Four-day trial ends in lawsuit by Taser

April 24, 2008
Akron Beacon Journal

A judge is expected to rule next month on whether to force the Summit County Medical Examiner to delete the use of a Taser gun as a contributing cause of death of three men who tangled with law enforcement. A four-day trial ended Thursday in Summit County Common Pleas Court. Visiting Judge Ted Schneiderman accepted written arguments from Taser International Co. attorneys. County attorneys have until Wednesday to file their response. Taser International and the city of Akron is suing Summit County Medical Examiner Lisa Kohler. The three deaths at issue are: Dennis Hyde, 30, who died in 2005; Richard Holcomb, 18, who died in 2005; and Mark McCullaugh Jr., 28, who died in 2006. Kohler's office listed the cases as homicides and said the electrical shocks by the Tasers contributed to the deaths. Taser and city of Akron attorneys say the Tasers played no role in the deaths.