Montgomery Texas Deputies Murder Man With Taser

[WaTcHeR]

A man died shortly after sheriff's deputies used a Taser on him at his Montgomery County home Saturday, authorities said.

Deputies received a call about 7 a.m. of a possible suicide attempt at a residence in the 6500 block of Golden Oaks Drive. Robert Lee Welch, 40, had been pushing people there and would not respond to family members, the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office said.

Deputies approached and tried to talk to Welch, who was not wearing clothing, authorities said. When Welch wouldn't respond, deputies tried to detain the man, who resisted and struggled, authorities said.

Deputies then used a Taser to help control the man, authorities said. Paramedics at the scene began treating Welch, who was not breathing and did not have a pulse.

Welch was taken to a Conroe hospital, where he died. An autopsy will be conducted at the Southeast Texas Forensic Center to determine the cause of death.

The incident is being investigated by the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office Major Crimes Unit, Texas Rangers as well as the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office.

Tasers, which can deliver a 50,000-volt electrical charge, have drawn controversy across the country. Montgomery County added Tasers to its arsenal in 2006 through federal grants.

The Houston Police Department started using Tasers in 2004. A Houston Chronicle analysis showed that HPD officers deployed their Tasers 1,724 times between December 2004 and May 2008, triggering 69 internal affairs investigations.

Critics worry that the weapons are often used on people who have not committed crimes.


http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6287160.html