In Winnfield, Louisiana, just 40 miles from Jena, Baron “Scooter” Pikes was tasered to death by a local police officer. Pikes is the first cousin of Mychal Bell, the lead defendant in the infamous Jena 6 case. According to The Chicago Tribune, Scott Nugent, the 21 year old police officer who killed Pikes, has the most aggressive record of taser use on the 20 member Winnfield police force. Pikes’ death took place on January 17, 2008. Six months later, charges have still not been filed against Nugent.

After attempting to flee police when he was spotted by Nugent walking down the street, Pikes, who had a warrant for arrest on a drug possession charge, did not resist. He was handcuffed while lying on the ground. Pikes, who weighed over 200 pounds and was also 21 years old, apparently could not get off the ground after being handcuffed. Nugent tasered Pikes 9 times over the next 14 minutes. He then tasered Pikes 2 additional times when he arrived at the police station, but Pikes did not respond to those shocks, as he was already unconscious at that time.

The police report states that Pikes said he could not get up because he was high on cocaine and pcp and had asthma. Yet the Winn Parish coroner, Dr. Randolph Williams, confirmed that Pikes not only did not suffer from asthma, he also had no drugs at all in his system.

Pikes was not tasered until he was unable to get up at Nugent’s command. Whenever he did struggle to stand and fell back down, still in handcuffs, he was tasered again and again, 9 times in 14 minutes. One of the 11 total shocks was administered by Nugent applying the taser directly to Pikes’ chest. When Pikes was carried into the police station and slumped in a chair, an ambulance was called and Pikes was declared dead soon afterward at the local hospital.

Coroner Williams has ruled Pikes’ death a homicide. Dr. Michael Baden, a nationally prominent forensic pathologist with whom Williams consulted on the case, has suggested the case could be considered torture.

In May, the City Council fired Nugent from the police force and the Louisiana State Police are investigating Pikes’ death; however, no charges have been filed against Nugent and the local police are standing by Nugent’s version of the story.

Comment(s)

§ pittershawn   said on : 07/23/08 @ 19:02

Nugent’s version? Frankly, I’d let him keep his version. He’s an idiot. If the man was in fact high on cocaine, pcp and had asthma, that was ALL the more reason NOT to taser him. Asthma??!! You taser a man with asthma?????

I’d let him keep his story so he can hang himself. Jerk.

Comment(s)

§ pittershawn   said on : 07/25/08 @ 12:06

sharon, i love your clarity on what is potentially to come. i feel the same way.

Comment(s)

§ eisa   said on : 07/27/08 @ 19:21

thanks for visiting, kardwell. we all pray for the families with you – and that these terrible acts of bigotry, as you call them so well, no longer take place.

eisa

Comment(s)

§ Angelia   said on : 07/30/08 @ 09:45

What’s sad that even after it even if he was high on drugs after he was handcuffed someone explain to me how on earth he can justify tasering him at all. And also explain to me in the aftermath of the autopsy where his death was ruled a homoside why is this cop not in handcuff? Oh I almost forgot, it was only a black man he killed. Besides america would only be upset and it would only be headlines news if it were a black officer and a white perp!