Inquest Determines Taser Had Minimal Impact on Man’s Death

An inquest has concluded that the deployment of a Taser by a police officer had a minimal effect on the eventual death of a man who was a father of three. Sali Byberi, aged 29, received a Taser discharge during an incident involving police officers at his residence in Braintree, Essex, in November 2022. Law enforcement officials had previously stated that the event transpired after Mr. Byberi allegedly assaulted an officer and subsequently resisted arrest. Following a forensic post-mortem examination, the preliminary cause of death was identified as “complications resulting from acute cocaine toxicity.” Evidence presented to the coroner earlier indicated that Mr. Byberi’s blood contained 811 micrograms of cocaine per litre at the time of his body’s examination. On November 21, 2022, at approximately 11:30 GMT, officers from Essex Police responded to a report of a disturbance on Clockhouse Way. Following confrontations with law enforcement, Mr. Byberi was observed exiting the flat and proceeding down a corridor. As his conduct intensified, a single Taser device was deployed on multiple occasions. Testimony at the inquest revealed that Mr. Byberi fell ill and passed away approximately 23 minutes after the Taser’s deployment. Dr. Jeffrey Douglas Ho, an emergency medicine specialist, stated during his testimony at the Essex coroner’s court in Chelmsford that it was conceivable Mr. Byberi had already begun a gradual decline towards death before being restrained. He informed the inquest that the officer’s deployment of the Taser “did not make things worse.” Ben Swift, a Home Office pathologist, had previously provided evidence corroborating this viewpoint. Dr. Ho further remarked that the Taser served as an “ideal tool to control Sali” due to its capacity to quickly “incapacitate” an individual. He explained that the device is utilized when individuals are undergoing a medical episode, aiming to prevent their condition from deteriorating before the arrival of medical professionals. He continued, “Unfortunately, in this case it did not have the desired outcome so the struggle went on for a little longer.” He also stated, “I didn’t get the sense that the Taser was effective.” Charles Deakin, a consultant specializing in cardiac anaesthesia and critical care, testified that it was “possible” for the Taser to have been a contributing factor in Mr. Byberi’s death. “It can’t be ruled out with the degree of certainty that Dr Ho expressed,” he commented, but then added, “My opinion is that [the Taser] did not make anything worse.” The ongoing inquest is currently being heard before a jury.