NY policeman commits suicide after Taser death

NY policeman commits suicide after Taser death

www.reuters.com

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A New York City police lieutenant committed suicide on Thursday, eight days after ordering the use of a Taser stun gun against an emotionally disturbed man who then fell to his death, police said.

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This links back to the story of the mentally ill man who was tased. He fell about 10 ft to his death. I found this to be important because it shows how irresponsible use of the taser can ruin lives.

Not only did someone die unnecessarily due to being tased, but the officer's life was so ruined by the event, that he took his own life. Only two good things can come out of this:

-For me, it gives humanity back to our police forces. They have seemed rather brutal and unwaivering lately. Obviously the officer was traumatized by the event. I don't believe he killed himself because he was on desk duty, or even fear of prosecution. This seems like guilt.

-Perhaps this will be a learning experience and proof that our officer's need better training about when to fire tasers.

I actually have a short opinion piece I plan to submit in the near future on tasers. It's my belief that they are being abused across the board. I don't believe they should be phased out, but the abuse has got to stop.

www.reuters.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 2-10-2008 by Sublime620]

Two tragedies, totally avoidable...

Hope it rings some bells...

Originally posted by mr-lizard
Two tragedies, totally avoidable...

Hope it rings some bells...

Very true. I guess the innocent death of a man got to the officer...hell it would get to anyone.

reply to post by Sublime620


I tend to think this is a training and conditioning issue.

Our police forces are not being properly indoctrinated, and that is in part due to two things. 1) the manufacturer, who stalwartly insists the weapon isn't lethal; and 2) the police leadership, who refuse to promote a moral center in police, and instead promote the mentality of 'enforcer' in them.

I humbly submit you may find some useful material here:

Round 1: Maxmars v Zaimless: The Taser, Should It Be Banned?

Not self-promotion... just figured if you're going to do some research on the matter it could save you a little time.

A real tragedy. Two people died because of two other people. One ultimately seeking control and the ability to have a people force that herd with what are no more than cattle prods and another greedy enough to create and sell a product that, despite the official description, does actually kill people.

I'd like to think something will be learned from this but I genuinely doubt it. This police officer's family and friends - the people that are left to suffer in all this - are as inconsequential to the people pushing tasers as the families of non-police officers who have suffered loss through taser-related death.

Nothing will stop the burgeoning use of tasers until the son or daughter of some politician or some senior policeman &c is in the wrong time at the wrong place and is killed by a taser.

[edit on 2-10-2008 by Merriman Weir]

I don't understand why he felt he had to kill himself just for that. I wonder if there was a lot more going on in his mind than the guilt of this man's death. The trauma probably flooded and spilled over a whole nest of repressed emotions in him. Or maybe he was just so used to being looked up to like the "good guy", he couldn't handle the pressure of being the "bad guy", responsible for the undue death of someone. What a horrible, sad story.

[edit on 2-10-2008 by mmariebored]

What a shame.

I see the taser in a police officers tool set as a life saving device in most cases. It gives an officer a non lethal option that allows him or her to take control of an escalating scene. Instead of drawing a handgun they can reach for the taser.

This is a true tragedy...

This is indeed sad.

He could have put his negativity into positive if he only would have given lectures, speeches and talk about how dangerous tasers really can be.

It's a shame a policeman with a conscience chose to take his own life, in the times to come that sort of atribute will be needed... RIP.

Originally posted by Merriman Weir
Nothing will stop the burgeoning use of tasers until the son or daughter of some politician or some senior policeman &c is in the wrong time at the wrong place and is killed by a taser.

Nothing will stop the use of tasers even if some high profile person gets offed because of them. It's a we vs. them attitude of law enforcement; no longer even remotely "Protect and Serve" I talk to LE people all the time at the gym and their attitude is just as I described.

It's a brave new world, welcome to the monkey house.


[edit on 2-10-2008 by whaaa]

I watched the video. The officer looked like he was afraid when the guy started fidgeting with his pants, but, instead of admitting his ungrounded fear causing the tasing, he proceeded with the story that he tased him for not "doing as he said". What made it worse is that his friend(the other officer) helped encourage the fake reason for the tasing by applauding the decision. Clearly these guys were used to boosting each other's egos, whether the other was in the wrong or not. The officer's ego was on a very high pedestal and, when it fell, he shattered.
Better to let your pals know it's ok to be wrong and it's ok to be corrected, than let them shatter from a fall of that height.

That's the lesson I got out of it.

If he had a conscience he would not have given the order.

The only reason he killed himself is because he was caught and busted ordering the slaughter of an innocent human being. He could not face himself in the mirror for what he did. All I can say is the world is better off with him dead and not making anymore bad decisions that effect us all.

Hallelujah - rest in piece and may the world be better.

Well, I got to respect the guy for taking his own life. Just like the Japanese of the past falling on their swords. That's called honor and doing the right thing.

I see the morons have arrived...

Not sure you responded to me since you don't have the guts to actually quote/reply to anyone.

Your move.

I’ve got to wonder whether this cop was ‘suicided’ so as to add a little sympathy to the public’s view of the police. The whole taser thing has gotten way out of hand lately, and they could use a little PR.

Yeah, it’s a total conspiracy theory, but you know where you are, right?

Originally posted by mmariebored
I see the morons have arrived...

Also, since you are so inclined in detecting "morons" what, in you limited mind, would be the right recourse in this situation?

reply to post by JimBeam


He was just announcing the arrival of himself in plural. I think he's probably talking to himself in the mirror too - just like his lieutenant comrade.


On the conspiracy side maybe the underling who fired the taser that resulted in the first death killed his commander to cover himself. Either way two unnecessary deaths thanks to one guys action - when will they learn.

[edit on 2-10-2008 by verylowfrequency]

Originally posted by verylowfrequency
reply to post by JimBeam

 

He was just announcing the arrival of himself in plural. I think he's probably talking to himself in the mirror too - just like his lieutenant comrade.


On the conspiracy side maybe the underling who fired the taser that resulted in the first death killed his commander to cover himself. Either way two unnecessary deaths thanks to one guys action - when will they learn.

I'm pretty sure he was a female, and not a very bright one I must add.

Also, I just want to reiterate the respect I have for this cop that took his own life. Now there was a cop that understood how to be honorable.

The east and tribal societies are making a comeback.