Exclusive: U.N. watchdogs call for probe
of Taser assaults in U.S. jails
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[December 08, 2017]
By Stephanie Nebehay and Jason Szep
GENEVA (Reuters) - The U.N. special
rapporteur on torture urged U.S. authorities to investigate and weigh
criminal charges against jail officials in Ohio, Tennessee, Oklahoma and
Arkansas for the “clearly gratuitous infliction of severe pain and
suffering” from the use of Tasers on inmates, citing a Reuters report
this week.
After reviewing footage of jail incidents obtained by Reuters, Nils
Melzer said the “grave abuse” from Taser use in some U.S. jails violated
the United Nations’ prohibition on cruel, inhuman or degrading
punishment and, in some cases, amounted to torture. He cited video
footage Reuters published of 22 incidents in four jails: in Franklin
County, Ohio; Cheatham County, Tennessee; Franklin County, Arkansas; and
McCurtain County, Oklahoma.
“In my view, all of the incidents shown in this video require
independent investigation and most of them are likely to merit
prosecution,” Melzer said in an interview. “Clearly gratuitous
infliction of severe pain and suffering … constitutes a grave violation
of human dignity and of the universal code of conduct for law
enforcement officials.”
His criticisms were echoed by the head of the United Nations watchdog
panel that monitors U.S. compliance with an anti-torture treaty, who
said the cases documented by Reuters “need to be investigated
thoroughly.”

In an article and accompanying video report published Wednesday, Reuters
identified 104 cases of prisoners who died after being shocked with
Tasers. Some of the in-custody deaths were deemed “multi-factorial,”
with no single cause, and some were attributed to pre-existing health
problems. But the Taser was listed as a cause or contributing factor in
more than a quarter of the 84 inmate fatalities in which the news agency
obtained cause-of-death findings.
Of the 104 inmates who died, just two were armed when shocked and nearly
80 percent hadn’t been convicted of a crime. A third were in handcuffs
or other restraints when stunned. In more than two-thirds of the 70
cases in which Reuters was able to gather full details, the inmate
already was immobilized when shocked – pinned to the ground or held by
officers.
“When you use a tool like this on an incapacitated person, to me it
certainly amounts to cruel and degrading treatment,” Melzer said.
Read the original Reuters investigation here
https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-taser-jails/
The weapon’s manufacturer, Axon Enterprise Inc, said stun guns can help
jailers and inmates avoid injuries when used properly. Axon issues
guidance on proper use and warns of the risks associated with its
weapons, but the company said it is up to local jail administrators to
set their own policies on how and when the weapons are deployed.
“We do not condone torture of any kind,” Axon spokesman Steve Tuttle
said in response to Melzer’s call for an investigation. “Our technology
is designed to protect life and reduce harm to all parties involved
during high risk, violent, and response-to-resistance situations.”
Melzer agreed Tasers “can be a justifiable tool for prison guards as an
alternative to a gun to incapacitate a person who poses a threat.”

Melzer cited two of the 22 cases identified by Reuters to explain his
belief that an investigation is warranted. One was the 2009 stunning of
Martini Smith at the jail in Franklin County, Ohio. Previously
unpublished video footage showed the Taser’s electrified darts striking
the woman’s chest.
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Wende West is seen in this still image taken from a video in
Franklin County Corrections Center in Columbus, Ohio, U.S., October
18, 2008. Franklin County Sheriff's Office/Handout via REUTERS

Smith, who was pregnant and lost her baby after being stunned, was
one of nine inmates who filed a lawsuit against the county. Guards
used Tasers at least 180 times from January 2008 to May 2010, often
on prisoners posing “no threat,” the lawsuit contended.
In its own reviews, the sheriff’s office found no wrongdoing by
guards and said the Taser use “did not constitute excessive force.”
“That looks like a case of torture,” Melzer said. “She was
threatened she would be Tased if she didn't comply with an order.
It's not that she physically resisted or would have been dangerous
to the officer.”
The Smith footage was among dozens of videos Reuters examined of
Taser incidents at the Ohio jail. Nineteen were featured in the
Reuters video story. Melzer said they revealed “grave abuse.” No
deputies at Franklin County have been charged.
The Franklin County Prosecutor's office said the U.S. Department of
Justice did not recommend criminal charges against jail officials
when the DOJ intervened on behalf of inmates in the civil lawsuit
stemming from the Taser incidents. The inmates' lawyers also did not
seek charges, it added.
Disability Rights Ohio, a nonprofit legal group representing the
inmates in the class-action lawsuit against the Franklin County
jail, however, said its role is not to seek charges.
"Disability Rights Ohio is not an enforcement agency and has no
ability to pursue criminal investigations or charges," said its
director of advocacy, Kerstin Sjoberg-Witt.
Asked for comment, the DOJ said it was unable to immediately
respond.

Melzer also cited footage Reuters obtained of deputies in a jail in
Cheatham County, Tennessee, who repeatedly stunned 19-year-old
Jordan Norris on November 5, 2016, while he was strapped to a
restraint chair. That footage also was evidence of “torture,” Melzer
said.
One deputy, Mark Bryant, was charged in September with four counts
of aggravated assault and one count of official misconduct. Bryant
has pleaded not guilty. Neither he nor his lawyers could be reached
for comment.
Jens Modvig, chairman of the U.N. Committee against Torture, a panel
of 10 independent experts, also said the incidents documented by
Reuters represented “blatant abuse” that may violate laws. The
United States, as a signatory to the U.N. Convention against
Torture, is obligated to investigate the cases, he said.
“Once you introduce them,” Modvig said of stun guns, “it is
difficult to avoid cases of misuse.”
(Szep reported from Washington. Additional reporting by Peter
Eisler, Charles Levinson and Linda So. Editing by Ronnie Greene and
Michael Williams.)
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