Thursday, February 12, 2009

And Another Post-Tasing Death

The death occurred in San Jose, CA:
A man in his 20s died after a struggle with San Jose police during which he was jolted with a Taser in the backyard of a home, police said today. ...

The incident began at 10:24 p.m. Wednesday when two officers on patrol in the area of Story Road and Adrian Way were directed to nearby Amador Drive, Garcia said. It was not immediately known who sent the officers there, police said.

They encountered the man and were trying to take him into custody in the backyard of a home for an unspecified violation when he began resisting arrest, Garcia said.

"A violent struggle ensued," and during the confrontation the man was shot with a Taser in an attempt to gain his compliance, Garcia said.

The man began showing signs of medical distress. An officer began giving the man CPR, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. It was not known if the man lived in the area or he whether he was linked to the home where he died. ...

The cause of the man's death will be determined by the Santa Clara medical examiner.

The death is the sixth to result after the use of Tasers by San Jose police since 2004, when all officers in the city were given the stun guns for use on patrol, according to police watchdog groups. Lawsuits are pending in at least two of those cases.