Police brutality has in recent times gained public scrutiny in the United States and other parts of the globe. Many of us have seen horrible videos and graphic pictures showing police brutality on television, internet and newspapers. We hear police misconduct cases on radio and forums. Police brutality is not a menial social issue say Illinois civil rights lawyers at Dolan Law Offfices. It results in severe injuries and, worst, wrongful death. More often than not, Taser plays a bad role in incidences of police brutality.

First, let us see what this Taser is all about. “Taser” stands for an acronym which is Thomas A. Swift's Electric Rifle. This is not a child’s toy as the name connotes in the acronym which is a character that appeared in children’s books published in the early years of the twentieth century. Taser is a weapon that shoots binary darts, each attached to a fine wire, to the victim. When these dart-formed electrodes make contact with the victim an electrical currents is sent through the wires to stun him or her into submission. The victim often feels helpless and tired, thus he is easily controlled without the use of excessive force.

When Taser was introduced into the market and achieved popularity of use in the early 1990s, it was regarded by many as ‘non-deadly’ alternative to the use of firearms in subduing criminals. However, severe injury and death cases have been reported to result from the use of Tasers by law enforcement authorities. In addition, the use of Taser by the police has alarmed civil right groups to clamor against its dangerous effect as this is often used abusively by the police to subdue criminals even though these criminals are unarmed. Civil rights activists across the United States stated that instead of being used only as an alternative in instances in which firearms would be used, Tasers are often used to merely hold down criminals in any type of arrest situation.

What has worried the public in recent years about the use of Taser by police authorities is the fact that it has been used by the authorities not just on individuals who fight back an officer’s aggression but on mentally-disabled, pregnant, handicapped and non-English speakers as well. We have witness cases over the years of police brutality involving the violent use of Tasers on internet video databases such as YouTube and LiveLeak. Needless to say, these videos of police brutality incidents are quite horrifyingly graphic and disturbing.

In a report prepared by the Amnesty International, the use of Tasers by the police authorities has resulted in 351 lives lost since 2001. Slightly only less than ten percent of these victims were carrying a weapon or firearms upon their arrest. In Illinois, the first state in the US to oblige stun gun owners to get a license, use of Tasers on innocent and unarmed teenager, an 82-year-old woman, and three adolescents have been documented and reported. This is quite alarming because the use of Tasers in these instances of arrest is unacceptable and unlawful.

Verdicts that involve Taser injury and Taser wrongful deaths entail a complex and arduous legal process. In case you or a loved one is a victim of taser-related injury, hire an experienced civil rights lawyer to help you build a sound case against law enforcement officials who used Taser illegally. Often, it is not easy to look for witnesses to support or corroborate your story against law enforcement authorities but with the help of reputable civil rights lawyer, you can win your case against these abusive law enforcers.