trespass

Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 6:42 a.m.

@Reality Check- the autopsy report was released because the investigation by the State Police is over. We are not likely to get more facts unless we demand them. Although the timing of the drug injection is suspect, it is the Medical Examiner who says that it was unrelated to his cause of death and that his death was due to heart damage caused by the struggle and/or tasering of the subject. According to the ME's report, the cause of death resulted from large amounts of adrenaline pumped into his blood as a result of the struggle, exertion and tasering. Since each tasering will result in additional adrenaline being pumped into his blood and since we know that multiple taser deployments increase the risk of death, it is important to know whether each taser application was necessary. Even if the first application was necessary, sometimes the second and third are given just to get compliance from an uncooperative prisoner even after he is restrained. Do we know that is not the case here? We need to demand more facts. Even if all of the taser applications were necessary in this case, there are other cases where they are not. Police officers need to be trained about the dangers of using a taser and that it is to be used when an officer is in danger, not to capture a fleeing suspect or punish a prisoner who does not comply with the officer's orders.

PAPA SMURF

Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 4:02 a.m.

Say hi to Tupac.

PAPA SMURF

Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 1:22 a.m.

Tasers shouldn't be used. The cops should just empty their magazines into this sociopathic convicted felon when he resisted/tried to flee.

RealityCheck

Sun, Jan 16, 2011 : 11:41 p.m.

I find a lot of these comments very disturbing. Some posters that I have seen in the past make very interesting and valid points have really sounded ignorant and close minded in relation to this story. It doesn't strike you as odd that this man died so long after being tasered, and so shortly after being administered drugs in the hospital? Maybe instead of jumping to conclusions we should wait for all the facts. As for the actual act of tasering. First, this man did not deserve to die. But, his actions dictated those of the officers. If he did nothing wrong why flee and resist arrest? Everyone should know that these days if you resist the lawful orders of a peace officer with violence then you will be tased. What most likely happened (in my opinion only) was that he was tasered once to stop him from running, then was drive tasered when he continued to resist efforts to put him in handcuffs. It doesn't matter what crime he committed, what drug he was selling. He broke the law and resisted arrest. Don't do anything wrong and respect the police and you will never have to worry about being tased, end of story.

trespass

Sun, Jan 16, 2011 : 12:59 p.m.

@ellen- it means livingston and washtenaw narcotics enforcement team. Several area law enforcement agencies and the state police cooperate on certain drug investigations.

Ellen

Sun, Jan 16, 2011 : 11:03 a.m.

what does LAWNET mean? the local police dept?

trespass

Sun, Jan 16, 2011 : 6:12 a.m.

@ concerned in ypsi- my point is that he did not die of a respiratory arrest followed by a cardiac arrest. He had a documented PEA cardiac arrest. This means that his heart muscle was so damaged that it could not pump blood even though there was electrical activity in the heart (pulseless electrical activity). That is not a known side effect or either Lorazepam or marijuana, even if you have a synergistic reaction. In addition, since the blood test is for metabolites of marijuana and not the active ingredient, it can stay positive for days after marijuana is used. It can even be positive if you walk into a room where someone is smoking marijuana. Thus, there is no proof he was intoxicated at the time of his arrest.

concerned in ypsi

Sat, Jan 15, 2011 : 11:01 p.m.

@trepass Lorazepam should be avoided in patients with the following conditions: Acute intoxication Lorazepam may interact synergistically with the effects of alcohol, narcotics, or other psychoactive substances. It should, therefore, not be administered to a drunk or intoxicated person. Drug synergism occurs when drugs can interact in ways that enhance or magnify one or more effects, or side effects, of those drugs also: Sedative medications (CNS depressants) Interaction Rating: Major Do not take this combination. Marijuana might cause sleepiness and drowsiness. Medications that cause sleepiness are called sedatives. Taking marijuana along with sedative medications might cause too much sleepiness. Which in turn can cause respiratory arrest leading to cardiac arrest. Some sedative medications include clonazepam (Klonopin), lorazepam (Ativan), phenobarbital (Donnatal), zolpidem (Ambien), and others.

Kai Petainen

Sat, Jan 15, 2011 : 10:58 p.m.

Up in Canada they've had a bunch of questions surrounding tasers. The Robert Dziekanski case is quite famous... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Dzieka%C5%84ski_Taser_incident

Speechless

Sat, Jan 15, 2011 : 6:44 p.m.

"... Mr. Jackson choose his lifestyle....now his mother will have to live with the consequences...." When seeking to restrain Stanley Jackson, both at his mother's house and later on at the hospital, law enforcement and hospital personnel did not have the right to play executioner. Having that outcome occur unintentionally doesn't make it acceptable. The handling of this incident represents a serious and tragic failure. Such loss of life is not to be so lightly whisked away as mere "collateral damage."

a2baggagehandler

Sat, Jan 15, 2011 : 6:25 p.m.

I miss the good old days.

trespass

Sat, Jan 15, 2011 : 6:05 p.m.

