Man Dies After Being Shocked With Taser Gun

"A 63-year-old man died Sunday night after a sheriff's deputy shocked him with a Taser gun, NewsChannel5 reported.


Ashtabula County Sheriff's deputies were called to Newline Road after reports that Kenneth Cleveland was threatening a father and son who were riding ATVs in front of his home.

Deputies said that when they arrived, Cleveland had a handgun in his waistband.

Three deputies asked him to put it down. When he refused, one deputy used the Taser gun on him and the men got into a struggle, WEWS reported.

Cleveland was taken into custody and was dead upon arrival at St. Joseph's Hospital."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/wews/20060508/lo_wews/3452638


I guess the guy should have given the cops his gun.

then he would not be dead.

Wouldn't the cops have been in greater danger if he'd had it in his hand? And wouldn't he have had to put it in his hand to give it to them? Why didn't they just "cover" him & take the gun?

on the ground, back away and get down on the ground. The perp obviously was not about to cooperate and the cops took control of the situation with the Taser, before the gun went off, intentionally or unintentionally during the apprehension.

So he was Tasered & died. The phrase "took control of the situation" does not apply. It was a giant screw-up.

Nice country we have going here.

for him and his family. Cop says drop it, you drop it.

...reaching for it, at which point they'd shoot 'im down in a hail of lead 'cuz he "reached for his gun."

told him to put his hands behind his head and then take the gun from him.
:shrug:

If he was refusing to give them the gun, I doubt he would have put his hands behind his head.

...nor does one's doubt about the man's intent justify killing him. Kind of a preemptive strike, isn't it? The only thing he's gonna shoot from his waitband is his own willie; the cops were not in a deadly force situation. With all the deaths that have occurred from Tasers, it should be recognized when one is used that it is potentially deadly force. The threat should be sufficient to justify it.

They suggested that the police should have asked the man to put his hands behind his head, I would think that the man wouldn't have done so. I think it is being "fair" to say that.

...but it's also irrelevant. A gun in the waistband does not constitute a threat of imminent danger in my book...unless you count the ones on cops' hips. Then, maybe.

says do it, you do it. They said drop your gun and he said no, so they tasered him and unfortunately because of his health or age he died. I feel bad for all parties and their families involved. Is it known if one can adjust the voltage on a taser?

These things are inhumane.

I notice this article does not place the incident in context. Could be there was some violent history or prior physical conflict involving the guys on the ATVs. Could be the guy had a legitimate reason (defense of himself, his family and his home) for having that gun tucked inside his waistband. Could be the guy was on his own property with that gun and not threatening anybody at all. Could be the guy had a permit to carry the gun. Not enough information to know.

I do think it would have been more appropriate as mentioned in an earlier post for the cops to cover the guy and for them to remove the gun from his waistband. I, too would be reluctant to remove a gun from my waistband if I were surrounded by cops who presumably have weapons drawn on me.

it is an excellent idea to comply.