Dec. 4 is Blogging Against "Taser" Electrocution Day

On December 4, 2009, hundreds of bloggers from the USA, Brazil and Europe will be blogging simultaneously about the increase in electrocution deaths at the hands of US police departments armed with "Taser" brand name massive shock devices.

The Electronic Village blog has composed and posted a list of the names, ages and skin color/national origins of 45 electrocution victims from across the United States, and these names are being republished at blogs from across America, like the Vietnam Wall in Washington, DC graphically recalls the cost of the war in human lives.

AfroSpear and afrosphere participants are also circulating an online petition calling for Congressional hearings into the increasing number of "Taser" electrocution deaths, and into video evidence that "Tasers" are being used as torture devices and devices of summary extra-judicial executions.

What has not been clarified is whether the blogging community will call upon its readers to engage in additional action whose purpose is to end "Taser torture". For example, the favorable outcome in the Jena Six case came not merely from blogging and reading about the Jena Six, but also from a march that mobilized as many as 30,000 people and captured media attention worldwide, focused on an inexplicably anachronistic "white tree" and nooses at a public Louisiana high school.

The Bloggers Against "Taser" Electrocution action effectively poses the question, "What will be the functional equivalent of the Jena Six march in protest of the 45 electrocution deaths in the United States since the beginning of the year?" Bloggers know as a matter of historical fact that they were effective in the Jena Six action, in conjunction with Color of Change and the Chicago Tribune, by informing the public and calling the public to action, while the action of a much broader outraged and disgusted public, including Black students from universities throughout America, really brought justice for the Jena Six, in conjunction with Color of Change's very effective legal resources fundraising.

So the December 4 Bloggers Against Taser Electrocution action of writing and informing about Taser torture is not and end in itself, but a catalyst for the type of national mobilization needed to exercise political pressure.

Below are the names of those electrocuted (killed by electric force) by police this year without the benefit of trial or judicial process:

Electronic Village

"has documented 45 taser-related deaths in the United States since the beginning of the year:

