Minneapolis Police Department Changes Taser Policy in Response to Recent Taser-Related Deaths

Soulclap to BlackLogic for letting us know that the Minnesota Police Department reacted in a proactive manner to the recent taser death of David Cornelius Smith.

With little fanfare, the Minneapolis Police Department updated a number of policies, including its use of force policy and Taser policy, as of October 1. The changes are reflected in the city's online Policy and Procedure Manual.

Under these new policies, Tasers are now considered "less lethal" rather than nonlethal.Their actions can be directly attributed to the deaths of Quincy Smith and David Cornelius Smith.

The new policy makes it clear that Tasers neither can be used on passive resistors or simply non-compliant suspects. Given the large number of complaints from citizens being electrocuted with a taser gun while handcuffed simply for speaking, if the policy is actually followed this could bring relief to the Minneapolis community.

I wonder if similar changes are being made in other cities around the nation? Do you know where the online version of the 'use of force' policy can be found in your city? If so, please share it with me. I would like to begin tracking links to these policies around the nation whenever possible.

Taser Death: David Cornelius Smith (Minneapolis, MN)

Another day ... another unarmed US citizen killed by taser-happy police. This time the taser-related killing occured September 9th in Minneapolis MN. David Cornelius Smith, 28, was accused of disturbing members at a Minneapolois YMCA. The police were called and confronted Smith in the sixth-floor gym.

When officers Timothy Gorman and Timothy Callahan tried to physically remove Smith from the YMCA, he fought with them for several minutes, injuring one of them slightly before he was electrocuted with a taser gun. After he was arrested, it was clear that something was wrong and Smith was rushed by ambulance to the hospital.

Smith was brain-dead and in a coma for 10 days.  He stayed on life support at the Hennpin County Medical Center until September 18th ... when he died.

Some reports indicate that Smith was handcuffed and restrained before the taser gun was used. Family members claim that they have seen marks, consistent with taser barbs, on his back.

"For them to take his life in the prime of his life is wrong," said Diane Smith, David Smith's mother.

She said what happened to her son was mean, cruel and unnecessary. See video (embedded version not available).

"What gives man the right to take another person's life for something as simple as a little disorderly conduct at a gym that you were a member of?" she continued.

Diane Smith said her son loved to play basketball at the downtown Minneapolis YMCA. His sister Angela said he was known there. That's why his family is having a hard time understanding.

"How could a healthy, smart, God-loving young man full of life go into the Y and come out in a coma?" said Angela Smith, David Smith's sister.

Gorman and Callahan were placed on standard paid administrative leave, but they are now back at work and the investigation continues.

His family believes there is more to the story. They want to know why he had to die this way.

"I could have seen it if he had a gun. I could have seen it if he had a knife, throwing it at them. I wish they would have shot my son in his leg, anything, sprayed him with pepper spray. He's not a very big guy anyway and he's not a violent guy," Diane Smith said.

David Smith's mother and sister said there were no drugs or alcohol found in his system.