Electronic Village: criminal justice

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October 13, 2014

634 Taser-Related Deaths in the United States Since 2001

Today we added 54-year old Macario Garcia (Pleasanton, TX) as the 283rd taser-related death in America since 2009. [NOTE: the full list is shown below].

According to Amnesty International, between 2001 and 2008, 351 people in the United States died after being shocked by police Tasers. Our blog has documented another 283 taser-related deaths in the United States in 2009-2014. That means there have been 634 documented taser-related deaths in America.

This blog has been pointing out incidents of police taser torture for quite awhile. The work done over the past few years by Patti Gillman and Cameron Ward continue to be the inspiration for our work. Gillman and Ward documented over 869 taser-related deaths in North America on their blog.

I wonder if anyone cares about the rising use of the taser as a lethal weapon? At least we know that the Department of Justice cares. They issued a report about the pattern of abuse against the mentally ill in Portland that included the frequent, unnecessary use of Tasers. Recent deaths have begun to reignite the debate on taser torture. They are protesting in Phoenix, Arizona and the ACLU says that taser policies are ineffective in Iowa.

On the other hand, I think that something is wrong in America when the police electrocute folks on a WEEKLY basis with their taser arsenal ... and the public is mute in its response. Cops are so liberal with their use of the taser that a blind man isn't safe! Sometimes it takes a lawsuit ... like the one recently settled in Ohio ... to get the police to cool it. The police in Cincinnati, Ohio took the hint ... they changed their taser policy! The top cop in Georgia thinks it is time to get more training. The police chief in Dallas purchased taser guns that he thinks will be safer.

I encourage you to use our COMMENTS ('Post a Comment') option at the bottom of this blog post to let us know what you think about these weekly taser-related killings.

Jan 9, 2009: Derrick Jones, 17, Black, Martinsville, Virginia
Jan 11, 2009: Rodolfo Lepe, 31, Hispanic, Bakersfield, California
Jan 22, 2009: Roger Redden, 52, Caucasian, Soddy Daisy, Tennessee-
Feb 2, 2009: Garrett Jones, 45, Caucasian, Stockton, California
Feb 11, 2009: Richard Lua, 28, Hispanic, San Jose, California
Feb 13, 2009: Rudolph Byrd, 37, Black, Thomasville, Georgia
Feb 13, 2009: Michael Jones, 43, Black, Iberia, Louisiana
Feb 14, 2009: Chenard Kierre Winfield, 32, Black, Los Angeles, California
Feb 28, 2009: Robert Lee Welch, 40, Caucasian, Conroe, Texas
Mar 22, 2009: Brett Elder, 15, Caucasian, Bay City, Michigan
Mar 26, 2009: Marcus D. Moore, 40, Black, Freeport, Illinois
Apr 1, 2009: John J. Meier Jr., 48, Caucasian, Tamarac, Florida
Apr 6, 2009: Ricardo Varela, 41, Hispanic, Fresno, California
Apr 10, 2009: Robert Mitchell, 16, Black, Detroit, Michigan
Apr 13, 2009: Craig Prescott, 38, Black, Modesto, California
Apr 16, 2009: Gary A. Decker, 50, Black, Tuscon, Arizona
Apr 18, 2009: Michael Jacobs Jr., 24, Black, Fort Worth, Texas
Apr 30, 2009: Kevin LaDay, 35, Black, Lumberton, Texas
May 4, 2009: Gilbert Tafoya, 53, Caucasian, Holbrook, Arizona
May 17, 2009: Jamaal Valentine, 27, Black, La Marque, Texas
May 23, 2009: Gregory Rold, 37, Black, Salem, Oregon
Jun 9, 2009: Brian Cardall, 32, Caucasian, Hurricane, Utah
Jun 13, 2009: Dwight Madison, 48, Black, Bel Air, Maryland
Jun 20, 2009 Derrek Kairney, 36, Caucasian, South Windsor, Connecticut
Jun 30, 2009, Shawn Iinuma, 37, Asian, Fontana, California
Jul 2, 2009, Rory McKenzie, 25, Black, Bakersfield, California
Jul 20, 2009, Charles Torrence, 35, Caucasian, Simi Valley, California
Jul 30, 2009, Johnathan Michael Nelson, 27, Caucasian, Riverside County, California
Aug 9, 2009, Terrace Clifton Smith, 52, Black, Moreno Valley, California
Aug 12, 2009, Ernest Ridlehuber, 53, Race: Unknown, Greenville, South Carolina
Aug 14, 2009, Hakim Jackson, 31, Black, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Aug 18, 2009, Ronald Eugene Cobbs, 38, Black, Greensboro, North Carolina
Aug 20, 2009, Francisco Sesate, 36, Hispanic, Mesa, Arizona
Aug 22, 2009, T.J. Nance, 37, Race: Unknown, Arizona City, Arizona
Aug 26, 2009, Miguel Molina, 27, Hispanic, Los Angeles, California
Aug 27, 2009, Manuel Dante Dent, 27, Hispanic, Modesto, California
Sep 3, 2009, Shane Ledbetter, 38, Caucasian, Aurora, Colorado
Sep 16, 2009, Alton Warren Ham, 45, Caucasian, Modesto, California
Sep 19, 2009, Yuceff W. Young II, 21, Black, Brooklyn, Ohio

