Citizendia
Your Ad Here

Excited delirium is a controversial term used to explain deaths of individuals in police custody, in which the person being arrested, detained, or restrained is highly agitated and may be under the influence of stimulants. [1] It has been listed as a cause of death by some government medical examiners. This list shows causes of Human Deaths worldwide for a single year 2002 arranged by the associated Mortality rate. A coroner is an official responsible for investigating deaths particularly some of those happening under unusual circumstances and determining the cause of death The cause of death only appears where police are involved in restraining individuals. This list shows causes of Human Deaths worldwide for a single year 2002 arranged by the associated Mortality rate. [2][3] The term has no formal medical recognition and is not recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders' ( DSM) is published by the American Psychiatric Association There may also be a controversial link between "excited delirium" deaths and the use of Tasers to subdue agitated people. A Taser is an Electroshock weapon that uses Electro-Muscular Disruption (EMD technology to cause neuromuscular incapacitation or NMI and strong muscle contractions [4] In August 2007, three months before Robert Dziekański died shortly after being tasered at Vancouver International Airport, Royal Canadian Mounted Police changed its protocol on Taser use, from discouraging multiple Taser shocks to suggesting that multiple shocks may bring a subject under control more quickly, under certain circumstances. Robert Dziekański ( April 15, 1967 - October 14, 2007) was a Polish immigrant who arrived at the Vancouver International Airport It was suggested that multiple taser jolts may lessen the risks of prolonged and dangerous struggle. [5]

Contents

Disputed validity

Some civil-rights groups argue that the term is being used to absolve police of guilt while possibly overly restraining people during arrests. This does not include those deaths in chemical dependence treatment, EMS, hospital, or psychiatric care facilities who die while being restrained or while in seclusion.

Eric Balaban of the American Civil Liberties Union said: "I know of no reputable medical organization — certainly not the American Medical Association (AMA) or the American Psychological Association (APA) that recognizes excited delirium as a medical or mental-health condition. The American Civil Liberties Union ( ACLU) consists of two separate Non-profit organizations the ACLU Foundation a 501(c(3 organization which focuses The American Medical Association (AMA founded in 1847 and incorporated 1897 is the largest association of Physicians and Medical students in the United States The American Psychological Association (APA is a professional organization representing psychologists in the U "[2] Melissa Smith of the American Medical Association said the organization has "no official policy" on the disorder. [3]

Grame Norton, director of the public safety project of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association argues that "Anytime you see a specific condition being referenced in only one context it raises serious question. The Canadian Civil Liberties Association or CCLA, is a Non-governmental organization in Canada that is devoted to the defense of Civil liberties " Other critics assert that the term is used to mask police brutality. Although the term "excited delirium" has been accepted by the National Association of Medical Examiners in the United States it has been rejected by the American Medical Association while the Canadian Medical Association Journal dismisses it as a "pop culture phenomenon". The Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ is a general medical journal that is published biweekly by the Canadian Medical Association (CMA [6] The condition is not recognized by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders' ( DSM) is published by the American Psychiatric Association [7]

Police psychologist Mike Webster testified at a British Columbia inquiry into Taser deaths that police have been "brainwashed" by Taser International to justify "ridiculously inappropriate" use of the electronic weapon. He called "excited delirium" a "dubious disorder" used by Taser International in its training of police. Webster criticized Taser International applying the notion of “excited delirium” and referring to it in its training of police “as if it's an actual existing disorder. ”[7]

However the first description of this syndrome was published in 1849 by the superintendent of Massachusett's McLean Asylum for the Insane, Luther V. This article is about the Native American tribe For the US state see Massachusetts. Bell, M. D. . [8]` Since then, it has been variously known as Bell's Mania, agitated delirium, excited delirium and acute exhaustive mania. Most of the early papers describing the condition speak of a prolonged period of increasingly bizarre behaviour, usually over several days or weeks. In those who have consumed cocaine or amphetamines, the course is accelerated to several hours. Cocaine ( benzoylmethyl ecgonine) is a Crystalline Tropane Alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the Coca plant Amphetamine, and related drugs such as Methamphetamine are a group of drugs that act by increasing levels of Norepinephrine, Serotonin, and Dopamine

Some cases have been attributed to police use of excessive force. In one case the victim, who was restrained and transported by friends, died when in the custody of medical personnel[9]. Police and EMS are usually called due to the signs/symptoms manifested by the victim due to concerns of public safety or criminal acts. Police are agents or agencies usually of the executive, empowered to enforce the law and to effect public and social order through the legitimatized use of force

Symptoms

Those signs/symptoms typically associated with excited delirium are:

