Iman Morales Taser incident

On September 24, 2008, Iman Morales died after being tasered in Brooklyn, New York. [ [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/nyregion/25taserletter.html Statement from the New York City Police Department] New York Times, September 2008.] He was 35 years old.

The incident

Morales was standing ten feet off the ground on top of a roll-down gate, naked, and swinging a large fluorescent light bulb at NYPD officers. He was then tasered by NYPD Officer Nicholas Marchesona and fell head-first to the pavement below. Morales received major head trauma and died hours later. The events were viewed by several eyewitnesses and captured on photo and video.

Aftermath

NYPD Response

An investigation is being conducted and the two officers that were involved in the incident, Lt. Michael Pigot and Officer Marchesona were placed off active duty. [ [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,428601,00.html NYPD Officers Involved in Taser Death of Nude Man Disciplined] Fox News, September 2008.] NYPD Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly ordered more than 400 emergency services officers to take refresher training on how to respond to emotionally disturbed people. [ [http://wcbstv.com/topstories/taser.death.nypd.2.827156.html Fatal Tasering Leads To Rrtraining Of Officers] WCBS, September 2008]

Pigot's Suicide

On October 2, Lt. Michael Pigot was found dead at Floyd Bennett Field after committing suicide. [ [http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/02/police-lt-in-deadly-taser-case-commits-suicide/?hp Police Lieutenant In Taser Case Commits Suicide] New York Times, October, 2008]

References