Sep 21, 2009, Richard Battistata, 44, Hispanic, Laredo, Texas
Sep 28, 2009, Derrick Humbert, 38, Black, Bradenton, Florida
Oct 2, 2009, Rickey Massey, 38, Black, Panama City, Florida
Oct 12, 2009, Christopher John Belknap, 36, Race: Unknown, Ukiah, California
Oct 16, 2009, Frank Cleo Sutphin, 19, Caucasian, San Bernadino, California
Oct 27, 2009, Jeffrey Woodward, 33, Caucasian, Gallatin, Tennessee
Nov 13, 2009, Herman George Knabe, 58, Caucasian, Corpus Christi, Texas
Nov 14, 2009, Darryl Bain, 43, Black, Coram, New York
Nov 16, 2009, Matthew Bolick, 30, Caucasian, East Grand Rapids, Michigan
Nov 19, 2009, Jesus Gillard, 61, Black, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Nov 21, 2009, Ronald Petruney, 49, Caucasian, Washington, Pennsylvania
Nov 27, 2009, Eddie Buckner, 53, Caucasian, Chattanooga, Tennessee
Dec 11, 2009, Andrew Grande, 33, Caucasian, Oak County, Florida
Dec 11, 2009, Hatchel Pate Adams III, 36, Black, Hampton, Virginia
Dec 11, 2009, Paul Martin Martinez, 36, Hispanic, Roseville, California
Dec 13, 2009, Douglas Boucher, 39, Caucasian, Mason, Ohio
Dec 14, 2009, Linda Hicks, 62, Black, Toledo, Ohio
Dec 19, 2009, Preston Bussey III, 41, Black, Rockledge, Florida
Dec 20, 2009, Michael Hawkins, 39, Caucasian, Springfield, Missouri
Dec 30, 2009, Stephen Palmer, 47, Race: Unknown, Stamford, Connecticut