Other medical conditions that can resemble excited delirium are panic attack, hyperthermia, diabetes, head injury, delirium tremens, and hyperthyroidism. Paranoia is a disturbed thought process characterized by excessive Anxiety or Fear, often to the point of Irrationality and Delusion. A hallucination, in the broadest sense is a Perception in the absence of a stimulus. Hyperthermia, in its advanced state referred to as heat stroke or sunstroke, is an acute condition which occurs when the Body produces or absorbs more Panic attacks are sudden discrete periods of intense anxiety mounting Physiological arousal fear stomach problems and discomfort that are associated with a variety of Hyperthermia, in its advanced state referred to as heat stroke or sunstroke, is an acute condition which occurs when the Body produces or absorbs more Diabetes mellitus (ˌdaɪəˈbiːtiːz or /ˌdaɪəˈbiːtəs/ /məˈlaɪtəs/ or /ˈmɛlətəs/ often referred to simply as diabetes ( Ancient Greek: grc Traumatic brain injury. THIS PAGE IS FOR INFORMATION ON HEAD INJURY (NOT SPECIFICALLY THE BRAIN--> Head injury is Delirium tremens (colloquially the DTs, " the horrors " " the fear "" the shakes "" jazz hands "" Hyperthyroidism is the term for overactive tissue within the Thyroid gland resulting in overproduction and thus an excess of circulating free thyroid hormones Thyroxine [12]

Cases

Nathaniel Jones: his death while in custody of Cincinnati police was first attributed to excited delirium. Nathaniel Jones died in December 2003 after assaulting Cincinnati Police and resisting their attempts to arrest him outside a White Castle hamburger shop [11][2] In a lawsuit over the death of Mr. Jones, some facts related to excited delirium were disputed. [13] The defendants in the trial court proceedings asserted that: 1) the decedent was resisting arrest; 2) reasonable force was used in an attempt to restrain him; and 3) excited delirium was the cause of death. [13] The plaintiffs claimed that: 1) the officers used excessive force; 2) the decedent died from compressive asphyxia caused by police officers whose entire weight was on his body; and 3) the decedent was not resisting but rather attempting to reposition his body so he could breathe. [13] The trial court found that the plaintiffs sufficiently stated a claim of excessive force. [13] No taser involvement.

Toney Steele: One of the first high-profile cases involving question of excited delirium, this drug addict died in San Diego after being restrained in the back of a patrol car. [11] No taser involvement.

Kevin Geldart: died after police, in an effort to restrain him, shot him multiple times with a Taser gun and sprayed him with pepper spray. [3]

Roger Holyfield: the 17-year-old died October 29, 2006, the day after Jerseyville, Illinois police shocked him repeatedly with a Taser gun. "Holyfield died of natural causes after being restrained by the police, which occurred as a result of an episode of excited delirium," according to Jerseyville officials. [14]

Frederick Williams: died hours after police shocked him repeatedly with a Taser while in custody. After Williams' family announced they were suing, Taser International asserted that they would argue he died from excited delirium. [15]

Robert Dziekański: died at the Vancouver International Airport on October 14, 2007 after he was tasered by police. Robert Dziekański ( April 15, 1967 - October 14, 2007) was a Polish immigrant who arrived at the Vancouver International Airport The RCMP and Taser International have ventured that the man died from "excited delirium"[16]. It was reported that the distressed individual was acting in an erratic yet non-violent manner before four RCMP officers shocked him with a taser at least twice. After being pinned to the floor by the police he quickly became unresponsive and paramedics were unable to revive him when they arrived fifteen minutes after the incident. The officers did not attempt to perform CPR despite knowing he had no pulse. (see: link to followup article reported by CKNW, link to video)

Austin Aylward Jr. died of Excited Delerium while in custody in Her Majesty's Penitentiary at St. John's, Newfoundland on March 22, 2008. Newfoundland and Labrador (ˈnuːfɨn(dlənd ən(d ˈlæbrəˌdɔr (Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador is a province of Canada, the tenth and latest to join the Confederation [17]

Lawrence Rogers died on August 31, 2002, after being transported to a hospital, following police attempts to restrain him without using a stun gun. He died in the hospital and his survivors are suing the police and hospital. Melissa Waters v. City of Rochester, et al. , No. 03-CV-6505-CJS (W. D. N. Y. ). [18]

