Guardian: Police stun-gun may be lethal, firm admits

11.15am
Police stun-gun may be lethal, firm admits

James Sturcke and Rosalind Ryan
Monday October 3, 2005

The manufacturer of a stun-gun used in the arrest of a July 21 London
bomb attempt suspect is restricting the use of the phrase "non-lethal"
in its marketing campaigns amid an investigation by American state
authorities.

Taser International, which makes weapons that fire up to 50,000 volts
and are used to incapacitate a person, also said it would no longer
claim in its consumer literature that its guns "left no lasting
effects".

The voluntary concessions come after the attorney general of Arizona,
where Taser is based, launched an investigation earlier this year into
claims made by the firm about safety studies carried out on its
products. It is among nearly two dozen states that have started action
against Taser products in recent months.