Cops use Tasers when not in peril (Wisconsin)

[struggle4progress]

00:00 am 2/26/05
Lisa Schuetz Wisconsin State Journal

<snip> ... Madison officers mostly use Tasers to get people who weren't immediately threatening anyone to obey orders, according to police records.

Seven out of 83 people shocked with Tasers since late July 2003 had weapons- one a gun, the rest cutting instruments. All but two of the seven were suicidal. <snip>

Madison police have also used Tasers at least eight times on handcuffed suspects and four times when people were already in squad cars or in a holding cell. <snip>

Of the 64 cases reviewed, officers used a Taser on 39 people for not complying with officers' demands, such as getting on the ground or putting their hands behind their back. Eleven of them were running away. <snip>

http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/local/index.php?ntid=30024&ntpid=1

[struggle4progress]

1. ... When a wet, naked suspect refused to get out of his hot tub ...

... last fall, Brattleboro police shocked the man with a 50,000-volt Taser ... The .. case came to light .. when audio and videotape from a .. police cruiser surfaced ... Originally accused of DUI, resisting arrest, assault on a police officer, and attempting to elude police, a district court judge in October 2004 dropped the latter two charges ... Evans said, Scott attempted to push him backward ... But .. recordings .. paint a different picture. In the .. tape .. Scott .. can been seen walking at a leisurely pace toward his door, telling Nicosia of his intent to go home. As Nicosia follows .. there is no indication that Scott struggles .. nor does Nicosia inform .. backup officers .. Scott has assaulted him. Instead, Nicosia mentions that Scott “slammed the door” in his face but left his keys in the lock, contrasting statements later made by Evans that the door was locked. More startling .. is the .. less than 10 seconds .. between the time .. officers commanded Scott .. out of the tub and when the suspect was shot ... Even when Scott tells the officers that he’s willing to comply, the telltale clicking of the activated Taser is audible ... followed by Scott’s screams ...
http://www.vermontguardian.com/local/0105/Tasers.shtml