Does someone deserve to be murdered by police just because they are on drugs?

Question

The sad reality is that when a cop "tasers" an unarmed person who has at one time done cocaine or crystal meth the odds of their survival is not likely.

When the county coroner comes on TV to tell us all that the "suspect" died because they had at one time or another done drugs... instead of honestly saying that the police taser killed them... it creates a vigilante justice system in our society where the police are acting as judge, jury and executioner.

Would you agree with this?
Do you feel that having done drugs in the past is reason enough to not have your safety be a concern in American law enforcement?

i meant to type "to have your safety be of little concern"...

Answer 1

sometimes things are difficult to figure out

but this I know ... chemical addiction is a medical and a social issue ... but we have foolishly turned it into a criminal issue

police are taught self defense, not psychology

until all that changes does it really matter?

Answer 2

Police use tasers b/c a suspect is not cooperating. The folks that have done drugs in the past (and are probably still doing them or under the influence of them at the time) are the ones that are more likely not to cooperate with police and get tasered.

Do I think that police should refrain from using tasers on drug users? No.

The police should use the force they deem necessary under the law to protect themselves and the rest of the public.

Answer 3

I think for our system of justice to work and for us to have faith in it we have to assume that the police officers we have asked to serve us are capable and trained to know that they are required to subdue an uncooperative individual with a minimum of force.

The tasers are a device that allows officers to use less than deadly force when the situation calls for it. They fall under a review each time they use any such device.

Obviously the officers are not in a position to ask a subject if he has previously used cocaine or crystal meth prior to using a taser on the subject.

I've got to ask if you've ever been privy to an individual who was out of control wanting to do you or anyone else bodily harm and the only way to control the situation was to subdue the person? It is not a pleasant sight...it is not something that police officers get a kick out of doing. Adrenalin is flowing and hearts are pumping fast and area of focus is restricted.....and yet we ask the police officer to recall their primary responsibility to us.....to protect and to serve us....and by the way just because they are a police officer....they are still one of us and they have the right to protect themselves from great bodily harm.

Answer 4

My favorite "Shocking Moment", was the man who was tasered in a tree. Apparently the cop felt it would be prudent to remove a theft suspect from the tree by pointing the taser in the air and shocking the suspect until he decided to come down. Unfortunately the suspect fell and landed on his head, breaking his neck and is now paralyzed, a jury "The Public" decided to award the suspect a multi-million dollar lawsuit. Seems a bit unfair, but thats war for ya.

Answer 5

Depends on what he was doing when he got tasered. If he was breaking the law that caused him to get tasered then it was reason enough. The police probably had no way of knowing it would kill him.
People breaking the law have to suffer the consequences of their actions.

Answer 6

I believe the taser is used to forego using sidearms when
an officer is under attack. I feel an officer has the right to
protect and apprehend, as well as his own defense using
as little force as necessary, but as MUCH force as he
has at his disposal that he/she deem necessary for the
situation.

Answer 7

Welcome to Bushland!