Jan 6, 2010, Delano Smith, 21, Black, Elkhart, Indiana
Jan 17, 2010, William Bumbrey III, 36, Black, Arlington, Virginia
Jan 20, 2010, Kelly Brinson, 45, Black, Cincinnati, Ohio
Jan 27, 2010, Joe Spruill, Jr., Black, Goldsboro, North Carolina
Jan 28, 2010, Patrick Burns, 50, Caucasian, Sangamon County, Illinois
Jan 28, 2010, Daniel Mingo, 25, Black, Mobile, Alabama
Feb 4, 2010, Mark Morse, 36, Caucasian, Phoenix, Arizona
Mar 4, 2010, Roberto Olivo, 33, Hispanic, Tulare, California
Mar 5, 2010, Christopher Wright, 48, Black, Seattle, Washington
Mar 10, 2010, Jaesun Ingles, 31, Black, Midlothian, Illinois
Mar 10, 2010, James Healy Jr., 44, Race: Unknown, Rhinebeck, New York
Mar 20, 2010, Albert Valencia, 31, Hispanic, Downey, California
Apr 10, 2010, Daniel Joseph Barga, 24, Caucasian, Cornelius, Oregon
Apr 30, 2010, Adil Jouamai, 32, Moroccan, Arlington, Virginia
May 9, 2010, Audreacus Davis, 29, Black, Atlanta, Georgia
May 14, 2010, Sukeba Olawunmi, 39, Black, Atlanta, Georgia
May 24, 2010, Efrain Carrion, 35, Hispanic, Middletown, Connecticut
May 27, 2010, Carl Johnson, 48, Caucasian, Baltimore, Maryland
May 29, 2010, Jose Martinez, 53, Hispanic, Waukegan, Illinois
May 31, 2010, Anastasio Hernández Rojas, 42, Hispanic, San Ysidro, California
Jun 8, 2010, Terrelle Houston, 22, Black, Hempstead, Texas
Jun 12, 2010, Curtis Robinson, 34, Black, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Jun 13, 2010, William Owens, 17, Black, Homewood, Alabama
Jun 14, 2010, Jose Alfredo Jimenez, 42, Hispanic, Harris County, Texas
Jun 15, 2010, Michael White, 47, Black, Vallejo, California
Jun 22, 2010, Daniel Sylvester, 35, Caucasian, Crescent City, California
July 5, 2010, Damon Falls, 31, Black, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
July 5, 2010, Edmund Gutierrez, 22, Hispanic, Imperial, California
July 8, 2010, Phyllis Owens, 87, Caucasian, Clackamas County, Oregon
July 9, 2010, Marvin Booker, 56, Black, Denver, Colorado
July 12, 2010, Anibal Rosario-Rodriguez, 61, Hispanic, New Britain, Connecticut
July 15, 2010, Jerome Gill, Race: Unknown, Chicago, Illinois
July 18, 2010, Edward Stephenson, 46, Caucasian, Leavenworth, Kansas
July 23, 2010, Jermaine Williams, 30, Black, Cleveland, Mississippi
Aug 1, 2010, Dennis Sandras, 49, Caucasian, Houma, Louisiana
Aug 9, 2010, Andrew Torres, 39, Hispanic, Greenville, South Carolina
Aug 18, 2010, Martin Harrison, 50, Caucasian, Dublin, California
Aug 19, 2010, Adam Disalvo, 30, Caucasian, Daytona Beach, Florida
Aug 20, 2010, Stanley Jackson, 31, Black, Washtenaw County, Michigan
Aug 24, 2010, Michael Ford, 50, Black, Livonia, Michigan
Aug 25, 2010, Eduardo Hernandez-Lopez, 21, Hispanic, Las Vegas, Nevada
Aug 31, 2010, King Hoover, 27, Black, Spanaway, Washington
Sep 4, 2010, Adam Colliers, 25, Caucasian, Gold Bar, Washington
Sep 10, 2010, Larry Rubio, 20, Caucasian, Leemore, California
Sep 12, 2010, Freddie Lockett, 30, Black, Dallas, Texas
Sep 16, 2010, Gary L. Grossenbacher, 48, Caucasian, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Sep 18, 2010, David Cornelius Smith, 28, Black, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Sep 18, 2010, Joseph Frank Kennedy, 48, Caucasian, La Mirada, California
Oct 4, 2010, Javon Rakestrau, 28, Black, Lafayette Parish, Louisiana
Oct 7, 2010, Patrick Johnson, 18, Caucasian, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Oct 12, 2010, Ryan Bain, 31, Caucasian, Billings, Montana
Oct 14, 2010, Karreem Ali, 65, Black, Silver Spring, Maryland
Oct 19, 2010, Troy Hooftallen, 36, Caucasian, Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania
Nov 4, 2010, Eugene Lamott Allen, 40, Race: Unknown, Wilmington, Delaware
Nov 6, 2010, Robert Neill, Jr., 61, Caucasian, Mount Joy, Pennsylvania
Nov 7, 2010, Mark Shaver, 32, Caucasian, Brimfield, Ohio
Nov 23, 2010, Denevious Thomas, 36, Black, Albany, Georgia
Nov 26, 2010, Rodney Green, 36, Black, Waco, Texas
Nov 27, 2010, Blaine McElroy, 37, Race: Unknown, Jackson County, Mississippi
Dec 2, 2010, Clayton Early James, Age: Unknown, Black, Elizabeth City, North Carolina
Dec 11, 2010, Anthony Jones, 44, Black, Las Vegas, Nevada
Dec 12, 2010, Linel Lormeus, 26, Black, Naples, Florida
Dec 20, 2010, Christopher Knight, 35, Black, Brunswick, Georgia
Dec 31, 2010, Rodney Brown, 40, Black, Cleveland, Ohio

