Report Says Erlanger Officer Was Justified In Using Taser On Patient Who Then Died

"... died as a result of a bilateral pulmonary emboli due to a deep vein thrombosis in his right leg. It found that the tasering "did not cause Mr. Buckner's death or make a significant contribution to his death."

So this poor fellow was being DISCHARGED from the hospital even though he was just about to die from "deep vein thrombosis"?? Give me a break!!

March 22, 2010
The Chattanoogan.com

A Chattanooga Police report says an Erlanger Hospital security guard was justified in using a taser on an uncooperative patient, who died a short time later.

The report by detective Justin Kilgore says, "We did not find any criminal wrongdoing on the part of the Erlanger police officers involved and decided that this case should be administratively cleared."

The case involves the Nov. 27 death of Edward Buckner who had refused to get into a wheelchair after being treated at Erlanger and being readied to return to Moccasin Bend Mental Health Institute.

The report says Mr. Buckner slid out of his wheelchair and refused to get back in. Three Erlanger officers tried to get him back in, but he continued to refuse.

It says officer Leightaylor Noorbergen then performed a sternum rub and applied a pressure point behind the patient's ear, but that had no effect.

The report says at that point officer Shane Webb decided to use his taser in a drive stun mode for five seconds on three occasions.

The officers then got Mr. Buckner onto a blanket and into a Moccasin Bend transport van.

When the van arrived at Moccasin Bend, the patient was unresponsive. He was transported back to Erlanger, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

An autopsy by the medical examiner's office found that Mr. Buckner died as a result of a bilateral pulmonary emboli due to a deep vein thrombosis in his right leg. It found that the tasering "did not cause Mr. Buckner's death or make a significant contribution to his death."

The police report says the medical examiner "noted that during the autopsy there were no significant injuries or signs of foul play. The death was listed as natural."

The taser used by officer Webb was tested and found to be have been used three times at five seconds as he described.

Detective Kilgore said he met to discuss the case with District Attorney Bill Cox, Police Lt. Tim Carroll, Police Sgt. Bill Phillips and TBI Investigator Tom Washington.

He said the group agreed that officer Webb had followed Erlanger policy in use of the taser.