Tasers can kill. They can kill perfectly healthy drug-free people. They should never be used except in circumstances when it would be justified to use a gun if a taser was not available.

Would you disagree with that, bruce?

If it is justified to use a taser, it doesn't become unjustified because someone dies, whether this is because of some circumstances that could make them especially vulnerable, such as a bad heart or some legal or illegal drug in their system, or because they are just unlucky.

But if it is not justified to use a taser, because it wouldn't have been justifiable in the circumsatnces to use a gun, it doesn't become justified just because it turns out that the person targeted does not die. It should still be treated as a criminal and disciplinary offence.

And this kind of reasoning should apply in the case of civilians using tasers. When they are used in criminal activities this should be treated as assault with a deadly weapon.

If someone dies as a result of being shot with a taser who would not have died if they had not been shot with a taser, the taser has to be recognised as having caused that death.

Or would it be right for a thief who shoots a shop worker with a taser to be able to avoid being convicted for murder when the victim dies, just because they turn out to have a mild heart condition that could have made them more at risk?