"Tasers - Potentially Lethal and Easy to Abuse"

From the blog: "From the Amnesty International News Release:

Amnesty International has said that industry claims that Taser stun guns are safe and non-lethal do not stand up to scrutiny. The organization called on governments to limit their deployment to life-threatening situations or to suspend their use.

The call came as the organization released one of the most detailed reports to date on the safety of the stun gun. The report "USA: Less than lethal?" is being published as the number of people who died after being struck by Tasers in the USA reached 334 between 2001 and August 2008.

"Tasers are not the 'non-lethal' weapons they are portrayed to be," said Angela Wright, US researcher at Amnesty International and author of the report. "They can kill and should only be used as a last resort.

"The problem with Tasers is that they are inherently open to abuse, as they are easy to carry and easy to use and can inflict severe pain at the push of a button, without leaving substantial marks."

Direct to Full Text: USA: 'Less than lethal'?: The use of stun weapons in US law enforcement (130 pages; PDF)

Direct to Full Text: USA: Stun weapons in law enforcement (8 pages;PDF)

[Their] Source: Amnesty International

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Source: Docuticker, 17 December 2008