Hurricane police officer Ken Thompson has been cleared by the Washington County Attorney's Office for his part in the June 9 taser-related death of Brian Cardall. The county attorney's office "concluded that criminal prosecution is not appropriate in this case." [SOURCE]
Cardall died of "ventricular fibrillation" produced by an undetermined cause, according to Dr. Erik D. Christensen of the Utah State Medical Examiner's Office, according to the county attorney's findings.
Cardall died of "ventricular fibrillation" produced by an undetermined cause, according to Dr. Erik D. Christensen of the Utah State Medical Examiner's Office, according to the county attorney's findings.
"Two factors are at play in this case, each of which could represent a possible primary or contributory cause of death," Christensen's autopsy report states.
While the autopsy found it possible that a taser gun could have led to the abnormal heart rhythm, it is also "clear that Mr. Cardall was in a state of both mental confusion and physiologic excitement," and the resulting rapid heart beat and internal agitation would
also put him at risk of sudden cardiac death from a disturbance of the heart's rhythm, Christensen's report states.
also put him at risk of sudden cardiac death from a disturbance of the heart's rhythm, Christensen's report states.County Attorney Brock Belnap, concludes, "In my view, Officer Thompson responded to a tense, uncertain and rapidly unfolding situation in a manner consistent with his training and that he did not intend, believe or foresee would seriously injure or cause the death of Brian Cardall."
Villagers may recall that Officer Thompson arrived on the scene at 1:17 pm and began to yell,
"Get down on the ground! Get down on the ground!" Brian Cardall responds twice in what sounds as a panicked voice, "Is this a standoff! Don't shoot."
About 42 seconds after arriving on scene the officer deployed his Taser yelling, "Taser deployed! Stay on the ground! Stay on the ground!"
Thompson is heard on the tape to say, "He went down, he tried to get up and I told him to stay down. I tased him again and then after the second time..." Thompson knew that he did wrong. Listen to the tape ... and you be the judge!
You can hear Brian Cardall moaning and screaming for about five seconds after Thompson first deploys a Taser on him. Following a two-second pause, Thompson deploys the Taser on Cardall again. He says in the recordings Cardall had tried to get up.
Officer Thompson killed a man in June ... and now the powers-that-be are letting him off scott-free. Something is wrong and I hope that Cardall's family files a massive lawsuit in this case.
What are your thoughts on this case of taser (in)justice?
