Officials ask for second, third opinion in Taser death case
By Vince Mancini
Published on August 05, 2005
The 40-year-old Heston died Feb. 20 at a Salinas hospital after Salinas police shot him five times with Taser stun guns the day before.
The autopsies come at a time when Taser is being blamed for a spate of similar deaths, usually in cases where police use the devices to calm a suspect high on methamphetamines or cocaine.
Heston's initial autopsy was performed by pathologist Terri Haddix at the Monterey County Coroner's Office, and while her findings have not been officially made public, Monterey County Sheriff's Office reps said that Haddix's findings implicated the Taser in combination with a high level of methamphetamine in Heston's system.
Haddix's finding was reviewed by pathologist John Hain. Officials were expected to disclose Hain's findings last week, but instead sent both reports to Steven Karch, a former San Francisco medical examiner who is considered to be an expert on drug and Taser-related deaths. His findings are expected to be made public this week.
Officials appear to be taking extra care with Heston's autopsy because of the growing number of Taser critics in the wake of a number of Taser-related deaths.
A Taser was ruled the direct cause of death for the first time last week, following a report by a Cook County, Ill. pathologist investigating the death of Ronald Haase, 54, who had been shocked by Tasers by Chicago police while high on methamphetamine.
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