Jan 5, 2011, Kelly Sinclair, 41, Caucasian, Amarillo, Texas
Feb 5, 2011, Robert Ricks, 23, Black, Alexandria, Louisiana
Feb 24, 2011, Jermaine Sanford, 36, Race: Unknown, Los Angeles, California
March 14, 2011, Christopher Davis, 36, Race: Unknown, Los Angeles, California
March 15, 2011, Brandon Bethea, 24, Black, Harnett County, North Carolina
March 17, 2011, Chris Apericio, 24, Hispanic, Las Cruces, New Mexico
March 20, 2011, Dale Lee Mitchell, 34, Black, Pinellas Park, Florida
March 21, 2011, Jerry Perea, 38, Hispanic, Albuquerque, New Mexico
March 24, 2011, Johnny Leija, 34, Hispanic, Madill, Oklahoma
April 3, 2011, Jairious McGhee, 23, Black, Tampa, Florida
April 4, 2011, Demetrius Johnson, 38, Black, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
April 9, 2011, Ervin Motley, 38, Black, Forrest City, Arkansas
April 13, 2011, Casey Babovec, 30, Caucasian, Saline County, Arkansas
April 22, 2011, Adam Spencer Johnson, 33, Caucasian, Orlando, Florida
April 23, 2011, Ronald Armstrong, 43, Caucasian, Pinehurst, North Carolina
April 25, 2011, Kevin Darius Campbell, 39, Black, Tallahassee, Florida
May 1, 2011, Marcus Brown, 26, Black, Waterbury, Connecticut
May 6, 2011, Matthew Mittelstadt, 56, Caucasian, Boundary County, Idaho
May 6, 2011, Daniel McDonnell, 40, Caucasian, West Babylon, New York
May 11, 2011, Allen Kephart, 43, Caucasian, San Bernadino County, California
June 13, 2011, Howard Hammon, 41, Caucasian, Middleburg, Ohio
June 22, 2011, Otto Kolberg, 55, Caucasian, Waycross, Georgia
June 28, 2011, Dalric East, 40, Black, Montgomery County, Maryland
July 5, 2011, Kelly Thomas, 37, Caucasian, Fullerton, California
July 10, 2011, Joshua Nossoughi, 32, Caucasian, Springfield, Missouri
July 19, 2011, Alonzo Ashley, 29, Black, Denver, Colorado
July 21, 2011, La'Reko Williams, 21, Black, Charlotte, North Carolina
July 30, 2011, Donald Murray, 39, Caucasian, Westland, Michigan
August 4, 2011, Pierre Abernathy, 30, Black, San Antonio, Texas
August 6, 2011, Everette Howard, 18, Black, Cincinnati, Ohio
August 6, 2011, Debro Wilkerson, 29, Black, Prince William County, Maryland
August 6, 2011, Gregory Kralovetz, 50, Caucasian, Kaukauna, Wisconsin
August 12, 2011, Joseph Lopez, 49, Hispanic, Santa Barbara, California
August 17, 2011, Roger Chandler, 41, Caucasian, Helena, Montana
August 21, 2011, Montalito McKissick, 37, Black, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
August 24, 2011, Michael Evans, 56, Race: Unknown, Fayetteville, North Carolina
August 30, 2011, Nicholas Koscielniak, 27, Caucasian, Lancaster, New York
September 11, 2011, Tyree Sinclair, 31, Black, Corpus Christi, Texas
September 13, 2011, Damon Barnett, 44, Caucasian, Fresno, California
September 17, 2011, Richard Kokenos, 27, Caucasian, Warren, Michigan
September 24, 2011, Bradford Gibson, 35, Black, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan
September 24, 2011, Donacio Rendon, 43, Hispanic, Lubbock, Texas
September 29, 2011, Howard Cook, 35, Black, York, Pennsylvania
October 4, 2011, Glenn Norman, 46, Caucasian, Camden County, Missouri
October 9, 2011, Darnell Hutchinson, 32, Black, San Leandro, California
October 31, 2011, Chad Brothers, 32, Caucasian, Colonie, New York
November 6, 2011, Darrin Hanna, 43, Black, North Chicago, Illinois
November 13, 2011, Ronald Cristiano, 51, Caucasian, Bridgeport, Connecticut
November 15, 2011, Jonathan White, 29, Black, San Bernardino, California
November 22, 2011, Roger Anthony, 61, Black, Scotland Neck, North Carolina
December 16, 2011, Marty Atencio, 44, Hispanic, Phoenix, Arizona
December 22, 2011, Wayne Williams, 27, Black, Houma, Louisiana
December 25, 2011, Micah Abbey, 33, Caucasian, Reno, Nevada