See also

References

  1. ^ Suspects' deaths blamed on ‘excited delirium’. Critics dispute rare syndrome usually diagnosed when police are involved. Sluggishly progressing schizophrenia or sluggish schizophrenia was a category of Schizophrenia diagnosed by Psychiatrists in the Soviet Associated Press. The Associated Press ( AP) is an American News agency. The AP is a Cooperative owned by its contributing Newspapers radio Retrieved on 2007-04-29. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1429 - Joan of Arc arrives to relieve the Siege of Orleans.
  2. ^ a b c Death by Excited Delirium: Diagnosis or Coverup?. NPR. Retrieved on 2007-02-26. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 747 BC - Epoch (origin of Ptolemy 's Nabonassar Era 364 - Valentinian I is proclaimed
  3. ^ a b c Excited Delirium: Police Brutality vs. Sheer Insanity. ABCNews (March 2, 2007). Events 986 - Louis V becomes King of the Franks. 1127 - Assassination of Charles the Good Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Retrieved on 2007-03-13. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1138 - Cardinal Gregorio Conti is elected Antipope as Victor IV, succeeding Anacletus II.
  4. ^ Tasers Implicated in Excited Delirium Deaths. NPR. Retrieved on 2007-04-29. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1429 - Joan of Arc arrives to relieve the Siege of Orleans.
  5. ^ RCMP revised taser policy to allow multiple jolts. The Globe and Mail. The Globe and Mail is a Canadian English language nationally distributed Newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities Retrieved on 2007-11-24. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 380 - Theodosius I makes his adventus, or formal
  6. ^ Humphries, Adrian. "'EXCITED DELIRIUM' BLAMED FOR DEATHS - 'Not About Tasers'", National Post, CanWest, 2008-05-17. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1521 - Edward Stafford 3rd Duke of Buckingham, is executed for Treason. Retrieved on 2008-05-19. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1535 - French explorer Jacques Cartier sets sail on his second voyage to North America with three ships 110 men and (English) 
  7. ^ a b Hall, Neil. "Police are 'brainwashed' by Taser maker; Psychologist blames instructions", Vancouver Sun, CanWest, 2008-05-14, pp. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1264 - Battle of Lewes: Henry III of England is captured in France making Simon de Montfort the  A1. (English) 
  8. ^ Bell, MD, Luther V. (October 1849). "On a Form of Disease resembling some advanced stages of mania and fever, but so contradistinguished from any ordinarily observed or described combination of symptoms, as to render it probable that it may be an overlooked and hitherto unrecorded malady". American Journal of Insanity 6: 97–127. American Psychiatric Association. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.6.2.97. A digital object identifier ( DOI) is a permanent identifier given to an Electronic document.  
  9. ^ Death of psychiatric patient during physical restraint. Excited Delirium.. PubMed (January, 2001). PubMed is a free search engine for accessing the MEDLINE database of citations and abstracts of biomedical research articles Retrieved on 2007-03-13. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1138 - Cardinal Gregorio Conti is elected Antipope as Victor IV, succeeding Anacletus II.
  10. ^ a b c Alan W. Benner, Excited Delirium, 1996
  11. ^ a b c d e Was It 'Excited Delirium' Or Police Brutality?. 60 Minutes (December 10, 2003). Not to be confused with the BBC news magazine program Sixty Minutes (TV series. Events 1041 - Empress Zoe of Byzantium elevates her adoptive son to the throne of the Eastern Roman Empire as Michael V Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. Retrieved on 2007-02-26. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 747 BC - Epoch (origin of Ptolemy 's Nabonassar Era 364 - Valentinian I is proclaimed
  12. ^ What other medical emergencies can look like excited delirium?. PoliceOne. com (October, 2006). Retrieved on 2007-03-26. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1026 - Pope John XIX crowns Conrad II as Holy Roman Emperor.
  13. ^ a b c d Jones v. City of Cincinnati, No. 1:04-CV-616, 2006 U. S. Dist. Lexis 75430, 2006 WL 2987820 (S. D. Ohio)
  14. ^ Top Stories: BREAKING NEWS: Report finds Tasered teen died of natural causes | report, jerseyville, holyfield - www.thetelegraph.com
  15. ^ NPR : Tasers Implicated in Excited Delirium Deaths. NPR. Retrieved on 2007-09-07. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1251 BC - A Solar eclipse on this date might mark the birth of legendary Heracles at Thebes Greece.
  16. ^ Man dies after police jolt him with stun gun - CNN.com
  17. ^ Dave Bartlett (2008-04-05). 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 456 - St Patrick returns to Ireland as a missionary bishop The Telegram - St. John’s, NL: Local News (English). The Telegram. Retrieved on 2008-04-05. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 456 - St Patrick returns to Ireland as a missionary bishop
  18. ^ ((cite web |url=http://www.rochestercitynewspaper.com/archives/2002/9/Officer+down,+citizen+dead |title='Officer Down, Citizen Dead' |accessdate=2008-04-14 |author=City Newspaper |date=2002-09-11 |format= |work= |publisher=The City Newspaper |pages= |language=English |quote=))

External links

© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org
 Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic