Taser Loses 1st Product-Liability Suit; Jury Awards $6 Million
Taser International Inc., the largest stun-gun maker, lost a $6.2 million jury verdict over the death of a California man who died after police shot him multiple times with the weapon. The defeat is the first for Taser in a product- liability claim.
A San Jose, California, jury yesterday said Taser had failed to warn police in Salinas, California, that prolonged exposure to electric shock from the device could cause a risk of cardiac arrest. The jury awarded $1 million in compensatory damages and $5.2 million in punitive damages to the estate of Robert Heston, 40, and his parents. The jury cleared the police officers of any liability.
2 Comments
CTone said:
It's about time. I'm one of the candidates for a CNN story of TAZER deaths since electric shock is now on my list of things that would probably kill me.
Overall I think that policy and SOP in regards to TAZER use should bear the most blame. If they were used only for "less than lethal" use instead of as a compliance tool for incompetent police than there would be less incidents like this.
Marty said:
The police in Salinas, California may not fare so well in the future. This verdict puts them on notice that they are not using 'non-lethal' force.
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