@concerned in ypsi- neither marijuana nor benzodiazepines have an effect on the ability of cardiac muscle to contract. If the County Medical Examiner could have blamed this on drugs, I am sure he would have. He would love to get the County off the hook.

concerned in ypsi

Sat, Jan 15, 2011 : 5:35 p.m.

@trespass- any mind altering drug (including marijuana) mixed with lorazepam can cause a synergistic reaction..I checked that with an ER Doc....but with his underlying cardiac problem and history of substance abuse (check OTIS and see his record, shows as a probation requirement he had to attend AA/NA meetings) sounds like that was more the problem.....

JGS

Sat, Jan 15, 2011 : 1:41 p.m.

@JohnQ - so you don't mind a drug dealer selling to your kids or stealing from your house? Your tune would quickly change had you been the victim.

trespass

Sat, Jan 15, 2011 : 12:09 p.m.

@concerned in ypsi- the blood test for marijuana can stay positive for many days after someone smokes marijuana so it does not necessarily mean that he was intoxicated when he died. I take your point about drug interactions but I have not heard of marijuana and benzodiazepines resulting in a fatal interaction. The reason it is important to test for the Lorazepam in the autopsy is to make sure that is what he was actually given and that he recieved the right dose. If he doesn't have it in his system, you should look hard to make sure he didn't receive something else.

Thatsright

Sat, Jan 15, 2011 : 11:58 a.m.

As an unfortunate neighbor of these people, there was definitely illegal activity going on in that house. They would park themselves outside and many cars would pull in and out for thier 5 second transactions. This would go on both in broad daylight as well as all hours into the night. All of this has now stopped. There used to be over 12 kids living in that area, running and playing all day. Now there are about 3 left. Mr.Jackson choose his lifestyle....now his mother will have to live with the consequences....

concerned in ypsi

Sat, Jan 15, 2011 : 11:47 a.m.

John Q excellent comment! He also is a 250 pound man that probably was fighting like hell to get away...which he has done before in his past. Trespass- Very well said.....don't know if you saw my earlier comment on lorazepam, but with any kind of drug (marijuana included) it can cause a synergistic reaction. I really enjoyed your comment....and thanks for shedding light on the autopsy report!

John Q

Sat, Jan 15, 2011 : 10:28 a.m.

"Let me state one thing - nobody DESERVED to die from this incident. However, I find it quite humoring that folks would defend a person with a rap sheet as long as Mr. Jackson's. " Mr. Jackson'r rap sheet is irrelevant. If he had a clean record, would his death suddenly be wrong in your eyes? Or would you find an new excuse to justify his death?

joannas

Sat, Jan 15, 2011 : 10:24 a.m.

I think this is simply awful. I don't care what drugs Jackson was involved with (selling OR using), he didn't deserve to die. Just because the police have this technology doesn't mean they get to use it indiscriminately. This reminds me of the practice of police engaging in high-speed chances in Detroit for things like speeding and subsequently wrecking (ultimately) MANY police cars.

GRANDPABOB

Sat, Jan 15, 2011 : 9:51 a.m.

@ RUSTY Nowhere did I read that the suspect was restrained when tasered or driveshot. It said he was resisting arre4st when when tasered. Would you rather he was shot or beat with a night stick? Like they say if you do the crime do the time!

JGS

Sat, Jan 15, 2011 : 8:56 a.m.

@DFSmith - Totally agree! That Bravado would turn into begging and crying. I've seen it! haha Let me state one thing - nobody DESERVED to die from this incident. However, I find it quite humoring that folks would defend a person with a rap sheet as long as Mr. Jackson's. Let's just pick a couple of convictions... say cocaine sales and home invasion. To those of you defending him, I'm sure your tune would change if it were your kids being sold the drugs and/or your home being invaded. Of course everything is "alleged" Right, because when you're innocent you don't need a tether.

trespass

Sat, Jan 15, 2011 : 8:38 a.m.

The autopsy report says that he sufferred a PEA (pulseless electrical activity) cardiac arrest 2 minutes after he was given Lorazepam. He was pronounced dead 34 minutes later after efforts to resucitate him failed. The autopsy report says he had some marijuana in his blood but no other drugs of abuse. It is interesting that they did not mention Lorazepam. Did they test for it? The cause of death in the autopsy report includes both heart damage and police arrest with EMDD (Taser) deployment, however, I would criticize the report as somewhat speculative. Objectively, they found a type of damaged heart muscle called "contraction band necrosis". The report focuses on one cause of this type of damage, which is that large amounts of adrenaline can cause this type of damage in animal models. However, it is also found in electrocution deaths and with certain drug overdoses (e.g. Ecstasy or other stimulants). Since the blood tests did not show any of these drugs that cause is ruled out. The adrenaline induced heart damage seems plausible but patients with this condition usually complain of chest pain and there are changes in the electrocardiogram that indicate that the heart muscle is not getting enough oxygen. The autopsy report does not say whether any of that was reported at the hospital. Thus, it seems certain that he died because of heart damage but how much the struggle contributed and how much the taser contributed is not known, however, it was related to his arrest. This type of death has been reported after a struggle without use of a taser but it is extremely rare and may have been related to positional asphyxia (person couldn't breath)rather than cardiac arrest. The county prosecutor and other county employees are using this uncertainty to claim that the autopsy report says that he died of heart disease and not because of the taser. This seems disingenuous, particularly considering the County's conflict of interest here. In another case reported last September in AnnArbor.com, a man was tasered three time because he "appeared ready to fight". http://www.annarbor.com/news/ypsilanti-police-use-taser-on-suspected-drunken-driver/ Video shows he was tasered less than two seconds after he got out of his car and that he was "drive stunned" two more times, while lying flat on the ground in handcuffs, because he would not voluntarily get into the back seat of the officers car. He could just as easily have died as Mr. Jackson and his offense was playing his car stereo too loudly. The public is not even allowed to see the policy with regard to the use of tasers because it is exempt from FOIA requests. I think this is too important to keep secret.