January 2, 2012, Mario Marin, 53, Caucasian, Santa Ana, California
January 15, 2012, Daniel Guerra, 24, Hispanic, Ft. Worth, Texas
January 15, 2012, Hutalio Serrano, 43, Hispanic, Colton, California
January 24, 2012, Thomas Lumpkin, 57, Black, Alamance County, North Carolina
January 29, 2012, Camilo Guzman, 28, Hispanic, North Miami, Florida
February 10, 2012, Marius Asanachescu, 28, Caucasian, Clark County, Washington
February 13, 2012, Johnnie Warren, 43, Race: Unknown, Dothan, Alabama
February 16, 2012, Charmin Bennett, 30, Black, Donaldsville, Louisiana
February 29, 2012, Raymond Allen, 34, Black, Galveston, Texas
March 5, 2012, Nehemiah Dillard, 29, Black, Gainesville, Florida
March 12, 2012, Jersey Green, 37, Black, Aurora, Illinois
March 15, 2012, Alex Martin, 24, Caucasian, Pine Valley, California
March 19, 2012, James Barnes, 38, Caucasian, Pinellas County, Florida
April 10, 2012, Bobby Merrill, 38, Black, Saginaw, Michigan
April 21, 2012, Angel Hiraldo, 41, Hispanic, Meriden, Connecticut
April 22, 2012, Bruce Chrestensen, 52, Caucasian, Grass Valley, California
May 10, 2012, Damon Abraham, 34, Black, Baldwin, Louisiana
May 31, 2012, Randulph Rodas, 35, Hispanic, Merced, California
June 9, 2012, Randolph Bonvillian, 41, Caucasian, Houma, Louisiana
June 20, 2012, Macadam Mason, 39, Caucasian, Thetford, Vermont
June 30, 2012, Victor Duffy, 25, Black, Tukwila, Washington
July 1, 2012, Corey McGinnis, 35, Black, Cincinnati, Ohio
July 5, 2012, Sampson Castellane, 29, Native American, Fife, Washington
July 6, 2012, Joshua Salvato, 21, Hispanic, Ocala, Florida
August 21, 2012, Jerry Nichols, 64, Caucasian, Bend, Oregon
September 1, 2012, Denis Chabot, 38, Caucasian, Houston, Texas
September 5, 2012, Christopher Ladue, 23, Race: Unknown, Medford, Oregon
September 14, 2012, Bill Williams, 60, Caucasian, Everett, Washington
September 17, 2012, Phillip McCue, 28, Caucasian, Bangor, Maine
September 26, 2012, Timothy Dennis, 42, Black, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
October 4, 2012, Travis Maupin, 32, Caucasian, Paola, Kansas
October 21, 2012, Anthony Lawson, 27, Black, Corona, California
October 30, 2012, Derrick Birdow, 33, Black, Forest Hill, Texas
November 29, 2012, Robert Maurina, 46, Caucasian, West Allis, Wisconsin
December 13, 2012, Philip Coleman, 38, Black, Chicago, Illinois
December 15, 2012, Darryll Briston, 49, Black, Washington, Pennsylvania
December 25, 2012, Kevin Culp, 29, Black, Richmond, Washington
January 1, 2013, Andrew Layton, 26, Caucasian, Mankato, Minnesota
January 4, 2013, Marcus Slade, 32, Black, Marshall, Texas
January 17, 2013, Bruce Thomson, 49, Caucasian, Logan, Utah
February 4, 2013, Cody Towler, 34, Caucasian, Roswell, New Mexico
February 8, 2013, Stephen MacKenzie, 54, Caucasian, Flint, Michigan
February 16, 2013, Charles Baker, Jr., 30, Black, Jamestown, New York
February 23, 2013, Christopher Parker, 33, Caucasian, Spokane, Washington
March 3, 2013, Ray McKelvey, 26, Caucasian, Canyonville, Oregon
March 21, 2013, Bobby Madewell, 51, Caucasian, Longview, Texas
March 24, 2013, Khari Illidge, 25, Black, Phenix City, Alabama
March 30, 2013, Lawrence Baumann, 51, Caucasian, Santa Barbara, California
April 5, 2013, Mark Couturier, 50, Caucasian, Los Angeles, California
April 10, 2013,Thomas Sadler, 45, Caucasian, Raleigh, North Carolina
April 12, 2013, Rodney Evans, 42, Black, Flint, Michigan
April 16, 2013, Carl Ballard, 29, Black, Williamsburg County, South Carolina
April 19, 2013, Anthony Howard, 51, Black, Gaithersburg, Maryland
April 19, 2013, Anthony Firkins, 33, Caucasian, Nampa, Idaho
May 2, 2013, Jayson Carmickle, 28, Caucasian, Salt Lake City, Utah
May 16, 2013, Jermaine Darden, 34, Black, Ft. Worth, Texas
May 17, 2013, Guillermo Cedano, 44, Hispanic, Montibello, California
June 2, 2013, Guy Guthrie, 55, Unknown, Conifer, Colorado
June 7, 2013, Will Berger, 34, Caucasian, Spokane, Washington
June 9, 2013, Mark Koves, 28, Caucasian, Thornton, Illinois
June 9, 2013, Noel Mendoza, 43, Hispanic, Meriden, Connecticut
June 22, 2013, Gregory Price, 56, Caucasian, Roseburg, Oregon
June 29, 2013, George Harvey, 39, Black, Augusta, Georgia
July 10, 2013, Gerald Altomare, 30, Caucasian, St. Cloud, Florida
July 11, 2013, Antonio Johnson, 40, Black, Bridgeton, Missouri
July 21, 2013, Deomain Hayman, 28, Black, Wilmington, Delaware
July 22, 2013, Thomas Martinez, 40, Caucasian, Coralville, Iowa
July 23, 2013, Jason Nalls, 40, Black, Wenatchee, Washington
July 24, 2013, Dainell Simmons, 29, Black, Middle Island, New York
July 26, 2013, John Wrana, 95, Caucasian, Forest Park, Illinois
July 29, 2013, Zheng Diao, 76, Asian, St. Louis Park, Minnesota
August 6, 2013, Israel Hernandez, 18, Hispanic, Miami, Florida
August 21, 2013, Michael Ruiz, 44, Hispanic, Phoenix, Arizona
September 2, 2013, Norman Oosterbroek, 43, Caucasian, Miami, Florida
September 3, 2013, Gary Beto, 52, Caucasian, East Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
September 14, 2013, Jonathan Ferrell, 24, Black, Charlotte, North Carolina
September 22, 2013, Michael Zubrod, 39, Caucasian, Northwood, Iowa
October 11, 2013, Raymond Johnson, 41, Black, Moreno Valley, California
October 13, 2013, Brad Evans, 32, Caucasian, Starr, South Carolina
October 13, 2013, Fernando Gomez, 36, Hispanic, El Paso, Texas
February 4, 2014, Randall Hatori, 39, Asian Pacific Islander, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
February 5, 2014, Willie Sams, 21, Black, Liberty City, Florida
February 27, 2014, Treon 'Tree' Johnson, 27, Unknown, Hialeah, Florida
February 27, 2014, Maykel Barrera, 37, Hispanic, Miami, Florida
April 11, 2014, Gregory Towns, 24, Black, East Point, Georgia
April 13, 2014, Edward Caruth, 38, Caucasian, Phoenix, Arizona
April 13, 2014, Jose Maldonado, 22, Hispanic, East Hartford, Connecticut
May 11, 2014, Ron Hillstrom, 44, Caucasian, University Place, Washington
May 14, 2014, George King, 18, Black, Baltimore, Maryland
May 24, 2014, Carlos Ocana, 54, Hispanic, Los Angeles, California
June 7, 2014, Daniel Best, 34, Caucasian, Gilbert, Arizona
June 21, 2014, Dominic Graffeo, 56, Caucasian, Chelsea, Massachusetts
July 7, 2014, Ennis Labaux, 37, Black, LaPlace, Louisiana
July 12, 2014, Ronald Hewett, 50, Caucasian, Wilmington, North Carolina
July 19, 2014, Francisco Rocha, 41, Hispanic, Chicago, Illinois
August 8, 2014, Jose Paulino, 38, Hispanic, Tamaqua, Pennsylvania
August 12, 2014, Dante Parker, 36, Black, Victorville, California
August 20, 2014, Arvel Williams, 30, Black, Perry Hall, Maryland
August 24, 2014, Timothy Griffis, 35, Caucasian, Lake City, Florida
August 25, 2014, Timothy Rice, 33, Caucasian, Austin, Texas
August 29, 2014, Michael O'Connell, 44, Caucasian, Littlefield, Arizona
September 13, 2014, Ricky Hinkle, 47, Black, Birmingham, Alabama
September 21, 2014, Daniel Satre, 43, Caucasian, Ballston Spa, New York
October 4, 2014, Lashano Gilbert, 31, Black, New London, Connecticut
October 6, 2014, Balantine Mbegbu, 60, Black, Phoenix, Arizona
October 13, 2014, Macario Garcia, 54, Hispanic, Pleasanton, Texas

