By Delores Jones
Kansas City, MO – At least 156 people have died while in police custody in the United States following the use of a Taser, according to The Kansas City Star. Tasers or stun guns are used by law enforcement to tranquilize a suspect by shocking the nervous system. Last Saturday, Kansas City Missouri police used a stun gun to subdue a man who later died in a police holding cell. Witnesses say that 32-year-old Karl Marshall of Overland Park, Kansas was high on PCP and cocaine when police tried arresting him.
The Kansas City Missouri Police Department has a team trained to deal with similar situations. Delores Jones discusses the issue with Sergeant John Bryant of the KCPD Crisis Intervention Team and Sergeant Tony Sanders of media relations.