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A new documentary blows the lid off the shady underpinning of the Taser industry
(Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)Taser International trains master instructors with devices such as the X26 stun gun. Those instructors then train police in departments around the US.
You won't find a more timely and relevant film at this year's Tribeca Film Festival than "Tom Swift and His Electric Rifle."
Nick Berardini's debut feature explains how two brothers built the world's largest Taser manufacturer, armed and help train most of America's police departments, and became millionaires in the process.
Rick and Tom Smith founded Taser International in 1993 and have sold their device to almost all of the US 18,250 law-enforcement agencies (only about 450 police departments do not deploy the Taser), according to the company.
As the film progresses, these seemingly innocuous figures appear more and more sinister as we see them jump through hoops to avoid taking responsibility for the potential harm their product inflicts.
(Courtesy of Nick Berardini )Founders of Taser International: Rick Smith and Tom Smith.
The film makes a salient point when it juxtaposes the Smith brothers' apathetic depositions and the upsetting police dash-cam footage showing the death of Stanley Harlan. The 23-year-old died after he was stunned for a total of 31 seconds outside of his home.
In 2008, Harlan was pulled over by officers from the Moberly, Missouri, police department either for speeding or drunk driving (the reason remains unclear). Harlan appears to cooperate with police, but within seconds multiple cops grab him and walk him off camera. He is then stunned three times and goes into cardiac arrest, according to a police handout obtained by CBS News.
Moments later, Harlan's body is dragged back into the dash-cam's view. For the next 14 minutes, officers attempt to wake him up, but it's too late. Harlan died of cardiac arrest in front of his home and his screaming parents.
(Courtesy of Nick Beradini)Screen grab of dash-cam footage from the Moberly police department showing an officer with Stanley Harlan.
Still, the Smith brothers contend in the film that the Taser is perfectly safe and simply cannot do any serious harm. In their depositions, as well as in a Canadian Parliament hearing on the matter, the brothers assuredly deny all assertions their product can kill.
When asked about a specific instance involving a death by Taser, Rick Smith responds, "What I'm saying is that to the best of our knowledge it does not appear that the direct electric effects of the Taser would be the most likely cause of the cardiac arrest."
Rick's brother echoes this later on: "In terms of the studies that have been done we have not seen anything conclusively that has come back scientifically that has said a Taser has killed."
According to the company's running tally, of the 2,741,934 Taser deployments, about 141,198 lives have been saved.
In 2009, however, Taser International updated its training procedures to include that officers should not aim for the chest.
(Courtesy of Nick Berardini)The updated Taser targeting guide issued by Taser International.
After issuing the update, the company scheduled a nationwide call, featured in film, with their police department clients to explain the need for the adjustment. Then-CEO Rick Smith is heard on the call telling officers, "Are chest hits with a Taser dangerous? The answer to that is definitively no."
There are a few other unfathomable moments in the film that truly have to be seen to be believed. "Tom Swift" highlights the ineptitude not only of Taser International but also the governing bodies and police departments that have allowed this organization to essentially have a monopoly over the training and safety of the device.
"Tom Swift and His Electric Rifle" is a painstakingly researched and compelling film that demands to be heard. It's bigger than some true-crime story that affects the lives of a handful of people — the horrors brought to light in the film have an effect on every American citizen.
"Tom Swift and His Electric Rifle" is playing at the Tribeca Film Festival on Tuesday April 21st and Sunday April 26th. Tickets are available here.
Disclosure: Brett Arnold and Amanda Macias are former classmates of the filmmakers.
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