You can see that we don't know the race or national origin (RNO) for Christopher Davis, Michael Evans, Jerome Gill, Guy Gutherie, James Healy Jr., Treon 'Tree' Johnson, Christopher Ladue, T.J. Nance, Stephen Palmer, Earnest Ridlehuber, Jermaine Lynnard Sanford or Johnnie Warren. We can use some research assistance from villagers to help us identify the RNO for these folks who died after being electrocuted by police taser guns.

We track the RNO information because we sense that these taser-related deaths are happening at a disproportionate level to people of color.

For example, we see that at least 118 (117 men and a 62-year old woman) of these taser-torture killings occurred against African Americans. Black people are only 13.6% of the total population, yet 42% of the 2009-2014 taser-related deaths in America are Black people.

At last count, there are more than 514,000 Tasers among law enforcers and the military nationwide. Tasers are now deployed in law enforcement agencies in 29 of the 33 largest U.S. cities. Some states, such as New Jersey, are loosening up their rules for taser use. Other states, like Delaware, seek to justify taser use in spite of rising death toll.

However, the tide may be turning. As taser-related deaths and injuries have continued to rise (as well as the amount of Taser litigation), many departments are starting to abandon the weapon in favor of other means of suspect control. Currently, Memphis and San Francisco have opted to ban the use of tasers by law enforcement. Charlotte (NC) pulled all the tasers off the street. Nevada revised their taser policy so that it would be more aligned to proposal from the ACLU.

South Carolina is beginning to question its use of tasers. Additionally, a federal court has ruled that the pain inflicted by the taser gun constitutes excessive force by law enforcement. The courts don't want police to electrocute people with their tasers unless they pose an immediate threat.

Perhaps the idea of an electric rifle made sense when it was first invented. "Taser" refers to an electrical weapon trademarked by the Scottsdale, Arizona-based company known as Taser International. The word Taser stands for "Tom A. Swift Electrical Rifle."

The Taser was developed by Jack Cover, a contract scientist on NASA's Apollo moon program in the 1960s. Inspired by his favorite childhood book series - Victor Appleton's Tom Swift - Cover drew up plans for a non-lethal weapon like the one the series' main character used.

In 1993, Rick and Tim Smith, who launched Taser International, worked with Cover to improve his design and introduced the device the next year. Since then, use of the word Taser has became part of the common American language.

However, we now see too much taser abuse. First available to law enforcement in February 1998, now used by more than 14,200 law enforcement agencies in more than 40 countries. More than 406,000 taser guns have been sold since the product hit the market. It may be time for congressional hearings.

Some tell us that tasers are making America safer. Police kill about 600 people per year in shootings. So what?! Should we be we be happy that they are ONLY killing people once-a-week with taser guns?

How Do Tasers Work? When a Taser’s trigger is pulled, two wires shoot out of the device at the suspect from up to 35 feet away. At the ends of the wires are probes that either embed in a person's skin or cling to clothing.

When the probes hit, an electrical pulse is delivered for five seconds, causing involuntary muscular contractions in the subject.
At the end of the first pulse, police tell the person to roll onto their abdomen, so they can be handcuffed. If they do not comply, they may be shocked again.
Once a person is arrested, police remove the barbs and call EMTs to the scene.
The person is taken to the hospital to be checked out. If the barbs remain in the person after police try to remove them, they are removed at the hospital.
The Taser is equipped with a chip that records information on each use, which can be used in court if someone alleges they were shocked multiple times.