Gordon

Sat, Jan 15, 2011 : 8:32 a.m.

As Cyclegirl points out there are consquences to one's own actions. The guys dies because of a taser or the guy dies because police were required to stop his illegal activies? What mixed message do we send to children about 'root cause' of the problem? Should the officer come back another day when the guy is not stressed? Just shoot him? Or do what had to be done at the time? Yes, a law suit will probably be filed because the guy hadn't matured yet.

CycleGirl

Sat, Jan 15, 2011 : 7:18 a.m.

ALWAYSLATE, I'm in agreement,very simple guidelines. Don't want to get arrested? Don't do the crime (especially at your Mon's house!) Don't want to get Tazered? Don't resist arrest! Don't want to get repeatedly Tazered? Don't repeatedly resist arrest! Pretty simple guidelines...

DFSmith

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 11:43 p.m.

Annie- cops have better things to do than going around arresting "innocent" people. And if you try to resist, the cops are allowed to use the necessary amount of force to make you comply, so, getting"angry" and resisting is not gonna do you any good. Your false sense of bravado will evaporate in a few seconds.

Annie

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 10:55 p.m.

I've never been arrested, but I can say, if I was ever arrested and I hadn't done anything wrong, I'd totally resist it. I'd be angry and feel like my rights were being violated! Who is to say that this guy wasn't doing the same thing? Cops aren't perfect...

leaguebus

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 10:16 p.m.

I see what happened, Mr Jackson surrendered to the police, was handcuffed, sitting quietly in the back of the car and was tasered three times by the police before transporting him to jail. This is exactly what the police bashers are saying. Doesn't make much sense, does it?

John Q

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 7:50 p.m.

"Mr Jackson made a choice to resist arrest. He would not have been tased if he had not resisted arrest. Plain & simple." Mr. Jackson's choices are irrelevant. The job of the police officers is to take Mr. Jackson into custody safely and without Mr. Jackson ending up dead. By all reports, Mr. Jackson did nothing that would have justified the use of lethal force. But he's dead. That means somebody failed in doing their job. It's not "attacking the police" to point out the obvious.

stevek

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 7:38 p.m.

@ignatz--Being arrested can also mean you HAVE committed a crime. Resisting arrest may also involve having a physical altercation with a cop where he is in fear for his life. Resisting arrest multiple times can also mean having a physical confrontation with more than one cop. When are people going to stop assuming the police are always wrong when down the road the majority of the time the police are found innocent of any wrong doing and the alleged criminal is found guilty?

DFSmith

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 7:20 p.m.

Well, all the cop-haters and the apologists for criminals are out in force today!!!!

bob

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 6:47 p.m.

@ John Q - NOPE.....there are consequences to all actions. Do you not believe that Mr Jackson contributed in any way to his death? I am not saying I believe resisting arrest should be met with lethal force. But the use of tasers is not considered lethal force. Police do a job that most of us would not. They go into situations ALL the time where they are expected to deal with violent behavior. Their job is very dangerous. And the world at large would be a much more dangerous place to live if violent criminals were just allowed to walk away from the police because they do not choose to live by the rules of society. Mr Jackson made a choice to resist arrest. He would not have been tased if he had not resisted arrest. Plain & simple.

John B.

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 6:02 p.m.

@bob: "If you step into the path of a car driving down the street is it the car's fault when you get injured?" Surely you jest with that comparison?

bob

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 5:53 p.m.

@John Q - I fully agree that police officers are trained to take people into custody without killing them. He was alive when they "took" him into custody since he died 95 minutes after the the taser incident. I assume he was also in the care of medical personnel since he was at the hospital when he died. I made no reference to his criminal record in my comment. His death appears to be the result of his actions...hence the reason I believe he is responsible for his own death. If you step into the path of a car driving down the street is it the car's fault when you get injured?

Peacemaker

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 5:45 p.m.

