Moberly, SC Man Dies After Being Tasered

A South Carolina resident died soon after being Tasered.

James William Harlan was Tasered after a routing traffic stop. His erratic driving led officers to his being pulled over because officers suspected he was driving while impaired. In fact, they arrested him under suspicion of driving while intoxicated.

Harlan was cooperative at first, then when officers directed him to move his arms out from under his body, he refused. When he resisted as officers tried to get handcuffs on him, an officer shot him with a Taser. Commander Kevin Palmatory of the Moberly police said a Taser was used a second time, after which Harlan allowed officers to handcuff him. The second shock was between half a second and a second, said Palmatory.

Shortly thereafter, Harlan stopped breathing. In the time before Randolph County Ambulance District crews arrived, the officers performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Paramedics took over and started their treatment. Harlan was moved to the Moberly Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

It may take weeks for the autopsy results to be made public since toxicology results will not be available for another two to four weeks, according to Boone County Medical Examiner Carl Stacy.

The Division of Drug and Crime Control of the Missouri State Highway Patrol has undertaken an investigation at the request of the Moberly police department. The MSHP’s objectivity will be enhanced due to its level of objectivity, said Palmatory.