Supreme Court could decide the future of Tasers

David Smiley
Miami Herald
Friday, February 27, 2009

Legal, medical and law enforcement experts are still debating the pros and cons of using stun guns, or Tasers, and Florida continues to play a prominent role in the debate.

With a Washington County deputy struggling to force him to his feet, Jesse Buckley didn’t kick, flail his cuffed hands or try to run.

He wept.

That was enough for Buckley, arrested after refusing to sign a speeding citation, to receive three, 50,000-volt shocks from Deputy Jonathan Rackard’s Taser as he screamed and rolled around on the ground.

(ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW)

• A d v e r t i s e m e n t

Recorded by a camera from inside Rackard’s police cruiser, the 2004 North Florida incident has been seen by more than 25,000 on YouTube.com and could become an integral part of the controversial debate over the increased use of shock devices.

The clip is evidence in the case of Buckley v. Haddock, a complaint submitted to the U.S. Supreme Court that could lead to the high court’s first ruling on Tasers.

Should the high court decide to hear the case, Florida will find itself back in the forefront in the ongoing debate over the use of stun guns, which temporarily paralyze their victims. Police say the weapon is the safest way to quash a tense situation or bring down an unruly subject. But medical experts debate its health hazards or lack-there-of and judicial panels continue to issue rulings on cases involving alleged abuse of the weapon.

Full story here.

Print this page.

Comment Rules

Comments are closed.