AP News
Oct 31, 8:44 PM EST

Teen shot by police stun gun dies

 
JERSEYVILLE, Ill. (AP) -- A teenager carrying a Bible and shouting "I want Jesus" was shot twice with a police stun gun and later died at a St. Louis hospital, authorities said.

In a statement obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press, police in Jerseyville, about 40 miles north of St. Louis, said 17-year-old Roger Holyfield would not acknowledge officers who approached him and he continued yelling, "I want Jesus."

Police tried to calm the teen, but Holyfield became combative, according to the statement. Officers fired the stun gun at him after he ignored their warnings, then fired again when he continued struggling, police said.

Holyfield was flown to St. Louis' Cardinal Glennon Hospital after the confrontation Saturday; he died there Sunday, police said.

 

 
An autopsy was planned for Tuesday.

The statement expressed sympathy to Holyfield's family but said city and police officials would not discuss the matter further.

Calls Tuesday to Jerseyville Police Chief Brad Blackorby were not immediately returned. The department has been using stun guns for about five months, according to the statement.

In a report released in March, international human rights group Amnesty International said it had logged at least 156 deaths across the country in the previous five years related to police stun guns.



 
The rise in deaths accompanies a marked increase in the number of U.S. law enforcement agencies employing devices made by Taser International Inc. of Scottsdale, Ariz. About 1,000 of the nation's 18,000 police agencies used Tasers in 2001; more than 7,000 departments had them last year, according to a government study.

Police had used Tasers more than 70,000 times as of last year, Congress' Government Accountability Office said.

Amnesty International has urged police departments to suspend the use of Tasers pending more study. Taser International said the group's count was flawed and falsely linked deaths to Taser use when there has been no such official conclusion.

The city of St. Louis also drew unwanted attention for crime this week when it was named the most dangerous U.S. city by Morgan Quitno Press. The ranking looked only at crime within St. Louis city limits, not its metro area.

---

He might have tryed to thump the cops with his bible. Damn bible thumpers.

Quoted: Dupe and we still don't care.

If this was an arab kid with a koran, their would be international uproar, but since it was a white Christian kid, no one cares...typical.

Read the other thread.  The taser had zero to do with it.  He died 24 hours after being tasered...  It doesn't work like that.  

Whats the death percentage of 156 deaths out of 70K uses? It is a valuble piece of equipment but sooner or later lawyers are going to win because of the "less then lethal" phrase. Any other piece of equipment that had 156 deaths per 70K of use would be banned save for a firearm or such that was widely recognized as a deadly weapon.

You're damned if you do and damned if you don't.

Amnesty International can log a report on the taste of the sweat from my balls.. Fucking douchebags.

COCAINE

Quoted: COCAINE

I figured ritalin or some other kiddie psychotropic

He got what he wanted. What's the fucking uproar about?

Well he did ask for some divine intervention.  

Max

Quoted: He got what he wanted. What's the fucking uproar about?

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Dupe and we still don't care. If this was an arab kid with a koran, their would be international uproar, but since it was a white Christian kid, no one cares...typical. I don't care if its a Burmese kid carrying a holy book of babaganoosh.  People that are high on cocaine tend to have averse reactions to being tasered, including dying.  One more druggie asshole is off the streets, the only "newsworthy" part of this story is that he had a bible on him at the time.  Big deal.  So he called out to Jesus when they tasered him, well I bet alot of people do that too, after they stop shaking like Janet Reno at a buffet line.  There is absolutely nothing noteworthy about this story.

Come on Duke, where is your compassion?  The love in your heart for those less fortuante than yourself?  

Quoted: snip... Amnesty International has urged police departments to suspend the use of Tasers pending more study. Taser International said the group's count was flawed and falsely linked deaths to Taser use when there has been no such official conclusion. ...snip

Yep, just shooting them is a better option.  

Quoted: COCAINE

Or Methamphetamine

Quoted: Well he did ask for some divine intervention.   Max

YEP

I shouldn't be laughing at this...

Anyone have a link to the other thread?

BREAKING NEWS

ARFCOM TEAM MEMBER CAN'T BE BOTHERED TO DO A 5-SECOND SEARCH BEFORE POSTING A DUPE!

