December 15, 2009

Taser Death: Edward Buckner (Chattanooga TN)

Edward "Eddie" Buckner, 53, was a man facing hard times. He recently lost his job, his house and he was depressed. He was being treated at Erlanger Hospital for dehydration due to diabetes. After treatment the the folks at Erlanger Hospital were releasing him to Moccasin Bend mental health facility.

When it was time to leave, his wife, Alice Buckner, says he told her he just wanted to go home. "He simply did not want to go back to Moccasin Bend," Buckner says."
Police say while they were trying to put Buckner in the van, he got combative with Erlanger Hospital and Hamilton County corrections officers. They wound up shocking him with a Taser. Once they subdued him, officers then loaded the 53-year-old into the van. But when they got to Moccasin Bend, Buckner was unresponsive. Officers drove him back to Erlanger. He was pronounced dead.

Two of the officers involved in the incident at Erlanger have checkered pasts with the Chattanooga Police Department.

Shane Webb, the same officer accused of shocking Buckner with a Taser, was fired in 2005 for using a Taser to stun two people while they were handcuffed. Leigh Noorbergen left CPD while on suspension for arresting a woman for no reason. Both wound up with new jobs as Erlanger officers.

"I told him bye, i loved him and that was the last time i talked to him," his wife says. "Y'all have to show me a camera, show my husband standing up there fighting with them before I believe them," Buckner says, fighting back tears.

4 comments:

sissy said...

Was Mt Buckner under arrest at any time?

No he was not.

What is the definition of cambative to the hospital police? Would it be considered combative if a patient was lying iomn the ground and did not or could not get up?

Apparently Mr Buckner e=was tasered three times while he was on the ground.

Unknown said...

Sissy - I agree with you 100%. It seems that police officers are using taser guns as a matter of convenience ... not when they have a life-threatening situation. This was an elderly sick man. He didn't deserve to die that day. The county coroner heaped insult on injury when he declared that Mr. Buckner's death was due to 'natural causes'.

Anyhow, thank you for taking time to share your comments. I wish that others would do the same!

dcob51 said...

Apparently Mr Buckner he did not do what he was told? What is the definition of cambative? It's not lying down and not getting up!
Tasers are one of best tools an officer can have! They are not for life-threatening situations. They are to stop a situation from becoming life-threatening! Walk a mile in the shoes of a cop now days before you judge him. Taser has been a life saving tool!!Look what happen when Sgt. Chapin tried to keep from shooting that dirt bag he was chasing!!!!! His taser didn't help in that LIFE THREATENING situation!!!Im sure these officers did not want to kill this man!!

Unknown said...

DC0B51 - I don't have to walk in the shoes of a Neighborhood Watch volunteer to know that the shooting of Trayvon Martin was wrong. I don't have to walk in the shoes of a police officer to know that the taser-related killing of a person each week in America is wrong. The penalty for resisting arrest should never be death.