What part of "stop resisting" when placed under arrest don't you understand? Do you want ourpolice to have o go back to the days of using nightsticks to beat a drug-adled, violent arrestee into submission or unconsciousness? Unless you, youself, have been a beat cop, don't presume to second-guess the men who have volunteered to do the dirty work your don't want to do yourself.

chapmaja

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 5:15 p.m.

I think there is a lot more to this sotry than meets the eye. First. What were the drugs invovled? What was the quantity of drus invovled? Was this a case the guy was obviously a dealer? If it was the crime wasn't as much of a non-violent crime as some assume. Second. Why was he tased? It says he was resisting arrest. In the article it makes no mention that the second and third taser application were applied after he was restrained. Was he attempting to reach for the offices weapons and thus the officers needed to use additional force to actually restrain him? Was he actually restrained and then tased. It makes a big difference. Just because the suspect was drive-tased does not mean he was restrained. If he was restrained, the officers were in fact torturing him and deserve to be punished. If he was not restrained and was attempting to reach for the officers weapons then he needed to be restrained by any means including drive tasing. Third. The part that makes the least amount of sense to me is the timeline. He was tased 95 minutes before he died. He was in the hospital at least 36 minutes before he died because that's when he was given the seditive. Was he suffering from heart related issues during the 59 minutes before he got the injection? I personally suspect the death was caused more by the seditive and the change in stress level of his body than the taser application. He went from what was obviously a high stress level situation, fleeing the arrest, being tased 3 times and then being forcibly dragged to the hospital against his will to a realitively calm state way to quickly. Sudden changes in stress level are a known cause of cardiac problems. Normally they are cased where someone goes from low stress to high stress, but the oppositve is also possible to cause problems. As for the lawsuit. I'm sure one will be filed and numerous experts will be reviewing everything about this case. The simpliest solution to the issue with tasers is that they not be needed. Unfortunately as long as people continue to flee from or threaten the police tasers will be needed and will be used. I am not in favor of the use of tasers in some circumstances and on some individuals, but I'd rather see someone get tased than see a police officer killed or have to kill a suspect threatening them. Tasers have saved a lot more lives than they have cost, both with suspects and with officers.

Soothslayer

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 5:12 p.m.

Did the tasering cause the cardiac arrest or was it that he got caught and was resisting? A fine upstanding citizen of our community will be sorely missed. Most dealers don't live in their own homes. It's best to keep names off the books and float around.

John Q

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 5 p.m.

"Atticus, you believe that if this man hadn't been tasered, he would still be alive. I believe if he hadn't resisted arrest he wouldn't have been tasered. So Mr Jackson is ultimately responsible for his demise. People need to take responsibility for there actions. Police officers are trained to take people into custody without killing them. Why? Because except in very specific circumstances, we don't allow police officers to use lethal force against any person. In this case, the police officers failed. Whatever actions this person should or should not have done, he's the one who is dead and that means the police failed in their duties. Interesting how people thinks it's OK for someone to end up dead because they have a criminal record. If this person had a clean record, would their death have been just as acceptable to you?

AlwaysLate

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 4:57 p.m.

@Ignatz Very funny reply! But, seriously, are you personally acquainted with any innocent person who has been arrested...and subsequently resisted arrest? I dont mean I heard about from a friend of a friend Or I read about it on some activist blog Or Its well known urban legend But, do you actually know someone who was innocent of a crime and actually got arrestedand subsequently resisted that arrest?

treetowncartel

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 4:57 p.m.

Better to be judged by 12 than carried out by 6.

zip the cat

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 4:51 p.m.

Hello Jeffery Feiger!

Macabre Sunset

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 4:47 p.m.

Was there any information in the autopsy report about possible drug use by the victim? Since being tased is part of a police officer's training, it's not considered deadly force on its own. I would be interested in knowing if there are any studies regarding the safety of using a taser on a person who has caused his own heart serious damage through drug use. That's certainly something that would go a long way toward determining whether a taser is, indeed the best "non-lethal" weapon for use in apprehending a resisting suspect.

bob

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 4:34 p.m.

For those who commented on Mr Jackson wearing a GPS tracking device and question why the police didn't just let him run away and pick him up later..... exactly HOW were they suppose to get him later? If he wasn't interested in cooperating with police on this day WHY would he cooperate when they located him with the GPS later? Atticus, you believe that if this man hadn't been tasered, he would still be alive. I believe if he hadn't resisted arrest he wouldn't have been tasered. So Mr Jackson is ultimately responsible for his demise. People need to take responsibility for there actions.

Snehal

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 4:27 p.m.

Isn't it possible that taser might have caused death due to some underlying condition of the victim? Maybe he might have been a drug addict himself. If you run from the law then there might be consequences. I do not think that this is a ground for any lawsuit. In fact, this will save so many tax dollars! A blessing in disguise.

John B.

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 4:21 p.m.

@Ypsi Gizmo: Huh? You're 'pretty sure' about all of that? Are you an expert on ankle tethers and their use? If what you say is correct, then they are worthless and shouldn't even be used.

Ron Granger

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 4:13 p.m.

