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Stun Gun Company Sued in Liability Suit

One of the largest stun gun manufacturers Taser International Inc., was sued for just over $6 million over the death of a California man who was shot during a police altercation with a stun gun made by the company. This was the first product liability claim to be ruled against Taser International.

The jury of the case, which was held in San Jose, California, said the taser company failed to provide police in Salinas, with the information that extensive use of the device on another person may result in cardiac arrest.  The jury awarded $6 million in both compensatory and punitive damages to the estate of 40 year old Robert Heston, and his parents. The jury also released the police officers involved of any liability.

Taser Inc., who won two trials prior to the loss suffered against the San Jose resident, has also settled out of court numerous times for injuries to police officers during training. The compensatory damages the corporation was also held liable for will be reduced due to the findings that Heston was 85 percent responsible for his death, but according to family attorney John Burton, this only affected the compensatory damages, not the punitive damages Taser Inc. is held responsible for.

Heston, who died on February 20, 2005 was said to be acting strange on the day the incident occurred, by his father, who then proceeded to call Salina police officers, reporting his strange behavior as an effect of drugs he may be on. Upon arrival police were forced to use stun guns to subdue Heston, and continued to discharge the Tasers until he ceased to move. The cause for this, however, was Heston went into cardiac arrest, which was the cause of death.
Heston’s parents sued Taser Inc. for neglecting to inform police officers of the danger the weapon may present when used in the line of duty, and attempted to sue Salinas PD for excessive force. The police department was excused form the lawsuit however, claiming they didn’t know the repeated exposures to the stun guns would result in the death of the targeted subject.