1. Jan 9, 2009: Derrick Jones, 17, Black, Martinsville, Virginia


2. Jan 11, 2009: Rodolfo Lepe, 31, Hispanic, Bakersfield, California


3. Jan 22, 2009: Roger Redden, 52, Caucasian, Soddy Daisy, Tennessee


4. Feb 2, 2009: Garrett Jones, 45, Caucasian, Stockton, California


5. Feb 11, 2009: Richard Lua, 28, Hispanic, San Jose, California


6. Feb 13, 2009: Rudolph Byrd, 37, Black, Thomasville, Georgia


7. Feb 13, 2009: Michael Jones, 43, Black, Iberia, Louisiana


8. Feb 14, 2009: Chenard Kierre Winfield, 32, Black, Los Angeles, California


9. Feb 28, 2009: Robert Lee Welch, 40, Caucasian, Conroe, Texas


10. Mar 22, 2009: Brett Elder, 15, Caucasian, Bay City, Michigan


11. Mar 26, 2009: Marcus D. Moore, 40, Black, Freeport, Illinois


12. Apr 1, 2009: John J. Meier Jr., 48, Caucasian, Tamarac, Florida


13. Apr 6, 2009: Ricardo Varela, 41, Hispanic, Fresno, California


14. Apr 10, 2009: Robert Mitchell, 16, Black, Detroit, Michigan


15. Apr 13, 2009: Craig Prescott, 38, Black, Modesto, California


16. Apr 16, 2009: Gary A. Decker, 50, Black, Tuscon, Arizona


17. Apr 18, 2009: Michael Jacobs Jr., 24, Black, Fort Worth, Texas


18. Apr 30, 2009: Kevin LaDay, 35, Black, Lumberton, Texas


19. May 4, 2009: Gilbert Tafoya, 53, Caucasian, Holbrook, Arizona


20. May 17, 2009: Jamaal Valentine, 27, Black, La Marque, Texas


21. May 23, 2009: Gregory Rold, 37, Black, Salem, Oregon


22. Jun 9, 2009: Brian Cardall, 32, Caucasian, Hurricane, Utah


23. Jun 13, 2009: Dwight Madison, 48, Black, Bel Air, Maryland


24. Jun 20, 2009 Derrek Kairney, 36, [skin color, natl. origin]: Unknown, South Windsor, Connecticut


25. Jun 30, 2009, Shawn Iinuma, 37, [skin color, natl. origin]: Unknown, Fontana, California


26. Jul 2, 2009, Rory McKenzie, 25, Black, Bakersfield, California


27. Jul 20, 2009, Charles Anthony Torrence, 35, Caucasion, Simi Valley, California


28. Jul 30, 2009, Johnathan Michael Nelson, 27, Caucasion, Riverside County, California


29. Aug 9, 2009, Terrace Clifton Smith, 52, Race: Unknown, Moreno Valley, California


30. Aug 12, 2009, Ernest Ridlehuber, 53, [skin color, natl. origin]: Unknown, Greenville, South Carolina


31. Aug 14, 2009, Hakim Jackson, 31, Black, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania


32. Aug 18, 2009, Ronald Eugene Cobbs, 38, Black, Greensboro, North Carolina


33. Aug 20, 2009, Francisco Sesate, 36, Hispanic, Mesa, Arizona


34. Aug 22, 2009, T.J. Nance, 37, Race: Unknown, Arizona City, Arizona


35. Aug 26, 2009, Miguel Molina, 27, Hispanic, Los Angeles, California


36. Aug 27, 2009, Manuel Dante Dent, 27, Hispanic, Modesto, California


37. Sep 3, 2009, Shane Ledbetter, 38, Caucasian, Aurora, Colorado


38. Sep 16, 2009, Alton Warren Ham, 45, Caucasian, Modesto, California


39. Sep 19, 2009, Yuceff W. Young II, 21, Black, Brooklyn, Ohio


40. Sep 21, 2009, Richard Battistata, 44, Hispanic, Laredo, Texas


41. Sep 28, 2009, Derrick Humbert, 38, Black, Bradenton, Florida


42. Oct 2, 2009, Rickey Massey, 38, Black, Panama City, Florida


43. Oct 12, 2009, Christopher John Belknap, 36, Race: Unknown, Ukiah, California


44. Oct 16, 2009, Frank Cleo Sutphin, 19, [skin color, natl. origin]: Unknown, San Bernadino, California


45. Oct 27, 2009, Jeffrey Woodward, 33, [skin color, natl. origin]: Unknown, Gallatin, Tennessee

I think it is worth noting that 42% of these taser-torture killings occurred against African American men. We make up about 6% of the total population, yet 42% of the taser-related deaths in America this year are Black men.

However, nothing seems to be able to stop the continued taser-related killings. I remain convinced that the 'Use of Force Continuum' needs to show tasers as 'near-lethal' ... definitely an error to claim that they are 'non-lethal'.

Something is wrong. Join us in asking for congressional hearings on taser torture."

I personally do not understand why Electronic Village prepares a list of 45 electrocution deaths and then says that "Tasers" should be classified as "near lethal". The Merriam Webster online dictionary defines lethal as "capable of producing death." If Tasers were not "capable of producing death", they would not have produced the 45 deaths documented by Electronic Village. I also question whether attacking the semantics of police guidelines that police obviously are not following anyway will be a successful strategy for attacking pre-trial, extra-judicial electrocutions and executions.

Torture devices do not need to be reclassified; they need to be banned and eradicated.

Since tasers have produced the death of 45 people in ten months, the devices are not merely "near-lethal", which would mean "almost" capable of producing death. They are in fact, and without meaningful dispute, "capable of producing death," and therefore they are "lethal" by definition, and not merely "near lethal".