Another victim in the war on drugs, busted in his home, dead a short time later. Another victim of the taser. Is it any surprise that electric shocks sometimes stop the heart? One wonders what the suspected drugs were and the quantity. Was it a couple of joints? He was "drive stunned" twice. That suggests that he was likely in handcuffs when they stunned him. It reads like he was already aprehended. That raises significant questions in regard to whether it was necessary. Did he mouth off to cops? Did he refuse to give them information they demanded? He was shot up with Lorazepam at the hospital 36 minutes before he died. How much time elapsed from when he was first tasered? What was he complaining of? Did they check his heart rhythm? Who at the hospital decided it was medically necessary to shoot him up? Did he consent? Where is the in car police video and the hospital video? I read the linked articles on this, and police seem to be witholding key information.

Ypsi Gizmo

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 4:06 p.m.

As an aside, people keep mentioning that he was wearing a GPS tracking device. It's not like they are embedded under the skin. Those ankle bracelets are pretty easy to take off or inactivate. If he had gotten away, I'm pretty sure the first thing he would have done would have been to pry that thing off...

kraiford12

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 3:38 p.m.

For the attention this incident is receiving you would think a more thorough article would have been written. "A Belleville man's death was caused by sudden cardiac arrest and Tasering..." A sudden cardiac arrest because of the taser? A sudden cardiac arrest and he was tasered? If implying the taser caused the cardiac arrest how so? Lorazepam having anything to do with it? Just a few questions that maybe would have cleared it up a bit: -There is an hour and a half window from taser deployment to his death. -What about the taser and its use attributed to his death or the cardiac arrest? -There is a thirty minute window from being injected with Lorazepam and his death. -No interaction of the two caused or attributed to cardiac arrest? -Lorazepam has some severe side effects such as: ---Difficulty breathing ---Irregular heartbeat --- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000560 -Any drugs in his system? ---Would they have interacted with the Lorazepam? -Any allergies? Allot seems left unsaid and up for questioning. There is one new statement along with some already known facts. I'm not sure about everyone else, but I would liked to have seen more detail, time and explanation put into this article. I realize Lee Higgins is not an MSP investigator or Medical Examiner. However, Im sure he's capable of supporting his story with a little bit of fact and explanation. Some people are ok with being told "Here are the results". Call me silly for being a bit curious as to why.

concerned in ypsi

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 3:37 p.m.

Look on OTIS, this number 372820

cibachrome

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 3:34 p.m.

I am suggesting that tasers should NOT be used when a wild suspect is possibly under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Wait for more help if possible, subdue with a net or a dart of animal tranquilizer. Maybe that's something stil to be invented: a cartridge similar to lead and powder but uses tranquilizer instead of a bullet hole...

jcj

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 3:31 p.m.

@Atticus F. "However, I honestly believe that if this man hadn't been tasered, he would still be alive." You can inject a million "IF's' that might have prevented his death. What IF he had not been involved in drugs? What IF he had not resisted? "Was it so important to stop him from escaping justice, that they would put his life in danger?" Where would you draw the line in preventing someone from escaping justice? If they had shot the victim with a gun in this circumstance I would say that was excessive given the facts as we know them. There are instances where law officers have used what appears to be excessive force regarding tasers. But I think even you would admit that tasers were introduced as a less lethal alternative to firearms so suspects could be taken into custody without harm to themselves or the officers. If this was such a lethal weapon under most circumstances, you would not have officers being tased as part of their training. This is the case I believe in some jurisdictions. You don't see volunteers stepping forward to be shot with a firearm as part of their training. Maybe A2.com could do a poll for criminals. The question being: A) Would you rather be shot with a taser? B) Would you rather be shot with a firearm? C) Would you rather be allowed to flee unencumbered? I suspect we know in what order a criminal would respond.

concerned in ypsi

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 3:26 p.m.

@rustyshakelford...no where does it say he was already restrained when he was drive stunned. If they had to do that he must have put up a real fight because thats usually when they drive stun somebody. He was given Lorazepam, which if he ingested any of the drugs he had on him or was intoxicated at the time, can cause cardiac arrest. I would love to see his toxicology reports to see if it was just the medication given at the hospital that reacted to something he was on. Lorazepam should be avoided in patients with the following conditions: Acute intoxication Lorazepam may interact synergistically with the effects of alcohol, narcotics, or other psychoactive substances. It should, therefore, not be administered to a drunk or intoxicated person. Drug synergism occurs when drugs can interact in ways that enhance or magnify one or more effects, or side effects, of those drugs

jjc155

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 3:01 p.m.

@atticus-not sure, neither of us were there so it is indeed hard to speculate either way. "If" he was under the influence and/or just had a bad heart the mere excitement and adrelaline dump of fighting (with the police or anyone else for that manner) could have caused a cardiac arrest. Heck even if he ran and got away, he could have had a cardiac arrest just from the "jog." Could he have been under the influence (it was a narcotics investigation and those that sell usually partake aswell) or in such an excited state that he slipped into Excited Delrium and the hospital did not realize it and opted to give him a sedative, which just masked the symptoms instead of helping him? Once fully into excited delrium it is nearly impossible to stop the person from dying, unfortuantely. Wonder what the brain study showed? the brain reacts and shows very predictible signs to electrocution and death stemming from excited delerium unfortuanly the test usually need to be done within roughly 12 hours of death.

breadman

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 2:58 p.m.

