Court Sets Standards for Police Use of Stun Guns

[The Straight Story]

Court Sets Standards for Police Use of Stun Guns



SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- A federal appeals court in San Francisco has ruled that police can't zap someone with a stun gun unless the suspect poses an immediate threat.

Monday's ruling sets police standards for use of the Taser, saying stun guns must be used only when "substantial force" is needed.

The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said officers can't Taser a person simply for acting erratically or disobeying orders.

The ruling allows a San Diego-area man to proceed to trial in a lawsuit against police in the San Diego County town of Coronado.

Carl Bryan said he was shocked, fell and lost four teeth because he was acting erratically but was unarmed, stood far away and never menaced the officer.

http://www.news10.net/news/story.aspx?storyid=72435&catid=2

[TransitJohn]

1. Fuck yeah! K&R!

Fucking pigs using them as crowd control is bullshit.

[jaxx]

2. Finally they put some rules on those lethal weapons!

[laughingliberal]

3. Thank your for good news! nt

[vadawg]

4. immediate threat of what????? if its serious injury then the handgun is deployed

not the taser....

[LiberalAndProud]

9. There are threats that don't merit lethal force.

If a suspect were to approach a cop in a menacing manner, say with a closed fist rather than a gun, it seems that the taser would be a useful tool. Cops should be circumspect in using it, and I'm glad to see this ruling.

[vadawg]

10. dont disagree with you, problem is every situation is different

and what might seem like nothing to you might be seen by an officer as life and death, one of the reasons why i hate the monday morning quaterbacking thing that goes on...

[goldcanyonaz]

5. We need a RIck Sanchez taser clip to make this thread complete.

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-november-8-2005/moment-of-zen---sanchez-taser

:rofl:

[Echo In Light]

6. Gee, suppose they'll just make shit up to justify their continued use?

[EOTE]

7. About fucking time.

It's time that those stun-happy assholes get major fines or prison sentences for stunning any person/thing they disagree with. I hope lawsuits start flying after this.

[backscatter712]

8. Good, a step towards taking the pigs' handheld torture devices away.

Maybe without their glorified cattle prods, they'll be forced to try what they're supposed to be doing - deescalation, conflict resolution, instead of thuggery.

[dreamnightwind]

11. Exactly!

Conflict resolution rather than absolute control using force.

This ruling is a good one, hopefully it'll stick (9th circuit is more liberal than most, sometimes they get overturned by appeals).