Quoted: Quoted: Well he did ask for some divine intervention.   Max YEP

So did he get to meet Jesus?

Quoted: Whats the death percentage of 156 deaths out of 70K uses? It is a valuble piece of equipment but sooner or later lawyers are going to win because of the "less then lethal" phrase. Any other piece of equipment that had 156 deaths per 70K of use would be banned save for a firearm or such that was widely recognized as a deadly weapon. You're damned if you do and damned if you don't.

It is not called "Less than Lethal"
It is "Less Lethal"

This story is hilarious!!

"Jesus....I like him very much....But Jesus no help with curve ball."

-Major Leauge



Holding a bible doesn't give one godlike powers, contrary to belief :)

height=8

Quoted: AP News Oct 31, 8:44 PM EST Amnesty International has urged police departments to suspend the use of Tasers pending shoot and beat more people with nightsticks more study. Taser International said the group's count was flawed and falsely linked deaths to Taser use when there has been no such official conclusion.

fixed that

Maybe the lord felt it was his time.

Kid should have known that's what happens if you don't keep in in the religion forum.

Last I heard, there were no deaths related strictly to a taser.  Anyone who died had a pre-existing medical condition, was on drugs, or died at some other point and it was originally blamed on the taser(like handcuffing a fat guy facedown and leaving him to suffocate). Does this still hold true?

Quoted: Kid should have known that's what happens if you don't keep in in the religion forum.

Quoted: If this was an arab kid with a koran, their would be international uproar, but since it was a white Christian kid, no one cares...typical.

The kid was higher than everest. I doubt he can be classified as "Christian".

Some of you guys disgust me. Drugs or no drugs, I take no joy in the death of a 17 year old kid.

Quoted: Quoted: Dupe and we still don't care. If this was an arab kid with a koran, their would be international uproar, but since it was a white Christian kid, no one cares...typical.

What makes you think the kid was a christian? We had a similar incident. A crazed drug addict was screaming about God and casting demons out of his house. He then stripped naked, cut himslef badly, threw blood all about the house then ran naked in to traffic, intentionally jumping on to moving cars. As he tried to kill the responding officers he shouted "I love you" over and over.

Quoted: Quoted: If this was an arab kid with a koran, their would be international uproar, but since it was a white Christian kid, no one cares...typical. The kid was higher than everest. I doubt he can be classified as "Christian".

The Meth addicts talk to god alot

More importantly, my Taser stock is off almost half-a-cent on the news.

-Z

Tag before we start arguing about whether he's having lunch with Jesus or is food for worms.

"Cocaine's a hell of a drug... Ahuh huh huh huh."  -Rick James.

Had to. We haven't had a good Rick James quote in awhile.

Quoted: What makes you think the kid was a christian?...

Hindus and Moslems hardly ever shout "I want Jesus".

Quoted: Quoted: What makes you think the kid was a christian?... Hindus and Moslems hardly ever shout "I want Jesus".

Hardly ever being the operative phrase. There have to be some Messianic Hindus or moslems out there somewhere!

Quoted: Quoted: What makes you think the kid was a christian?... Hindus and Moslems hardly ever shout "I want Jesus".

Allah Snackbar and Taco Bell, something close to that.

Quoted: Some of you guys disgust me. Drugs or no drugs, I take no joy in the death of a 17 year old kid.

Nor do I, one does not die from an electrical shock 24 hours later. He died from drugs most likely.

Sad but true.

I found video of the incident:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdkFXg4wbyg

The important bit starts at 1:07....

That is tragic.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHALOLOLOLOLOLOOLOLOLOOOL

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Dupe and we still don't care. If this was an arab kid with a koran, their would be international uproar, but since it was a white Christian kid, no one cares...typical. I don't care if its a Burmese kid carrying a holy book of babaganoosh.  People that are high on cocaine tend to have averse reactions to being tasered, including dying.  One more druggie asshole is off the streets, the only "newsworthy" part of this story is that he had a bible on him at the time.  Big deal.  So he called out to Jesus when they tasered him, well I bet alot of people do that too, after they stop shaking like Janet Reno at a buffet line.  There is absolutely nothing noteworthy about this story.

Hey, I resemble that remark.

All hail babaganoosh.