Cattle-prodding human rights

The United States of America is often marketed by government officials and patriotic citizens as a beacon of liberty and justice across the globe. Watchdog human rights organizations like Amnesty International, however, believe the U.S. government and patriotic Americans have a duty to themselves and the world to promote liberty and justice within their own national boundaries.\nBesides criticizing the U.S. War on Terror, AI's 2005 report highlights a few other areas of human rights concern within American communities. More than 40 people died after being struck by U.S. police Tasers, for instance -- including Monroe County resident James Borden. The total number of such deaths is more than 70 since 2001, according to the 2005 AI report. \n"Most of the people who died were unarmed men who did not appear to pose a serious threat when they were electroshocked. Many were subjected to multiple shocks and some to additional forces such as pepper spray or dangerous restraint holds, including hogtying," AI officials said in a public document about U.S. Taser use. "There were reports that Tasers were used by officers routinely to shock people who were mentally disturbed or simply refused to obey commands. Children and elderly were among those shocked." \nTaser devices use compressed nitrogen to project two small probes up to 25 feet at a speed of over 160 ft. per second which deliver about 50,000 volts of electricity, according to Taser International -- the company that manufactures the police and military weapon. An electrical signal is transmitted through the wires to where the probes make contact with the body or clothing, resulting in an immediate loss of the person's neuromuscular control and the ability to perform coordinated action for the duration of the impulse. A Taser can be fired several times or used as a stun gun. \n"Some medical experts believe Taser shocks may exacerbate a risk of heart failure in cases where people are agitated or under the influence of drugs or have underlying health problems," AI officials said. "Amnesty International believes that a temporal link between the use of the Taser and loss of consciousness cannot be ruled out in a number of deaths and that this issue raises a serious concern that requires further careful review and investigation by independent medical and scientific experts."\nAmong the more problematic Taser cases cited by AI: a man suffering from two epileptic seizures was tasered by Baytown, Texas, officers for resisting while being strapped onto a stretcher; a man was tasered while standing in a tree by Mesa, Ariz., officers -- he broke his neck and is now paralyzed after falling; a handcuffed nine-year-old girl was tasered by South Tucson, Ark., officers in the back of a patrol car for refusing to put her legs into nylon restraints; a 71-year-old man was tasered by Portland, Ore., officers for dropping to his hands and knees instead of lying flat on the floor as ordered; and a six-month pregnant woman was tasered by Chula Vista, Calif., officers for not following orders during a domestic dispute -- she later miscarried the baby.\nAI lists hundreds of other cases of suspected Taser abuse by law enforcement personnel on elementary school children, pregnant women, older persons and restrained or non-combative detainees that did not result in death but injury. Taser International boasts Taser devices are currently in testing or use at more than 7,000 law enforcement, military and correctional agencies in the United States and abroad.\n"Amnesty International believes that in many cases the police use of force was excessive, contravening international standards and amounting in some cases to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment," AI officials said. "Amnesty International acknowledges the importance of developing non-lethal or 'less than lethal' force options to decrease the risk of death or injury inherent in the use of firearms or other impact weapons such as batons. However, the use of stun technology in law enforcement raises a number of concerns for the protection of human rights."\nTaser use has no doubt saved the lives of numerous police officers throughout the years, and most police personnel use the weapon with responsible care. Taser use by all law enforcement officials, however, should follow the human rights standards issued by the United Nations Convention against Torture and by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which prohibit torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.\nIndianapolis police reported to AI officials, for example, that the entry level at which Tasers could be used was "at any point force is needed." All Hoosier law enforcement agencies should develop a thorough policy regarding the threshold of "force" to maximize Taser use in life threatening situations but to minimize Taser use as a method of coercion or negotiation on nonviolent and restrained citizens in police custody. \n"There remains a lack of rigorous, independent research into the medical and safety effects of stun weapons ... None of these studies has been peer reviewed," AI officials said. "Amnesty International is reiterating its call on federal, state and local authorities and law enforcement agencies to suspend all transfers and use of electro-shock weapons, pending an urgent rigorous, independent and impartial inquiry into their use and effects."\nAI recommends using Tasers only for situations where deadly force is necessary.\nAI released its 2005 report as an "opportunity for positive change," and the U.S. should begin to mend one glaring discrepancy of its own sense of liberty and justice for the American people -- the use of Taser weapons to subdue children, pregnant women and older persons.