Why didn't the officer just point his srevice gun and shoot the guy? Just say that is what was done with tasered gun. Just shoot too kill!!!

Cash

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 2:55 p.m.

Atticus, I agree. For heaven sakes he was wearing a GPS!!!! If they can't track it, they shouldn't use it.

Atticus F.

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 2:54 p.m.

Here's a link to another incident, in which officers from lawnet shot and killed one suspect, and ran over another that was trying to escape: http://ypsinews.com/index.php/200701-fatal-shooting-on-arcade-street-in-ypsilanti-update2/

Ignatz

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 2:54 p.m.

@AlwaysLate: Being arrested does not mean you committed a crime. Resisting arrest may involve nothing more than giving an officer the stink eye. Multiple resisting arrest repeatedly may involve nothing more than multiple stink eyes.

Atticus F.

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 2:45 p.m.

jjc, you bring up some valid points. However, I honestly believe that if this man hadn't been tasered, he would still be alive. I think on of the underlying factors, is was there truly a need to tase this man? If he was in fact able to run away, would it have been the end of the world? They knew where he lives, and his name. Was it so important to stop him from escaping justice, that they would put his life in danger? And if he did escape that day, that doesn't mean he would never be caught.

1973saline

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 2:35 p.m.

Doesn't anyone else find it a little odd that the autopsy found that the taser contributed to his death, but not the drugs given at the hospital? Let's look at the timeline. Suspect is tased and has no problems while being transported to the hospital or even while at the hospital for over 1 hour. In fact the suspect was so uneffected by the taser while at the hospital he was given drugs by the doctors to calm him down. 1/2 an hour after those drugs were given by the doctor's he has a heart attack. Why are the police/taser named as a cause of death when he was obviously still fighting at the hospital if he was given drugs to calm him down. Keep in mind this is over an hour after getting tased. Of course it is a doctor that does the autopsy and does not find his other doctors anyway responsible for the death even though it was their actions that were the closest to the suspects time of death. This whole thing sounds like the police are getting the raw end of this one.

jjc155

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 2:33 p.m.

For the death to be caused by the taser the cause of death would have to be ruled ELECTROCUTION since you would have to determine and rule that the electicity caused the death, which it did not in this case (or any other). The lawsuits that come from Taser use are overwhelmingly product liability suits against Taser International for allegdly producing an unsafe product NOT for wrongful death nor against the Police for excessive force/wrongful death. @rusty I know you get your Taser info from Amnesty International so I alredy know that you do not have any first hand knowledge or training with regards to Taser's. When the probes are deployed there needs to be atleast a 4 inch spread between the probes to reliably get the desired effect of neuromuscular incapacitation. The bigger the spread the more reliable the effect. Should you not get that minimum 4 inch spread, one probe misses the subject or not penetrate their clothing it is perfectly acceptible and trained to follow up with what is called a 3 point contact which is using the probes and then a drive stun to acheive that minium of 4 inch spread or to act like the second probe (on a one probe hit). A three point contact would be one or two probes say in the upper back and then a simulatenous drive stun to the lower leg to get whole body neuromuscular incapacitation. I have a hard time stomaching that fact that he died over an hour and a half after being tasered and after he was given meds at the hospital and this is somehow blamed on the taser. Kinda hard to say "sudden cardiac arrest" was caused 95minutes after being subdued by the police. Lastly, all things equal, would it have been better for the police to strike him with batons? Fists? Boots? to get him to stop resisting lawful arrest? He obviously did not go along with the less physical attempts to get him into custody. The fact that he died is a tragedy and the fact that he died as part of the war on drugs makes it somewhat worse in my wind, but that fact that he died has absolutely nothing to do with that fact that he was tasered. the two are mutually exclusive.

djm12652

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 2:26 p.m.

Did the ME release a report on toxology tests done during the autopsy? Perhaps we could be informed of why this person was wearing a GPS ankle cuff?

Davidian

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 2:24 p.m.

Eliminate the black market....we all know how...and we all know it must be done. Decriminalization now.

Atticus F.

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 2:20 p.m.

cibachrome, are you suggesting that police should not use tasers when apprehending drug users/sellers? Or are you suggesting that the police continue to use them even though they are copletely aware of the high level of risk when aprehending a known drug user?

AlwaysLate

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 2:18 p.m.

@Atticus F. Being a little paranoid aren't you? Can you support any of your LAWNET ramblings?...with facts, I mean.

cibachrome

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 2:14 p.m.

