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Jury Awards $10 Million In Taser Case

http://66.225.205.104/LM20110720.mp3

A Taser manufacturer has been ordered to pay $10 million to the family of a Charlotte teenager who died three years ago after a police officer used the device on him. A federal court jury awarded the family of 17-year-old Darryl Turner $10 million. Turner went into cardiac arrest and died after a Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Officer shocked him in the chest. Charles Everage, the family's attorney, argued Taser International knew its product could cause cardiac arrest when applied to the chest. But he says the company failed to warn the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department of this. "The family says, 'This doesn't bring back Daryl Turner.' But hopefully this will be recognized by other manufacturers who choose to not provide warnings with their products that could lead to the death of an individual," says Everage. Taser International says Turner already had heart problems which could have been exacerbated by drug use. The company says this is only the second time it's lost a product liability case. Taser International plans to appeal the ruling. Two years ago, the City of Charlotte settled with Turner's family for $730,000. Charlotte Mecklenburg Police have said the officer violated policy when he shocked Turner for 37 seconds.