Pubdate: Mon, 29 Aug 2005
Source: Ft. Worth Star-Telegram (TX)
Copyright: 2005 Star-Telegram, Fort Worth, Texas
Contact:  http://www.star-telegram.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/162
Author: Melody McDonald
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)

COCAINE, NOT TASER, KILLED WOMAN, EXAMINER SAYS

FORT WORTH _ A 35-year-old Fort Worth woman who was stunned by a Taser and 
later stopped breathing while being booked into jail died of a drug 
overdose, according to the medical examiner's office.

Carolyn Daniels sudden death on June 24 was an accident caused by acute 
cocaine intoxication, the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office has ruled.

Daniels, who was arrested on suspicion of being publicly intoxicated on a 
substance other than alcohol, died at an area hospital about 90 minutes 
after she was shocked by a Taser, officials have said.

According to police reports:

Daniels had flagged down officer R.A. Elston in the 1100 block of East 
Allen Avenue and told him, "They are after me."

When Elston pulled his patrol car to the curb, Daniels tried to open both 
the front and rear passenger doors as if trying to enter the car. Because 
Daniels was acting erratically and not making sense, Elston suspected she 
was on drugs. Elston asked Daniels for identification, which she said was 
in her purse.

When Elston opened the purse, he saw a crack pipe inside. When Elston tried 
to arrest Daniels, she began to "actively resist" as he tried to handcuff her.

After Daniels was handcuffed, Elston shot her with a Taser cartridge after 
she kicked at the officer as he tried to put her inside his patrol car. 
Elston shocked her a second time after she continued to resist and spit 
blood at a backup officer.

Daniels was taken to the Fort Worth Jail, where she stopped breathing 
shortly after being helped inside.

She was taken to Harris Methodist Fort Worth hospital, where she was 
pronounced dead at 7:39 p.m., about 90 minutes after her encounter with 
Fort Worth police.

George Bell, Daniel's brother, believes that the officer had other options 
than stunning his sister with a Taser.

"A grown man can take a woman down if they want to," Bell told the 
Star-Telegram in a previous interview. "They have all kinds of holds they 
can put on people to make people comply with what they want _ twist their 
arm, a choke hold _ you can do all those things just to make that person 
calm down.

Lt. Dean Sullivan, a police spokesman, said the department is investigating 
whether Elston violated department policy in using the Taser. Although 
there are exceptions, department policy generally prohibits officers from 
using a Taser on handcuffed suspects.

"We have been awaiting the results of the Medical Examiner's finding and 
determination in regard to this matter," Sullivan said. "Given this 
information, we can proceed with our internal and administrative reviews."

- ---------- Staff Writer Deanna Boyd contributed to this report.
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MAP posted-by: Elizabeth Wehrman