I don't think they were wrong for trying to take him into custody..just I think some cops get carried away with a tazer. They had him outnumbered and once they had him down there was no need to continue to taze him. It is sad because nobody thinks they intended to hurt or kill him...just a freak thing.
the tazer didn't kill him. the man died from positional asphyxia, which basically means he couldn't get enough oxygen into his brain. it is what causes the black out when you choke someone out. person loses conciousness (if you are a pro fighter you will tap at this point or a very attentive ref will stop the fight) and if the choke continues to be applied, person dies.
that is exactly what you saw on the vid. the cop basically never realeased the pressure from the deceased's throat. add to that the deceased's agitated state, being already hyperventilating due to stress and struggle with several cops and physical status (large unfit) it is not hard to find an explanation for his death.
the taser will NOT affect one's breathing to a significant degree. in fact, if the cops did not deploy the taser and had to grapple with him instead, looking at the techniques used by the cops (to grapple) the deceased was probably more likely to die ie more cops would have had their combined weight baring down on top of him ie further constriction of airways.
ultimately it was the continuous pressure on the throat that sealed the deal and directly caused the man's death and this will be the finding from the coroner's inquest.
that said, i have no problem with what any of the cops did. i stand by my earlier comments that the deceased brought it upon himself. no, he didn't deserve to die for what he did any more than a person that plays hop scotch on the freeway deserves to die, but yet people die. amazing isn't it?
tragic accident, but social reformists like raguare wants some heads to roll. of course, this is EXACTLY why the ambulance was called and lengthy procedural measures were taken all round, because of the social reformists out there that will, with hindsight and behind their little desks in their comfy little homes, will analyse EVERY SINGLE THING that was done at the time and look for someone to blame. the irony is that the hindsight reformists are to blame for procedure being followed by the book because who the hell is going to risk trying (and possibly failing) to save someone's life quickly when, if shit happens (as it does), they might be up for a wrongful death suit and blood on their hands?
