# An Inconvenient Death



## kwflatbed (Dec 29, 2004)

The Ethics of Force

*MICHAEL QUINN
Ethics Contributor*

An unexpected death in a use of force encounter is always a bad deal, for the cops and the family of the victim. We just had another one of those deaths here in Minnesota. State Troopers tased an individual when he refused to comply at the scene of an accident and he died. Nationwide there have been somewhere between 70 to 290 deaths since 2001 attributed to the use of the Taser ®, depending on whose statistics you believe. Lots of people would have law enforcement get rid of the Taser ®. The law enforcement community is equally adamant about the need for the Taser® in our arsenal of weapons. Agencies often quote the reduced number of injuries to officers, and the associated monetary savings, when the Taser® is an option to engaging in hand to hand combat. They argue that by using the Taser® they reduce the risk of injuries to the officer, and statistically that seems to be true. Until 1985, law enforcement used a similar line of reasoning to justify shooting at fleeing felons. Then came the Supreme Court Case of TENNESSEE V. GARNER, 471 U. S. 1 (1985).

Memphis, Tennessee, 1974; burglar Edward Garner is shot and killed by Officer Elton Hymon who believes that there is a risk of Garner escaping if he does not shoot him. Officer Hymon is within department policy and Tennessee State Statute because at that time they both allow for the use of deadly force against fleeing felons.

Full Article: http://www.officer.com/web/online/On-the-Street/An-Inconvenient-Death/21$39849


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