Personally, I think that the 'Use of Force Continuum' needs to show tasers as 'near-lethal' ... definitely an error to claim that they are 'non-lethal'.

Many of us think that that immediate problem with Taser use is the lack of state and federal training standards for Taser certification. There are too many police officers with a taser on their hip and insufficient training on how ... or when ... to use it. Without set training standards (which includes a block on the liabilities of the weapons use in the event of bodily injury or death), officers are not fully aware of the ramifications of Taser use.

What say u?What would you suggest we do to deal with these weekly taser-related deaths?

September 23, 2014

Taser Death: Daniel Satre (Ballston Spa, NY)

Daniel Satre

It happened again! This time an unarmed man was electrocuted by 50,000 volts from each of the taser guns used on him by some or all of the six unidentified Ballston Spa (NY) police officers called to his home on Saturday, September 20, 2014.

The police officers were coming to arrest 43-old Daniel Satre for 'disorderly conduct'. I'm not a lawyer ... but, I'm fairly certain that the death penalty is not the legal penalty for 'disorderly conduct'. Again, we see a case of overzealous police officers using their not-quite-lethal taser guns when they feel the slightest bit of disrespect from a citizen.

This time the taser torture was caught on video by a neighbor.

A total of six officers were at the scene. They couldn't be patient or strategic enough to take Mr. Satre into custody without taser-torture. As a result, another unarmed human being is dead.

At a news conference the next day, Village Police Chief Charles Koenig said Satre was warned several times that officers were preparing to tase him. Koenig said criminal and internal investigations are being conducted, and that no disciplinary action had been taken against the officers who used the taser guns on Satre. Officers from both Ballston Spa and the State Police electrocuted Satre, officials confirmed.

September 21, 2014

Rest in Peace: Troy Davis (1968-2011)

The state of Georgia carried out the death penalty on Troy Davis on this date in 2011. He was declared dead at 11:08 pm ET on September 21, 2011. Not much else to say at this point.

May God have mercy on his soul.

September 7, 2014

Spoken Word: Daniel Beaty, 'Knock, Knock'

Soulclap to my sister for sharing this with us via her Pinterest account.

Daniel Beaty is an actor, singer and author ... as well as a spoken word artist. I hope you enjoy his personal 'Knock, Knock' story.

August 25, 2014

Melissa Harris-Perry: The Death of Black Men in America

Melissa Harris-Perry shares a powerful essay on the plight of Black men in America over the past decade. Local police killed a Black person at least twice a week in this country since 2006.

Twice per week for the past eight years...

America is a place where the Supreme Court once said, "It is too clear for dispute that the enslaved African race were not intended to be included and formed no part of the people who framed and adopted this declaration ... Black men had no rights which the white man was bound to respect."

How much longer will our nation be victimized by its poisonous race relations? How much longer will police be able to kill Black men with impunity? What will it take to improve race relations in America?

March 26, 2014

'Scandal' Star Columbus Goes Gladiator on Some Fool

Columbus Short -- who plays gladiator Harrison Wright on 'Scandal' -- was involved in a bar fight in which the other guy ended up in the hospital. The fight happened on March 15 at a engagement party in Los Angeles. The other guy made some rude comments about the actor's wife.

Evidently, he made one comment too many as Short punched him in the face. The 37-year old victim was knocked out for several minutes before being taken to the hospital.

This week the police finished their investigation and a judge issued the warrant for Short’s arrest on charges of felony aggravated battery. The reason it’s a felony is because there was serious bodily injury involved.

If he’s convicted, Short faces a sentence of four years in prison. His bond has been set at $50,000, and he has yet to turn himself in to police.

Columbus Short may discover that Kerry Washington ain't no Olivia Pope in the real world!

August 27, 2013

Am I Not Human? Emmett Till (1941-1955)

Emmitt Till was murdered on this day in 1955. Till was a 14-year-old African American boy who was beaten and shot to death by two white men. These men then threw the Till's muti

lated body into the Tallahatchie River near Money, Mississippi. Young Till was killed for talking to and perhaps whistling at a white woman at a Mississippi grocery store. Later that year, Roy Bryant, whose wife Carolyn was the white woman at the store, and his half brother, J. W. Milam, were tried for Till's murder and acquitted by a jury of 12 white men.

In March, 2007, the FBI released a summary of its 8000 page report of its investigation of the murder of Emmett Till. This report also includes the 354 page transcript of the 1955 murder trial of J. W. Milam and Roy Bryant.

This gruesome photo of Emmett Till helped spark the civil rights movement. It demonstrated the brutality of southern violence towards African Americans, and created outrage across the nation. Emmett's mother, Mamie, insisted at his funeral that he be given an open-casket, so others could see what they had done to her boy.

