Supreme Court won’t hear appeal over police stun gun use

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The U.S. Supreme Court won't hear an appeal from police officers challenging new restrictions on their ability to use Tasers on people trying to resist arrest.

The justices on Monday left in place a lower court ruling that said police should not use stun guns on suspects trying to evade custody if they pose no threat to officers or others.

The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in January established the guidelines in a case involving the 2011 death of a North Carolina man. Pinehurst police shot Ronald Armstrong five times with a Taser as the mentally ill man refused to let go of a sign post to avoid being taken to a hospital. Armstrong later died.

The appeals court said police used excessive force because Armstrong posed no safety risk.

 

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