Thursday, August 14, 2008

Tasered To Death in Louisiana - Finally some Accountability

"It is our intention to show at trial that Mr. Nugent caused the death of Baron Pikes by 'Tasing' him multiple times, unnecessarily and in violation of Louisiana law, and by failing to get him medical attention when it was apparent he needed it," Nevils said in a statement. "In a civilized society, abuse by those who are given great authority cannot be tolerated."

-
Winn Parish District Atty. Chris Nevil



Tasered While Black publisher says: "Back on July 12th we reported on how 21 year old Barron Scooter Collins, was Tased to death nine times over the course of 30 minutes. It appears that the advocacy work by the family of Baron Scooter Pikes, and the work of Radio Talk Show host Tony Brown, along with the national reporting of the Baron Scooter Pikes case by Howard Witt have caused Winn Parish District Atty. Chris Nevils to obtain an indictment of a former cop in a Taser death in Louisiana."

As reported bya ruling in a racially explosive case that some forensic experts have described as police torture, a grand jury in the small Louisiana town of Winnfield indicted a white police officer Wednesday on charges of manslaughter and official malfeasance for repeatedly shocking a handcuffed black suspect with a Taser device, resulting in the man's death due to cardiac arrest.

After two days of closed testimony, Winn Parish District Atty. Chris Nevils announced that the grand jury had indicted Scott Nugent, 21, for the death in January of Baron "Scooter" Pikes, 21, while in police custody. Two other Winnfield police officers who were present during the incident were not charged.

Nugent, who was fired from the police force in May, could face up to 45 years in prison if convicted on the charges. He surrendered to sheriff's deputies immediately after the indictment was issued, a spokesman for Nevils said, and a $45,000 bond was set."
Read more HERE



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