It's a well know fact that drug use (especially the white powdered kind that people are known to sell from their mothers' houses), is bad for the heart. So, the taser compounds the net results, especially if it should just so happen to be found that there is such a suspected, alleged but not proven, amount of drug in his system). Movie stars and sports players who drop dead at this age often do it just by themselves. Unless you are famous (let's say like Linsey LowLife), the police, my neighbors and my neighborhood would rather spark a sense of reality into you and confiscate your valuable stuff purchased from your alledged but not yet proven in a court of law profits from such alledged drug sales. As far as drug dealers in general (alledged users and distributors, of course), I have no problem with them 'offing' themselves in such an assisted manner because that's the society I wish to live in rather than a society which tolerates, excuses, defends and perpetrates white powdered controlled drugs used for entertainment and enslavement purposes). If I'm on the jury, its gonna be no joy for Momma. I will thank myself for it. So shortage of human species DNA yet. Do we need another meteorite to eliminate the Tyrannosurus Rexs of this world, or should we just learn to live with them in peace, love, understanding and murder?

AlwaysLate

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 1:45 p.m.

Don't want to get arrested? Don't do the crime (especially at your Mon's house!) Don't want to get Tazered? Don't resist arrest! Don't want to get repeatedly Tazered? Don't repeatedly resist arrest! Pretty simple guidelines...

greg formella

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 1:44 p.m.

As citizens in fear the reaction is to defend those who claim to protect the citizenry. This guy had a gps anklet....he isn't as large as the auto show B.M.W that was found but probably still traceable. The word of caution is that if this is sanctioned(no life threat to the officer was reported) the citizens give the "officials" permission to treat each one of us the same way. It is well known that tasers are in fact lethal weapons. It is almost as if this technology permits more deviant members of law enforcement to act out on citizens in a manner which in too many cases leaves a person dead. A person in America, protected by our Constitution and Bill Of Rights is not required to blindly submit to the barks of a uniformed officer. They can film you..you can film them. You can question why they are interfering with your peaceful progress. If the answer is fictitious, you can call for the State police or Supervisor. Who decided the Taser was to be used in the first place? This is better than the 12 battery flashlight??????

Cash

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 1:43 p.m.

Annie, I agree. He was wearing a GPS so they knew where he was right? Why the drive-stun twice when he was suspected of illegal activity? They do not mention what drugs, if any, they found. Yeah this will cost taxpayers a lot of money. But it cost a man his life.

Josh Zincke

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 1:32 p.m.

This is sad a 31 year old dies. If they knew who he was why didn't they just let him run away knowing the GPS ankle bracelet could find him wherever he was. Instead they use a taser, because it takes little work hitting a button than actually picking up there feet and chasing the man. This weapon is used WAY to often. In the end still a 31 year dies...sad

Woman in Ypsilanti

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 1:23 p.m.

The problem with these tasers is that if you give them to the police, eventually someone will use one inappropriately. It can't be easy to make good decisions in the heat of the moment and I suspect this is a good example. The guy was wearing a GPS tracking device so even though he was running away, it isn't like they were going to have a hard time finding him later on. I suspect that wasn't something considered while they were deciding if they should taser him or not. I don't really blame the police officers because it is probably human nature to react without thinking in high action situations. But I do question if it is wise to give police officers this tool in the first place. But I am also troubled that police officers in our county are still conducting drug raids. We need to end this nonsense.

TaxedToDeath

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 1:23 p.m.

It's startling how shallow some of these comments are. I am assuming these are the same parents that threaten to sue the school when their kid is suspended. He's being charged with resisting arrest, not fleeing. That means he was fighting with the officers as well. The second 2 tazers were not when he was "already subdued" and "just to torture" him. It was once the fight got up close and turned to a wrestling match! These policemen are risking their lives taking a guy like this down, and I've seen many people tazed and kept on fighting. Let adults be responsible for their actions. He was fighting armed men - that's risky! Just like leading police on a high speed chase is risky. So when the police show up - let them investigate and prove your innocence! But of course that's not likely the case here.

Speechless

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 1:16 p.m.

More body count in a national drug "war" more futile than even our military presence in Afghanistan. Forty years or more, so far, of pointless failure. Until the states and the feds finally decriminalize or legalize these various substances, their highly profitable markets will continue to thrive indefinitely. In the meantime, cops and street dealers play games of hide & seek using live weapons. As a result, individuals like Stanley Jackson continue to wind up as a mortality statistics. These weapons, lethal and "nonlethal," are fired over a small bag of something or other worth pocketfuls of chump change. While Wall Street crooks get golden parachutes, off-shore accounts, and/or country club prisons, these small-timers in the neighborhoods get to be on the receiving end of tasers, bullets, and coffins. Even our region's esteemed white-collar embezzlers can pilfer vastly greater sums in return for heavy wrist slaps in the courtroom and lengthy payment plans afterwards.

goblue7182

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 1:06 p.m.

When will the citizens finally stand up and demand some accountability for LAWNET? How many people will have their property forfeited "stolen" without charges? How many people have to be beaten by men with guns pulled upon entry and black masks? And lastly, how many unarmed people will have to die by three jolts of electricity at the hands of our tax funded police?

scoobysnacks

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 1:04 p.m.