Electrocution Deaths Increasing as "Taser" Use Becomes Widespread

I have copied the article below virtually verbatim from Pandagon, except I oppose the use of the term "race" unknown and have replaced it with "[skin color, natl. origin]" It has been proved as a matter of scientific fact that "race" does not exist, and so I'm not going to perpetuate the use of this divisive and confusing concept when other clearer and scientifically valid concepts are available, such as "skin color" "skin color group" and "national origin."

• Crime • Personal Security

I point you over to Electronic Village, where Villager is keeping track of some sobering stats—the number of deaths due to the misuse or abuse of the Taser. We're up to 36 deaths this year, with 39% of the pre-trial, extra-judicial electrocutions and executions were perpetrated against black men, who represent only 6% of the population in the U.S.

1. Jan 9, 2009: Derrick Jones, 17, Black, Martinsville, Virginia
2. Jan 11, 2009: Rodolfo Lepe, 31, Hispanic, Bakersfield, California
3. Jan 22, 2009: Roger Redden, 52, Caucasian, Soddy Daisy, Tennessee
4. Feb 2, 2009: Garrett Jones, 45, Caucasian, Stockton, California
5. Feb 11, 2009: Richard Lua, 28, Hispanic, San Jose, California
6. Feb 13, 2009: Rudolph Byrd, Age ?, [skin color, natl. origin] Unknown, Quincy, Florida
7. Feb 13, 2009: Michael Jones, 43, Black, Iberia, Louisiana
8. Feb 14, 2009: Chenard Kierre Winfield, 32, Black, Los Angeles, California
9. Feb 28, 2009: Robert Lee Welch, 40, Caucasian, Conroe, Texas
10. Mar 22, 2009: Brett Elder, 15, Caucasian, Bay City, Michigan
11. Mar 26, 2009: Marcus D. Moore, 40, Black, Freeport, Illinois
12. Apr 1, 2009: John J. Meier Jr., 48, Caucasian, Tamarac, Florida
13. Apr 6, 2009: Ricardo Varela, 41, Hispanic, Fresno, California
14. Apr 10, 2009: Robert Mitchell, 16, Black, Detroit, Michigan
15. Apr 16, 2009: Gary A. Decker, 50, Black, Tuscon, Arizona
16. Apr 18, 2009: Michael Jacobs Jr., 24, Black, Fort Worth, Texas
17. Apr 30, 2009: Kevin LaDay, 35, Black, Lumberton, Texas
18. May 4, 2009: Gilbert Tafoya, 53, Caucasian, Holbrook, Arizona
19. May 17, 2009: Jamaal Valentine, 27, Black, La Marque, Texas
20. May 23, 2009: Gregory Rold, 37, Black, Salem, Oregon
21. Jun 9, 2009: Brian Cardall, 32, Caucasian, Hurricane, Utah
22. Jun 13, 2009: Dwight Madison, 48, Black, Bel Air, Maryland
23. Jun 20, 2009 Derrek Kairney, 36, Race: Unknown, South Windsor, Connecticut
24. Jun 30, 2009, Shawn Iinuma, 37, Race: Unknown, Fontana, California
25. Jul 2, 2009, Rory McKenzie, 25, Black, Bakersfield, California
26. Jul 20, 2009, Charles Anthony Torrence, 35, Caucasian, Simi Valley, California
27. Jul 30, 2009, Johnathan Michael Nelson, 27, Caucasian, Riverside County, California
28. Aug 9, 2009, Terrace Clifton Smith, 52, [skin color, natl. origin] Unknown, Moreno Valley, California
29. Aug 12, 2009, Ernest Ridlehuber, 53, Race: Unknown, Greenville, South Carolina
30. Aug 14, 2009, Hakim Jackson, 31, Black, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
31. Aug 18, 2009, Ronald Eugene Cobbs, 38, Black, Greensboro, North Carolina
32. Aug 20, 2009, Francisco Sesate, 36, Hispanic, Mesa, Arizona
33. Aug 22, 2009, T.J. Nance, 37, Race: [skin color, natl. origin], Arizona City, Arizona
34. Aug 26, 2009, Unidentified Man, Age: TBD, Race: [skin color, natl. origin], Los Angeles, California
35. Sep 3, 2009, Shane Ledbetter, Age: 38, Caucasian, Aurora, Colorado
36. Sep 21, 2009, Richard Battistata, Age: 44, Race: [skin color, natl. origin], Laredo, Texas

