Teen shot by police stun gun dies

Yugioffmahproperty · 10-31-2006, 08:47 PM

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061031/ap_on_.../stun_gun_death

Quote:

A teenager carrying a Bible and shouting "I want Jesus" was shot twice with a police stun gun and later died at a St. Louis hospital, authorities said.

In a statement obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press, police in Jerseyville, about 40 miles north of St. Louis, said 17-year-old Roger Holyfield would not acknowledge officers who approached him in an intersection and he continued yelling, "I want Jesus."

Police tried to calm the teen, but Holyfield became combative, according to the statement. Officers fired the stun gun at him after he ignored their warnings, then fired again when he continued struggling, police said.

Holyfield was flown to St. Louis' Cardinal Glennon Hospital after the confrontation Saturday; he died there Sunday, police said.

After a preliminary autopsy Tuesday, deputy chief medical examiner Dr. Phillip Burch told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that the boy might have died of "excited delirium" and that "he could have dropped dead without being Tased." He said he didn't see overt signs of injury or foul play.

Excited delirium can be brought on by mental illness or drugs, Burch said. Complete results won't be available for at least six weeks, when toxicology tests are returned.

Messages left for Burch by The Associated Press were not immediately returned.

The statement obtained Tuesday expressed sympathy to Holyfield's family but said city and police officials would not discuss the matter further.

It was not immediately clear whether Holyfield was mentally ill.

Calls Tuesday to Jerseyville Police Chief Brad Blackorby were not immediately returned. The department has been using stun guns for about five months, according to the statement.

Holyfield's family members also did not return phone messages.

In a report released in March, international human rights group Amnesty International said it had logged at least 156 deaths across the country in the previous five years related to police stun guns.

The rise in deaths accompanies a marked increase in the number of U.S. law enforcement agencies employing devices made by Taser International Inc. of Scottsdale, Ariz. About 1,000 of the nation's 18,000 police agencies used Tasers in 2001; more than 7,000 departments had them last year, according to a government study.

Police had used Tasers more than 70,000 times as of last year, Congress' Government Accountability Office said.

Amnesty International has urged police departments to suspend the use of Tasers pending more study. Taser International said the group's count was flawed and falsely linked deaths to Taser use when there has been no such official conclusion.

The city of St. Louis also drew unwanted attention for crime this week when it was named the most dangerous U.S. city by Morgan Quitno Press. The ranking looked only at crime within St. Louis city limits, not its metro area.[/b]

I guess he got what he wanted?

Seriously, I'm iffy with the use of these stun guns. I do believe it could cause some health problems, it's basically electricuting you. I guess it's better than shooting the guy on the leg or using excessive force that might cause broken bones or even asphyxation.

DyessFan · 10-31-2006, 09:18 PM

Yeah. Police give someone how many warnings and they act all surprised when force is used on them.
I'm not sure about stun guns either. Maybe this kid had a pre-existing medical condition that caused his death....or maybe they are that lethal to certain people.

But, if someone's walking around with a Bible and is shouting I Want Jesus and is ignoring police warnings, then what did they expect, I guess.

The White T-mac · 10-31-2006, 09:29 PM

they shouldnt have even bothered him. he wasnt hurting anybody.

Honolulublue · 11-01-2006, 01:05 AM

I don't like stun guns. Too many dang questions with them. It was meant for him to die at that moment.

Lucy · 08-09-2007, 04:21 AM

bad thing.

nrvanagrl · 01-31-2008, 04:22 PM

cant they just shoot tranquilizer guns or something?

When the red sox won the 04 series riot police killed an emerson student by shooting a beanbag into her eye. I mean, i was there for the ALCS riots and aside from one group of assholes that flipped a car people were just having a good time without hurting anyone... i doubt shooting beanbags at people is going to really do much to stop them from that

11-01-2006, 01:05 AM	#4 (permalink)
Honolulublue Rookie Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 330	I don't like stun guns. Too many dang questions with them. It was meant for him to die at that moment. __________________

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Bo Schembechler Dies	MoNeY_MiKe__	Sports Talk	2	11-24-2006 05:50 PM
Celtics patriarch Auerbach dies at 89	KG-MVP21	General Discussion	4	10-29-2006 01:50 AM
Police Chief May Lose Job Over Wife's Nude Pics	Yugioffmahproperty	Off-Topic	3	09-06-2006 11:09 PM
Woman Calls Police To Report Clean House	Yugioffmahproperty	Off-Topic	7	08-14-2006 08:19 PM

10-31-2006, 09:18 PM	#2 (permalink)
DyessFan Star Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Far, far away..... Posts: 1,005	Yeah. Police give someone how many warnings and they act all surprised when force is used on them. I'm not sure about stun guns either. Maybe this kid had a pre-existing medical condition that caused his death....or maybe they are that lethal to certain people. But, if someone's walking around with a Bible and is shouting I Want Jesus and is ignoring police warnings, then what did they expect, I guess.

10-31-2006, 09:29 PM	#3 (permalink)
The White T-mac Star Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Rockwood, Michigan Posts: 1,175	they shouldnt have even bothered him. he wasnt hurting anybody.

08-09-2007, 04:21 AM	#5 (permalink)
Lucy Newbie Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: MA Posts: 13	bad thing.

01-31-2008, 04:22 PM	#6 (permalink)
nrvanagrl Newbie Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 11	cant they just shoot tranquilizer guns or something? When the red sox won the 04 series riot police killed an emerson student by shooting a beanbag into her eye. I mean, i was there for the ALCS riots and aside from one group of assholes that flipped a car people were just having a good time without hurting anyone... i doubt shooting beanbags at people is going to really do much to stop them from that