Powerful New Tasers Creating Controversy Following Recent Deaths

Oct. 12, 2010— -- Tasers have become a tool for nearly every police department in the country. Now an advanced generation of Tasers, which pack more firepower, is heating the debate over Tasing safety and potential misuse of the devices. More than 400 people have died in Taser-related incidents since 2001.

On Oct. 4th, a Louisiana man in Lafayette Parish died after he was Tased. On Oct. 7th, a teenager in Philadelphia collapsed and died after being Tased. Curt Goering, from Amnesty International says Tasers are being misused.

Goering says those being Tased "are inherently subject to abuse."

Now the new generation of Tasers is raising concerns: The X3 handgun-style Taser, is capable of subduing three suspects at once.

The newest models deliver the current to the body much more efficiently and consistently. Because the new handgun Taser has three cartridges, a police officer, in theory could deliver a triple hit to one suspect.

The Taser shoots two thin wires that hit a subject with metal hooks. The hooks stick into a suspects clothing or skin, delivering an electrical current of 600 volts, which causes all the skeletal muscles to contract. This essentially paralyzes the suspect for at least five seconds. But users can deliver a continuous charge for minutes by simply holding the trigger.

Some in the law enforcement community, including Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey, say there is a need for more testing.

"When we're talking about new generations of technology, we need to know exactly what impact that has on the human body," Ramsey said.