter and official malfeasance for repeatedly shocking a handcuffed black suspect with a Taser device, resulting in the man's death due to cardiac arrest.

After two days of closed testimony, Winn Parish district attorney Chris Nevils announced that the grand jury had indicted Scott Nugent, 21, for the death last January of Baron "Scooter" Pikes, 21, while in police custody. Two other Winnfield police officers who were present during the incident were not charged.

Nugent, who was fired from the police force in May, could face up to 45 years in prison if convicted on the charges. He surrendered to sheriff's deputies immediately after the indictment was issued, a spokesman for Nevils said, and a $45,000 bond was set.

"It is our intention to show at trial that Mr Nugent caused the death of Baron Pikes by 'Tasing' him multiple times, unnecessarily and in violation of Louisiana law, and by failing to get him medical attention when it was apparent he needed it," Nevils said in a statement. "In a civilised society, abuse by those who are given great authority cannot be tolerated."

More at:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/aug/14/usa2?gusrc=rss&feed=worldnews



Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/aug/14/usa2?gusrc=rss&feed=worldnews

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When are we going to make these torture devices illegal for rascist cops to use ?

[Webster Green]

1. He'll be found not guilty..

Pigs never pay for their crimes.

[Truth4Justice]

4. Nope, they don't. He will walk and nothing will be done while a man lays in his grave.

Tazers should be banned nationwide.

[Ex Lurker]

7. you might be surprised n/t

[tom_paine]

8. Might be, but probably won't be.

This country has in many ways regressed back prior to the 60s. In some ways, it has regressed back before 1210 AD and the signing of the Magna Carta.

Free Nations surprise. Inverted Totalitarianism like Imperial Amerika, seldom if ever surprise for that is the nature of totalitarianism.

Not guilty. Or charges dismissed. Or sentences suspended. 90% certainty.

[Truth4Justice]

9. The point is that the police are almost never held to the standard of a citizen, no matter what..

This needs to change and fast. Otherwise the results could be, well, dangerous for the badge-wearers as well as society in general.

[George II]

14. Why don't we all calm down and wait until AFTER the trial to argue about this?

[Swamp Rat]

15. Exactly!

... regarding the Magna Carta, that is.

Some are already back in the cave, watching a shadow play. ;)

[madeline_con]

2. The heart's a muscle. Don't they tell these idiots what electricity

can do to it?! Tasers should have a shut off device that won't allow it to be discharged for a certain period after use. :shrug:

[Truth4Justice]

5. One thing I just learned about tazers is that they have a discharge counter. I expect the police ...

lust hate the fact that the Tazer makes it impossible to lie about how many times they gave the "juice" to a victim of their Tazer assaults. At least that one good thing, but its not enough to allow these cretins to continue to use this device on non life-threatening situations.

[Enrique]

3. racially charged Taser?

:wtf:

[Truth4Justice]

6. Oh please! You know exactly what the article said. Or, you are a White cop that packs a Tazer.

[Judi Lynn]

10. Maybe something will go dreadfully wrong and there will be an honorable judgement

at the end of the trial.

We won't hold our breaths, obviously, all things considered.

[awoke_in_2003]

11. "In a civilised society,...

abuse by those who are given great authority cannot be tolerated."

Exactly when did we join the ranks of a civilized society?

[1monster]

12. Why weren't the two officers with him indicted also? If nothing else, they are

accessories to the fact. This officer was 21 years old. Are we to believe he was the senior officer on the scene?

[trthnd4jstc]

13. My Ideas about Tasering and Having Peoples' Policing, instead of Militia Policing

One Taser Shock should be allowed to decapacitate an Armed Suspect. Repeated Taserings should not be allowed.
It seems that repeated Tasering is a cause of Cardiac Arrest.

Have the people be the Police instead of an outside armed Militia. We need to reclaim Our Nation, Our Land, Our Country. Having an Armed Force instead of the People taking turns to Serve as the Peoples' Police, with the People serving in 3 Person Teams will decrease the Fascist impulses that some in the Police feel when they get frustrated or feel self-righteous in abusing a Fellow Citizen.

End Tyranny. Restore Justice. Restore the Republic. Or Better Yet, Have True Democracy!

[Amelie]

16. I graduated from law school with Chris Nevils!

Had no idea he had become a d.a. Good on him for going after the bad guys.