Tasers
Is 'excited delirium' at the root of many Taser deaths?
Last Updated November 15, 2007
By Armina Ligaya, CBC News
When police arrived at the Right Spot bar in downtown Moncton on May 5, 2005, Kevin Geldart was already acting combative and violent. The 34-year-old had a history of bipolar disorder and had somehow walked away from the psychiatric unit of a nearby hospital earlier that night.
Geldart was sweating, his pupils were dilated and he seemed to possess superhuman strength. At first, police used pepper spray to try to subdue the six-foot-six, 300-pound man. It didn't work.
Officers then shocked Geldart with a Taser as many as four times. Then four officers pinned him down, tied his feet and cuffed his hands. It was then that the police noticed Geldart had stopped breathing. He was later pronounced dead at Moncton Hospital.
Fast forward to Oct. 14, 2007.
A similar scene, except this time the setting is at the other side of the country — Vancouver International Airport.
Robert Dziekanski had just flown in from Poland and couldn’t speak a word of English. The 40-year-old came to start a new life in Canada with his mother and was waiting in the customs area for her to pick him up.
By 1:00 a.m., he had been waiting more than eight hours. For reasons that are still unclear, he never saw her.
It was at that point that Dziekanski started acting confused and agitated and began throwing around computer equipment. RCMP were called to the scene.
Maureen Taylor reports on the medical discussion over excited delirium (Runs 2:36)
According to an eyewitness video, four officers approached Dziekanski, who stood calmly while talking to them. Dziekanski then walked away and stood by a wall.
Seconds later, a loud crack is heard. Dziekanski is shocked by a Taser, wails and collapses to the ground. The officers kneel on top of him, pinning him down as he struggles. He died minutes later.
In both of these sudden deaths, what's the culprit?
No comments:
Post a Comment