Texas man dead after police use taser

Jamaal Ray Valentine, 27

May 17, 2009
Andrea Lucia, KTRK

LA MARQUE, TX (KTRK) -- An investigation is underway in La Marque after a man died just hours after police used a Taser on him. Police believe the man was under the influence of something when they used the Taser on him, so they're still not sure what killed him. Officers say they were called out to the 2,600 block of Main Street near Lake Road just after 9pm Sunday. They found a man rolling around in a ditch, apparently intoxicated. But when they tried to take him into custody, they say he put up a struggle. Officers say they used their Taser once to bring the suspect down. He was then transported to the hospital where he died within four hours.