Tuesday, February 05, 2008

Yet Another Death After Tasing

Louis Cryer, a Katrina refugee, died shortly after being tased on Sunday:
The preliminary autopsy results on a man who died in Port Arthur police custody indicates he did not die from trauma, police said.

Louis Cryer, 32, of Columbus died shortly after he was arrested Sunday morning. He was accused of breaking into a house in the 2600 block of Thomas Boulevard, police said.

Police tasered Cryer and, shortly afterward he went into cardiac arrest and died, Port Arthur Sgt. Rodney Harrison said.

Harrison said no ruling will be made in the death until the autopsy report, including toxicology, is complete.

Cryer did not menace the lone elderly woman who lived at the house, but asked her to call police because someone was after him, said Port Arthur Police Chief Mark Blanton.

When police arrived, Cryer, who was described as having a short, stocky build, started to fight the officers, said Harrison.

Police believe Cryer might have been high on something, Harrison said.

Harrison said he "had no idea" what Cryer was doing in Port Arthur.

Cryer originally was from New Orleans, La. He relocated to Columbus as a Hurricane Katrina refugee, Harrison said.
How many people have to die following tasing?