On June 28, 2011, Delric Tyrone East, a 40 year old resident of
Montgomery County, crashed his car into a barrier on Route 29
near Briggs Cheney Road.
He angrily refused to get out of the crashed car,
He angrily refused to get out of the crashed car,
was subdued with a Taser, and died shortly thereafter.
Turns out he was under the influence of PCP.
On May 27, 2010, Carl D’Andre Johnson, a 48 year old
On May 27, 2010, Carl D’Andre Johnson, a 48 year old
architect, crashed his car into a guard rail at the
intersection of I-795 and I-695S in Baltimore County.
He angrily refused to get out of the crashed car,
was subdued with a Taser, and died shortly thereafter.
Turns out he was diabetic and probably in the midst of a hypoglycemic crisis.
On October 14, 2010, Kareem Ali, a 65 year old resident
Turns out he was diabetic and probably in the midst of a hypoglycemic crisis.
On October 14, 2010, Kareem Ali, a 65 year old resident
of Silver Spring was found wandering confusedly in the
stairwell of an apartment house near the one where he lived.
He angrily refused to cooperate with the police, was subdued with pepper spray and a Taser, and subsequently died.
The cause of death has not yet been released.
Since April of 2004, 13 people have died in Maryland
He angrily refused to cooperate with the police, was subdued with pepper spray and a Taser, and subsequently died.
The cause of death has not yet been released.
Since April of 2004, 13 people have died in Maryland
after Taser use, three in Montgomery County.
The median age was 40 years old.
For the most part, they were suffering from
The median age was 40 years old.
For the most part, they were suffering from
mental, physical, or chemical disturbances.
Apart from their disturbed behavior,
Apart from their disturbed behavior,
none were involved in a crime
at the time of the police encounter.
In each case it is not clear whether the Taser
In each case it is not clear whether the Taser
was a direct or a contributing cause of death.
What IS clear is that Taser use seems to identify
What IS clear is that Taser use seems to identify
situations where the police deal with a health crisis
as if it were a law enforcement crisis.
It’s not as if they don’t know better. On June 27th of this year,
the Montgomery County Police Department celebrated
the 10th anniversary of the CIT (Crisis Intervention Team),
a partnership of the Montgomery County Departments
a partnership of the Montgomery County Departments
of Health and Human Services and Police,
that for 10 years has trained police officers to deal
that for 10 years has trained police officers to deal
more effectively with mental illness crisis situations.
But all the training in the world doesn’t help if its not used.
When officers encounter bizarre belligerent behavior,
But all the training in the world doesn’t help if its not used.
When officers encounter bizarre belligerent behavior,
they seem to think “Taser”. Instead, they should think
“diabetes, schizophrenia, Alzheimers, drugs, alcohol”.
They should think “danger of sudden collapse”.
When possible they should take a time to defuse the situation.
Whether or not they use Tasers, they should be prepared
They should think “danger of sudden collapse”.
When possible they should take a time to defuse the situation.
Whether or not they use Tasers, they should be prepared
to handle sudden collapse by having AEDs (defibrillators)
in their squad cars. (The Montgomery County ACLU
in their squad cars. (The Montgomery County ACLU
Chapter has advocated this step since 2004.)
Tasered persons should be continuously observed
Tasered persons should be continuously observed
by rescue medics until examined and cleared at a hospital emergency room.