***

In the above video, Stanley Harlen was pulled over for allegedly speeding; he stopped in front of his house. As his mother came out in her robe, she watched as officers wrestled with him. One officer fired the Taser three times for 31 seconds. For 14 minutes he received no medical attention; when paramedics arrived it was too late. He was dead. The Moberly city manager’s response is hardly reassuring. Andy Morris: Harlen’s death is ”unanticipated and unintentional. Police officers must often make split-second decisions in tense, rapidly-evolving situations.”

Ken Burton, the Police Chief of nearby Columbia, MO’s PD also has officers who use Tasers but he strictly limits their use—no fleeing subjects are allowed to be tased, and when deployed, only for 5 seconds at at time.

This CBS report showed a graph of statistics, compiled by Taser International itself, and the growth in the use of these “non-lethal” devices has skyrocketed from 500 law enforcement agencies in 2000 to 14,201 in 2009. And there are no mandatory standards or training for Taser usage. Taser International has actually put out a disingenuous statement that defies reality, considering the rising body count.

The electrical output of a taser device is incapable of causing death.

Sure, the voltage alone in one blast itself may not kill, but what about the medical condition of the tasing victim? What about shocking someone for 31 seconds? What about repeated blasts to an elderly or disabled individual? This is a situation out of control.

CoC Says Call US Senators, Demand Public Option

Dear friends:

In the states of the US South, like Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi, the Black infant mortality rate is over seventeen percent, while the national infant mortality rate is around 6.7%. In fact, with Cuba's infant mortality at 6%, a Black child in Cuba has a three-times better chance of living until his first birthday than does a Black child in parts of the US South.

States with large Black populations must not be permitted to "opt out" of national health care just so they can punish Black people, as they opted out of Obama's stimulus package. That's why I'm forwarding this letter to you from Color of Change, asking you to share the letter below with others and to contact your US Senators (especially from Southern states with large Black populations), e.g. Landrieu in Louisiana.

It's time for fundamental change. Please read CoC's letter:

Color of Change Mass Circulation Letter:

Dear friends,

The Senate is closing in on a health care bill with a public health
insurance option, a key ingredient of meaningful health care reform.

But conservatives and insurance companies are fighting hard against
the public option, so Senate leadership has compromised by including
an "opt-out" clause, which would allow individual states to choose not
to participate in the program.[1]

There's a real danger here. In the stimulus fight, we saw Republican
governors and legislators refuse federal dollars for political gain.
The same thing could happen with health care reform, with everday people
in states like Lousiana, Alabama, and South Carolina -- states with
large Black, poor, and working-class populations -- left out.[2]

That's why I've joined ColorOfChange.org's campaign calling on
Congress and the White House to make the public option available
everywhere. Please join me:

http://www.colorofchange.org/optout/?id=1990-898983

I understand the need for compromise and negotiation, but I also want
to make sure that no community gets negotiated away in the process.

Including "opt-out" may be the best way to get a bill through the
Senate with a public option--but that won't be the end of the process,
and it doesn't mean "opt-out" will be in the final bill. The House
still needs to decide exactly what will be in its health care bill.
And once both the House and the Senate have passed legislation,
they'll have to negotiate with each other, and the White House, to
reconcile the differences between the two bills.

That's why we need to make it clear that we're watching and that we
will demand a public option that's available in every state. Please
join me in sending this message to Congress and the White House, and
ask your friends and family to do the same:

http://www.colorofchange.org/optout/?id=1990-898983

Thank you.

References:

1. "So what is the 'opt-out' compromise?" Talking Points Memo,
10-26-2009
http://tinyurl.com/yjffquq

2. "Public option opt out denies help to those who need it most," Fire
Dog Lake, 10-8-2009
http://tinyurl.com/yks5sxz