Widow files suit in use of Taser on husband (M. Sanders case)

[struggle4progress]

Fresno musician died after being subdued; death ruled overdose

The widow of a man who died last year after police used Tasers to subdue him has filed a $25 million lawsuit against the city and Taser International Inc.

LaVette Sanders says in the complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Fresno that her husband, Michael Lewis Sanders, a Fresno musician, died after officers "began firing Tasers at his naked body even though Fresno Police Department rules and other instructions require that the Tasers not come in contact with human skin." <snip>

Three months before his death, Sanders had graduated from California State University, Fresno. He had been a member of the dean's list and had planned to teach music. As a musician, he had performed as a soloist and was a member of bands throughout Fresno playing keyboard and guitars. <snip>

The lawsuit, filed by San Francisco attorney Waukeen Q. McCoy, says officers fired "numerous Taser darts into his body" and "then handcuffed him, placed him face down on a gurney, suffocating him, and placed him into an ambulance." <snip>

http://www.fresnobee.com/local/story/10301436p-11109142c.html

[vpigrad]

1. Will the thugs in blue ever be held accountable?

Nah, they'll win this case just like they do all of the others.

[SouthernDem2004]

3. Ever wonder why they win?

Audio and video... We have cameras in the vehicle and we wear body mics and audio recorders.

In cases like this the people suing go to the media with some sob story about how nice the deceased was and how evil the Police were and how he did nothing wrong. Of course the Police can not respond because our attorneys advise us to keep quiet. Well if it ever makes it to court, usually gets tossed long before that, we show the video and play the audio and win. Of course the media never reports on the final out come.

[rooboy]

4. That's an interesting theory...

GOP Convention Videos Call Protester Arrests into Question

Ubiquitous amateur videos taken during last summer's Republican National Convention in New York have paid off for hundreds of protesters who have had charges against them dismissed when the videos contradicted police statements.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4597556

[SouthernDem2004]

7. What is your point?

It works both ways. Do you have a point? How is it a "theory?" Seems you link shows it is fact. Try www.m-w.com next time.

[Spangle]

8. Thank ay YOU

Thank you for posting that. There are some EXCELLENT cops out there. I would trust their word over anyone. But not because they are cops. But for who they are personaly. Since they are HUMANS, every trait that is known in human kind can be found on the police force.

For some reason Police, Teachers, Priest/Clergy, Doctors have been treated differently. Point out an error of anyone working in these feilds and a person will be smeared. Granted, it's because we KNOW what heros they are. But there are many other types of heros out there. And each one of these groups trys to protect that special status by demeaning anyone who speaks up about it. For the medical doctors, people are starting to DEMAND the right to know who the Bad doctors are because they realize the medical field have been protecting them. But it happens in these other fields too.

Thanks for posting the article. This article and the one about the Principle failing to report a rape case should remind us of REALITY. It's a job, worked by humans. WE should be ALLOWED to discuss these people. And those who work these kinds of jobs need to realize we are talking about the same PEOPLE you complain about doing a sucky job, needs to be fired, etc. YOU see them. YOU work with them. They are NOT you. You wonder why they still have their job and wish something could be done about it just like everyone else does. But when you start attacking people for bring up those screw ups, then you are protecting them. Your protecting them by discouraging people from talking about a very, very REAL problem. YOur helping to sweep in under the rug.

[SouthernDem2004]

2. Link to the story:

http://www.insidebayarea.com/portlet/article/html/fragments/print_article.jsp?article=2612214

[struggle4progress]

5. Link regards Saulsbury case. Thread is Sanders case. eom

[SouthernDem2004]

6. My bad