77-year-old dies after wandering from state vets’ home, being stunned with Taser

[Paul E Ester]

A 77-year-old Korean War veteran with Alzheimer’s disease who wandered away from the Montana Veterans Home in Columbia Falls was shocked by police with a stun gun, fell face-first on pavement and died in a hospital about three weeks later, a lawsuit filed by the man’s granddaughter charges.

According to the complaint filed April 5 in District Court in Helena, Stanley L. “Stan” Downen was admitted to the state-run home on May 31, 2012, “with a history of behavioral issues and advanced dementia resulting from severe progressive Alzheimer’s disease.”

The next day, he wandered off. Staff members tried to bring him back, but “instead agitated Stanley and escalated the situation,” the lawsuit charges.

Staff called 911 and Columbia Falls police responded, according to the complaint. When he still refused to cooperate, an officer stunned him with a stun gun and he fell face-first into the pavement and struck his head, according to the complaint.

http://helenair.com/news/local/year-old-dies-after-wandering-from-state-vets-home-being/article_110c46fc-a458-11e2-a003-001a4bcf887a.html

[Rex]

1. That is what they do, force you to become submissive.

By whatever means necessary. There must be a better answer in these kind of situations.

[Melinda]

2. Now now, it would have been to much trouble to cordon him & wait for him to exhaust himself

Resources are valuable - a 77 year old is not.




I hope the officer who did this loses his job and rots in hell.

[Hoyt]

3. I hope there is justification, or severe sanctions if not. Old folks can be dangerous.

[Kolesar]

4. My mother called the deputies to deal with my demented father who had become violent

His inner id came out and he pushed my mother down. When the deputies arrived, he had walked outside to the garage. The authorities talked him down and he spent the next few days in the locked ward of the hospital. They doped him up.

[Cali_Democrat]

5. Police couldn't subdue a 77 year old man with advanced dementia without a taser?

The cops should be fired immediately and then prosecuted.

If you can't subdue a 77 year old man, then you can't do your job.

[Auntie Bush]

6. I thought the purpose of stun guns was to protect police from threatening persons.

Now day they use it for instant control. Do as I say...now! or else..............

Also they shouldn't be allowed to use them on children, pregnant women or old folks under most any circumstances.

[pacalo]

7. Well, now the cruel police officer is no longer a bully who took the lazy route; he's a *killer*.

He could have taken the time to develop a rapport with the senior to convince him that they were there to help him. Instead, he chose to use his own department-issued portable electric chair on a confused, sick old man. Judge, jury, & executor.

This is also indicative of the negligence of the hospital. "Staff members tried to bring him back, but instead agitated Stanley & escalated the situation". If they had taken the time to get to know Stanley in order to get him to respond favorably, this might have been prevented.

[The empressof all]

8. Some folks with dementia become extremely violent

My husbands grandfather suffered from advanced dementia and at 85 could wander 20 miles from his home at an extremely rapid pace. He would also throw anything he could find at random times. It was awful for him and for the people who cared for him. I know there were times I was fearful of him. Now of course we should always expect police to take the least harmful manner of action when interacting with folks who are afflicted....But not having all the details....Even someone who is 77 may still have the physical strength to hurl a brick. The article doesn't really cover how his behavior was threatening.

[mokawanis]

9. I don't see the need to escalate the use of force

I guess the details will come out in court, but right now I'm wondering why the cop decided he had to use the taser, instead of calling for back-up or attempting to physically control the man. I also wonder how many police departments change their policy on taser use after incidents like this.