Everyone knows that when you resist the police, youre gonna get tased, maced, and/or roughed up. The tasers are a great tool to control a resistive subject reducing the injury risk to officers or civilians. They have also been used insead of deadly force to detain subjects. The subject in this story has a history of crime. Thank God there are cops who risk their own lives for strangers! One of these strangers may be you, me, or one of our loved ones.

rusty shackelford

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 12:54 p.m.

jcj, that is not at all according to my logic. Self defense in the heat of the moment is fine, and part of the job. But, as the (very short, remarkably easy to read) article states, the victim was hit once from range--which is itself debilitating--and then shocked twice. It also clearly states he was fleeing, not charging. So, if you make up a situation totally different from what actually happened and then intentionally misconstrue what I said about the actual situation and place it in a different, made up context, then I suppose you are right about my logic. Otherwise, not. I agree with your second point that fleeing from cops is never in one's self interest.

jcj

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 12:48 p.m.

@rusty According to your logic. If anyone came at an officer and tried to attack him the officer needs to wait and charge him before reacting. I am not going to pass judgment here against the officers or the victim. But suffice to say if you don't have any reason to resist then best to wait for your day in court rather than try to resist. Best to resist through the court system.

Linda Peck

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 12:48 p.m.

How awful!! Who believes a Taser is not a weapon?

rusty shackelford

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 12:47 p.m.

Sheriff's spokesman Derrick Jackson said an internal investigation into the incident is ongoing. And I have literally zero doubt they will find "no wrong doing" etc, etc, etc. That is what "investigations" are always designed to do: find no wrongdoing on the part of the entity investigating itself.

Atticus F.

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 12:47 p.m.

Yet another person killed by LAWNET over $1000 worth of contraban.

rusty shackelford

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 12:42 p.m.

"walker," I guess reading the 1st sentence of the article is too much to ask of you?

Annie

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 12:42 p.m.

I'm just tired of reading about people getting shot, people getting stabbed, people getting raped...and very few of these criminals are caught. This guy wasn't trying to kill someone, rob someone, or rape someone. He was a non-violent criminal. Don't these police officers have anything better to do? It's the same reason why I can't stand when I see cops sitting around waiting for someone to go ten over the speed limit...shouldn't we be out fighting REAL crime? And, yes, I, too, wonder what the "suspected" drugs were. Because if it was marijuana, that's even more ridiculous.

Ryan

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 12:40 p.m.

Personal accountability is fine but that man was not sentenced to die by a jury of his peers in accordance with our laws. Michigan does not have the death penalty anyway yet this man is dead. No trial, no judgement, just death. With a "non-lethal" weapon nonetheless. When citizens, even those accused of felony crimes, die at the hands of the police without a trial by jury it weakens respect for our whole system of justice. And when people don't respect the system anymore... well, look around you.

rusty shackelford

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 12:40 p.m.

I find it ironic that it would be impossible to sentence a convicted felon to be electroshocked as punishment (it's cruel, hence forbidden by the constitution), yet as a society we not only accept but applaud police officers who torture people with the same devices, when those people have not even been charged, much less convicted, with a crime.

walker101

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 12:38 p.m.

Amazing how the media can determine that the tasering in fact caused his death, why do we need a medical doctors or forensics to determine what actually caused his death or even an autopsy when we can have a newsperson tell us what he really died from. I'm impressed.

rusty shackelford

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 12:36 p.m.

"pawky," are you actually arguing that one deserves, in effect, the death sentence with no trial for the crime of fleeing the police? The article notes he was "drive stunned" (i.e., the taser pushed directly against his body or clothes) twice. Meaning, police officers tortured him with jolts of electricity literally powerful enough to kill him twice after they already had him restrained. So, by you, he got what he deserved? That's fair? The kind of world that thinks that's acceptable is one you'd like to live in?

pawky

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 12:24 p.m.

Engaging in criminal activity, fleeing from the police and resisting arrest (allegedly, of course) carries significant risk. Tasers, while not perfect, give officers a good option over nightsticks or firearms when subduing (alleged) combative criminals. A lawsuit? Give me a break! I'd love to sit on that jury. How about personal responsibility and accountability for ones lawless (alleged) actions? Thank you, officers, for doing the job that we love to complain about, but would never do ourselves.

cinnabar7071

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 12:20 p.m.

Whats the world coming to when a drug dealer has to live at his Mother's house?

dading dont delete me bro

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 12:10 p.m.

sniff sniff i smell lawsuit too and who says crime doesn't pay. i mean "alleged crime" doesn't pay

treetowncartel

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 12:08 p.m.

Of course there will be a lawsuit, but I think Mr. Jackson might have some comparative negligence if the facts do bear out that he resisted the arrest. They should try and go after the manufacturer of the devices. Oh wait, tort reform all but put an end to suing a manufacturer, silly me.

Ignatz

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : noon

One wonders just what the suspected drugs were...

Annie

Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 11:59 a.m.

I smell a lawsuit.