No Charges For Deputies in Mountain Taser Death

The San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office said January 23 that it would not file criminal charges against the officers involved in the death of Allen Kephart in Lake Arrowhead, Calif. The District Attorney's Office said in a statement that there was "insufficient evidence to establish criminal liability on the part of any involved member of the Sheriff's Department."

On May 10, 2011, 43-year old Allen Kephart died after having a Taser applied to him multiple times by three sheriff's deputies during a traffic stop at a Valero gas station.

A wrongful death lawsuit was filed in San Bernardino Superior Court, August 30, 2011, by the Kephart family alleging Allen Kephart's civil rights were violated after being ordered out of his car at gunpoint, thrown face first to the ground and Tasered repeatedly in the upper back, neck and head.

Kephart's autopsy results said he died of "Hypertensive Cardiovascular Disease," and his manner of death was a "homicide," both revealed in a statement from the Twin Peaks station in Lake Arrowhead.

Reason.tv covered this story in 2011 in The Killing of Allen Kephart: How the Police Lost the Trust of a Law-and-Order Town:

For more on policing and Tasers watch Who's Lethal? Police or Tasers:

Comments

[Paul]

There is no non-lethal method of suppressing someone which is 100% safe, if that non-lethal method is abused by the people employing it.

[Dave]

There is no non-lethal method of suppressing someone which is 100% safe, if that non-lethal method is abused by the people enjoying it.
FTFY.

[Chatroom Crank]

Which is why government thugs need to be held accountable when they murder someone like they did in this case.

[Joe M]

The District Attorney's Office said in a statement that there was "insufficient evidence to establish criminal liability on the part of any involved member of the Sheriff's Department."

It's amazing how difficult it is to get together sufficient evidence when it's police that may be charged.

[jasno]

Not much of a thread to win, but you sir are the winner.

[Destrudo]

If a cop did this to one of my loved ones and escaped charges, best believe I'd be waiting in the bushes outside his house to put three shots in his head from an integrally silenced .22. Justice.

[Libertarian 'r' Me]

Yay vigilantism? Or is anarchy a better word?

[Librul 'r' Me]

Only the police should have guns anyway.

[cynical]

When those who enforce the law are lawless, we already have anarchy.

[Loather of Cops and Feds]

An object lesson. Kill someone just because you can, be prepared to lose your life or a relative or two. After this cycle repeats a few hundred times, maybe the cops get the hint. Or not. But at least they won't be around to post on police one.

[Coeus]

Ahh, a taser thread. I recently learned a new little factiod: When cops take "the ride" on a taser for training, they gator clip the leads to their backs. Why? Because taser doesn't recomend application to the chest. Now why might that be?

[Cop]

When the peasant is already on his back convulsing, what am I supposed to do? Ask him to turn over?

[Almanian]

BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALKOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

[Public Citizzen]

The San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department has a long history of "less than superlative" service in many communities throughout the largest single county [by square mileage] in the contiguous 48 states.
Add one more community to the list.
Subtract one more voter from those who will be voting for incumbents for re-election come November.

[Loather of Cops and Feds]

The members of the community know where these cops live, where their wives work and where their children go to school. Why has their been no retribution? Why are cops allowed to kill with impunity? When will the loved ones of the murder victims even the score?