TASERS RARELY KILL, INQUEST TOLD

N.B. Man Died As Police Applied Repeated Shocks To Subdue Him

MONCTON -- A bioelectricity expert has told an inquest into the death
of a man who had been tasered by police that there are almost no
recorded cases of the devices killing people.

"There have been deaths following taser use, such as the one before
you, but in no case was it caused by the taser," J. Patrick Riley
said yesterday.

In each case, he said, "other factors were present."

Mr. Riley was testifying at the inquest into the death of Kevin
Geldart, 34, of Riverview, N.B., who died May 5, 2005, after being
shocked several times by RCMP officers. Related to
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Mr. Geldart, who suffered from bipolar disorder, left the psychiatric
unit of the Moncton Hospital that night. Police were called when he
showed up at a bar and began acting strangely.

He was heavily medicated and likely experiencing a psychotic episode.

Mr. Riley is an electrical engineer who works at Johns Hopkins
University in Baltimore. He's an expert on the effects of electricity
on living creatures and this is the third time he's testified at a
Canadian inquest into a taser-related death.

Mr. Riley said aside from the death of a seven-month-old child who
was shocked repeatedly by her foster mother, there are no cases where
a person died solely because they were shocked by a conducted-energy
weapon such as a taser.

But he also said more research needs to be done on tasers to fully
understand how they affect people.

For example, inquest legal counsel Nicole Poirier asked Mr. Riley
about the effects of a taser on an individual who was mentally ill,
heavily medicated, recently pepper-sprayed or suffering from asthma
- -- all factors that applied to Mr. Geldart.

Mr. Riley said he's not familiar with any research that covers those
specific circumstances.

He did list several factors that could make an individual more
sensitive to this kind of electrical shock. They include people high
on illegal drugs such as cocaine, pregnant women, young children, the
elderly, thin or small people, and people with physical conditions
such as muscle injuries.

Women would likely be affected more by tasers because they're
smaller, on average.

Large people -- like the 6-foot-6, 360-pound Mr. Geldart -- tend to
be less affected.

"The larger person tends to be less sensitive so they require a
larger dose of electricity to have the same effect as a smaller
person," Mr. Riley said.

Mr. Geldart had been tasered in November of 2003 and didn't stiffen
and fall down, like most people do. He simply kneeled down and
allowed police to cuff him, the inquest was told.

Police testified that at the bar the night of his death, he didn't
react or slow down when they shocked him.

Four officers struggled with him and pinned him to the floor as he
tried to escape. Police wanted to take him back to the hospital, but
he wouldn't go and witnesses said he looked scared of the officers.
When they finally had him cuffed, they realized he was no longer breathing.

At various times, police, firefighters and paramedics worked on Mr.
Geldart, but he never recovered.

Mr. Geldart's death is being blamed on excited delirium, a condition
that will be explained as the inquest proceeds.

How A Taser Weapon Works

A taser weapon uses compressed gas to launch a pair of small darts at
its target. The darts are connected to the weapon with wires. When
the darts make contact, an electrical charge is released from the
weapon through the wires. The charge is strong enough to disrupt the
human body's electrical impulses. This disrupts the central nervous
system, causing the muscles to contract. The target usually recovers
within several minutes.

Air cartridge: Uses compressed nitrogen to fire darts.

Fine sight: Allows user to line up the target.

Screen: Shows power level remaining.

Laser sight: Activated when safety off.

Blast doors: Fly off when fired.

Darts: Fired at 60 metres per second.

Wires: Carry the electrical pulse to the target.

ID tags: Are dispensed when the gun is fired making the use traceable.

Hitting The Target

Distance: The optimum shot is from 2 to 3 metres away from the target
to achieve maximum effect.

Effectiveness: As long as the spread of the probes is at least 10
centimetres, the taser will be extremely effective.

Through clothing: Will work through up to 5 cm of cumulative
clothing, even leather jacks.

Recovery time: Varies by individual - generally several minutes.

Automatic impulse regulation: Once the probes are launched, unit stay
active for 5 seconds to keep target reliably down.

If The Target Is Missed

There are 2 stun electrodes on the front of the unit that can be used
to incapacitate the person by making direct contract.

Source: Taserx26.Com