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Is the Taser, at times, an acceptable personal security device?

By Steve Lombardi

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - I write often about how being a lawyer isn't a boring job. This is one of those stories. The lawyer has a 'client', at least I think he is a 'client'; who confesses to a double murder, tells the lawyer where to find the bodies and then instructs her to turn him in to the police. The lawyer obliges and the police do find two dead bodies, both educators who have been murdered. Apparently the guy who confessed to the murders was a former boyfriend. This is a situation that get's played out in every courthouse across America. One person before the Court is controlling, probably a jealous type, who has a history of criminal behavior surrounding dating and then harassing or worse to those who break up with him. The Court is asked to issue a restraining order, but is that enough?

'Detectives arrested Montoya, who is in jail on two counts of murder in the deaths of his former girlfriend, BernalilloHigh School teacher Stefania Gray, 43, and her boyfriend, University of New Mexico English professor Hector Torres, 54. Gray also was a UNM graduate student. The officers at Torres' house kicked in the back door. They reported that Torres' body had a handgun in the left hand, pointed at his head. One officer said the handgun appeared to have been placed there.'

So what does all this tell women and men about dating the jealous types and how to unwind the relationship after discovering past discretions? In this case the woman obtained a restraining order and while that's a good idea it obviously didn't keep her alive. Same goes for the professor boyfriend. A piece of paper from the courthouse can't stop a person hell-bent on seeking a pound of flesh. I'm going to go out on a limb here and pose the question about carrying a Taser. Taser International does carry a personal consumer line of Tasers. But would carrying one turn us once again into the Wild West? If so is that a good or a bad thing? See below the quote.

'In 1995, Montoya pleaded guilty to charges of stalking, assault, attempted arson and attempted breaking and entering after a complaint from a student at New MexicoStateUniversity in Las Cruces. He was placed on probation for a year.

In 1998, another Las Cruces woman obtained a restraining order against Montoya. She told authorities he made 15 to 20 threatening phone calls a day for two months and had been seen near her apartment window several times.

And in 2005, a Rio Rancho woman complained Montoya had been harassing her for a month after they dated briefly, showing up at her home and that of her new boyfriend, according to police records. No charges were filed.'

SURVEY QUESTIONS TO DEBATE:

What do people think, should this woman and this man have purchased and carried a Taser for personal safety?

Would carrying a Taser have made any difference?

Would carrying a Taser turn us once again into the Wild West?

If so, is that a good or a bad thing?

What type of Taser would be an acceptable personal security device for urban women?

Would you spend $450.00 for a personal security device?

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Steve Lombardi

Full post as published by Des Moines Personal Injury Lawyer on March 17, 2010 (boomark / email).