Taser Autopsy: Death of Efrain Carrion is Ruled 'Excited Delirium'

The autopsy of 35-year old Efrain Carrion is complete. Villagers may recall that this is the man police say was acrobatic enough to get loose from five officers (Sgt. James Prokop, K-9 Handler Doug Clark and officers William Hertler, Chris Lundberg and Elias Martz), a K-9 police dog and two handcuffs that held his arms behind his back. Yep ... this man was the 'Houdini' of Middletown CT. The police felt a need to electrocute him multiple times with their taser guns in his own backyard.

Anyhow, the medical examiner indicates that the cause of death is “excited delirium”.

The term isn't one recognized by the American Medical Association and has become controversial because excited delirium is most often listed as a cause of death in cases where someone died after being electrocuted with a taser gun.

The co-chairman of the legislature's Judiciary Committee, state Rep. Michael P. Lawlor, says he can't recall another case in Connecticut where excited delirium has been listed as the cause of death.

"Whether that's a diagnosis or a cause of death, I don't know," says Lawlor. "I'm not a doctor, but I have not heard of this as a cause of death before [in Connecticut]."

Some activists claim the term is being used to cover up cases where police have used excessive force, particularly when an incident involved the use of a Taser.

The Middletown Police Chief is hiding behind the finding by the medical examiner.

“Tasers are very safe if used properly. They are designed to minimize any injury to individuals and injury to police officers. It eliminates the need to use a nightstick or police dogs that can bite and harm someone. Absolutely nothing at the time indicates any wrong-doing done by the officers,” acting Middletown Police Chief Patrick McMahon said. “I think the medical examiner’s findings speak for themselves.”

Of course, there is another point of view from a witness at the scene of this prejudicial electrocution. Eunice Barrientos told reporters she called police to calm down her brother, Efrain Carrion who was acting irrational, but she never expected them to taser him to death.

“They just tasered him and tasered him and let the dog chew him up,” the Middletown woman said.

She said after the officers were finished tasering her brother, they kicked him down the stairs as they were taking him out of the apartment.






My understanding is that the family will file a 'wrongful death' lawsuit against the city and the police officers. The Connecticut State Police Eastern District Major Crime Squad is currently still under investigation.

Villagers ... what are your thoughts about this taser-related killing?

Taser Death: Efrain Carrion (Middleton, CT)

The family of Michael Jacobs called on police in their area to help their son when he was experiencing mental anxiety at home. The police responded by using their taser guns to electrocute the 24-year old man.

The same thing happened in Middltown, CT on May 24. Efrain Carrion was having an anxiety attack Monday night when his family called 9-1-1 to summon an ambulance, a family member said.

The 35-year-old, screaming and breathing heavy, hid under his bed. His wife, Rhode Carrion, said she and her brother-in-law had almost coaxed him out when Middletown police officers arrived at the family's apartment.

The police agree that they arrived based on a report of a despondant male in need of medical assistance. They also agree that they placed Efrain Carrion in handcuffs to allow EMS personnel to examine him.

Carrion's relatives and authorities have differing versions of what happened next. But one thing is clear: Carrion became unresponsive while struggling with police and was pronounced dead at Middlesex Hospital.

Authorities say Carrion became violent after officers put him in handcuffs. He fought with police officers, refused orders and at one point choked a police dog, using his handcuffs as weapons, police said.

Of course, the police neglect to mention that Carrion was being held in double handcuffs. The police want us to believe that this despondent man was able to bring his hands to the front and start choking a police dog which was also used to try to bring him under control as he attempted to flee.

Four out of the five officers who responded were treated for injuries. Acting Police Chief Patrick McMahon said the officers are home, recovering with their families. The police officers treated for injuries were: Sgt. James Prokop, Officer William Hertler, Officer Elias Martz and the dog handler, Officer Douglas Clark.

"If nothing leads me to believe that wrongdoing occurred, we'll get them back on the streets as soon as we can," he said.

Chief McMahon isn't fazed by the fact that an unarmed man was electrocuted in his own home by his own police force. Nope, McMahson indicated that he hasn't heard or seen anything indicating that the officers did anything wrong.

For those that are interested, the dog, Niko, was treated by a veterinarian and released.

But Rhode Carrion said the official police version of the story is a lie. Her husband didn't hit the officers or choke the police dog, she said.

"They're making him seem like he was crazy, like he's a bad man, and he's not," she said. "He never hit them, he never kicked them. He was trying to get away from them because they were Tasing him."

After her husband came out from under the bed, he sat on the floor and allowed officers to cuff him, Rhode Carrion said. He was brought to a chair in the living room. The physical violence started after Efrain Carrion slipped off the chair, she said.

The officers ordered him to get up. Her husband had trouble complying because his hands were cuffed behind his back, Carrion said. Two of the officers shot him repeatedly with taser guns and then deployed the dog, she said.

She said Efrain Carrion did not grab the dog and tumble down the stairs with it, as police have said. [SOURCE]

As Middletown police officers tried to calm him in a wooded area behind his apartment complex, Carrion became unconscious. Emergency medical personnel were unable to revive him, and he was pronounced dead after being transported to Middlesex Hospital.

Eunice Barrientos told reporters she called police to calm down her brother, Efrain Carrion who was acting irrational, but she never expected them to taser him to death.

“The just tasered him and tasered him and let the dog chew him up,” the Middletown woman said.

She said after the officers were finished tasering her brother, the kicked him down the stairs as they were taking him out of the apartment.

Police admit to tasering Efrain multiple times until he lost consciousness.

State police are investigating the incident and will present their findings to the Middlesex state's attorney. The investigation should take several weeks.

An autopsy is planned to try to determine what caused his death.

Please let us know if you have any additional insights or information to add to this taser-related killing.