The truth of what happened that night became public knowledge several months after the trial. William Bradford Huie, an Alabama journalist in Mississippi to report on the aftermath of the case, offered Bryant and Milam money to tell their story. Since the two could no longer be prosecuted for a crime of which they had already been acquitted, they gladly told for a fee of how they had beaten and killed young Till. Huie reported what the killers told him in Look magazine. Now publicly exposed as murderers, Bryant and Milam were ostracized by the community, and both moved elsewhere within a year. Emmett Till in death became a martyr for the civil rights movement, a symbol of the racial hatred African Americans had yet to overcome.

America has moved quantum leaps in terms of both civil and human rights since 1955. African Americans are no longer murdered for giving wolf whistles to white women. However, our gains are not guaranteed. All Americans need to be vigilant in protecting our national commitment to equality for all. All it will take for evil to prevail is for good people to do nothing.

Roots of Humanity feels that each of us can fight against human rights abuses in the world. We simply need to do something. Protest. Meditate. Pray. In the case of bloggers ... we want you to blog on the 27th of each month. Just share information on behalf of our human siblings in all suffering areas who are either barred from communication by their governments, or lacking in technology to ask: Am I Not Human?

August 8, 2013

Who Murdered Bijan Shoushtari?

18-year old Bijan Shoushtari was a young man with a future. I guess that all families feel that way about their children, brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews or cousins. But, you could sense something just a little special ... a little blessed ... a little hopeful ... if you ever spent time with Bijan. From church elders, to his kindergarten teacher, to former teammates at Hamilton High; all paint a picture of a young man who had promise and deep ties to the community.

He died this week. 18-years old. And he went out with some friends less than a week ago ... and now he no longer walks the earth. The police have no idea who did this evil deed. Maybe you can help?!?

I write this blog from the greater Cincinnati area. I don't live in Los Angeles any longer. However, I know that many who read this blog do live in Los Angeles ... so it is on that infinitesimal chance that those who read my blog may know something that I post this video report from a local newscast in the area.

Bijan Shoushtari deserved better than this. Anyone with information is urged to call the Los Angeles Police Department. If you don't have information or if you don't live in Southern California ... maybe the thing you can do is hug your child ... or call your parents ... or write your nephew ... or visit that relative who lives nearby. Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow is not promised to any of us. Do something about your love and your family Today.

April 2, 2013

Perp Walk: NY State Sen. Malcolm Smith

I visited my grandfather's office on Capitol Hill back in the day. I was dressed business casual. My grandfather asked if I was coming to his office from my workplace. I said, 'Yes'. My grandfather shared a word of wisdom with me -- "...you are a Black man. Never think for a moment that you can get away with the same things that your white colleagues get away with...".

Nobody shared that memo with New York State Senator Malcolm Smith. Evidently he thought he join others in plot to rig the upcoming mayoral election in New York City through fraud and bribes. He was arrested earlier today as part of an ongoing corruption case. There were others arrested ... but, it always saddens me when a powerful Black official takes the fall.

Smith is a long-time Democrat. He got together with some other Republican politicians to form an alliance based on cash payments and fraud. Smith was trying to buy off Republican leaders because he needed the party’s support in at least three boroughs in order to run as a GOP candidate without even changing his own party affiliation.

Smith met with his alleged co-conspirators as recently as February. Now, we're in the first week of April and Smith is making that perp walk. Sad.

July 31, 2012

James Holmes is a Terrorist ... And We Need to Stand Up Against Gun Violence

It pisses me off that James Holmes is a 2010 graduate of the University of California, Riverside with a degree in neuroscience. I'm also a UCR graduate. UCR has a low profile nationwide ... and it stinks that UCR's most famous graduate is now a mass murderer.

The early reports are calling this 24-year old guy 'insane'. I think that we are better served if we refer to him as a 'terrorist'. Frankly, if his name had been Jamaal instead of James ... that is what he would be called. America's racial challenges are evident even in something as vile as this late-night massacre at a Batman movie in Colorado.

Reports indicate that the terrorist who committed this horrifying act had a bulletproof vest, used some kind of gas canister, and had multiple guns when he opened fire in the crowded theater. A three-month-old is among the injured. Our entire village is sad for those who lost their lives, those wounded, and their families.

I suspect that it won't be long before we see airport-style metal detectors at the entrance of all movie theaters. I suspect that stock in Netflix will spike as more folks decide to watch movies at home instead of going to a theater.

You would think that Americans would use this moment to think about the fact that this kid was able purchase enough guns to shoot 71 people. How many bullets? How many guns?

When are we going to reflect on the fact that random gun violence needs to be dealt with in a comprehensive manner? How many more children must be killed in school shootings? How many more Trayvon Martins? How many more Gabby Giffords attacks? How many more innocents slaughtered at public venues like the local movie theater?

In addition to keeping the Colorado families in your prayers ... perhaps you can support Mayors Against Illegal Guns it its campaign to put a stop to senseless gun violence like this with commonsense measures, like fixing gun checks to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people. They've started an online petition to demand action on ending gun violence.

We need to stand up against these terrorist thugs like James Holmes. That's my thought ... what say u?