poledriver
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Tasered student 'temporarily chemically deranged'
A Brazilian student was in a "drug induced psychotic state" on the night he died, a recreational dose of LSD leaving him "temporarily chemically deranged" and unable to process instructions from police, a court has heard.
Psychiatrist Jonathon Phillips today presented a report to the coronial inquiry into the death of Roberto Laudisio Curti, saying the young man's descent into "paranoid delusion" and psychosis had begun soon after taking one-third of a tab of the hallucinogenic drug.
He was most likely in his "own private hell", the psychiatric expert told the Coroner's Court in Glebe.
Dr Phillips said it was clear from the evidence collected for the inquest that Mr Laudisio Curti was in a "very vulnerable state - vulnerable psychologically and vulnerable physically" and was "prone to overreact" to any situation.
His "level of fear skyrocketed" when he was approached by police, he said, and "stressors" such as the police chase, attempts to tackle him, the Taser, OC spray and physical restraint would have adversely affected him.
"Well they each individually, and certainly collectively, would have added to his fear at the time and he would have perceived each individually and collectively as further threats to his ... survival," he said.
His capacity to process instructions would have been "minimal", he said.
Dr Phillips said he did not agree with police suggestions that Mr Laudisio Curti displayed "superhuman strength" as they tried to arrest him.
"People can be extremely strong when they are fearful ... fear is the driver which in fact causes the person to be very strong and very aggressive for a brief period," he said.
Mr Laudisio Curti died in the early hours of March 18 this year after being chased and Tasered by police following reports of an armed robbery of a Sydney convenience store.
The young man had in fact taken two packets of biscuits from the shop, having earlier sought solace there believing people were trying to kill him, telling the manager he was a "messenger from God" and the world was going to end.
Dr Phillips said it was "just good medicine" to try to placate someone in such a psychotic state - not agitate them further.
Decision to fire Taser for second time
A police officer who Tasered Mr Laudisio Curti twice in 45 seconds has admitted that part of his reasoning for the second "blast" of electricity was based on a "figment of his imagination".
Senior Constable Eric Lim also told the State Coroner in evidence today that he had not seen that Mr Laudisio Curti was handcuffed when he cycled his Taser a second time.
He had previously described seeing the Brazilian kicking, thrashing and bucking police officers from his body.
He said police did not have "control" of the situation and he believed they might once again be overpowered by the Brazilian.
These factors led to his decision to deploy his Taser a second time, he said.
But Peter Hamill, SC, representing the Laudisio family, said that, based on Senior Constable Lim's Taser-cam footage played to the court, it was a "delusion" and that it simply did not happen.
"According to the footage, no," Senior Constable Lim said.
After viewing the footage again, he accepted that just before his second "cycling" of the Taser, Mr Laudisio Curti was compliant, his hands appear cuffed, one officer had a knee on his abdomen, and he had only attempted to roll over.
He was surrounded by five other officers at the time, the court heard.
"You were not justified in deploying your Taser a second time, were you?" Mr Hamill asked.
"I disagree," the officer said, adding that he believed he or other officers might have been injured in any further attempt by the Brazilian to escape.
Senior Constable Lim said he did not hear another officer fire his Taser five times in "drive stun" mode, nor had he smelled the capsicum spray used by another colleague.
The court also saw and heard recordings from a second Taser in use on the night, which Mr Hamill suggested was Mr Laudisio Curti "wailing" as he struggled against the force used.
"I didn't hear any of that," he said.
He later said he would not have used his Taser a second time if he had perceived police had control, and Mr Laudisio Curti had not moved again.
Standard Operating Procedures for the use of Tasers also permit using the weapon while a person is in handcuffs if it is "justified".
The inquest continues.
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/tasered-student-temporarily-chemically-deranged-20121010-27cgc.html
A Brazilian student was in a "drug induced psychotic state" on the night he died, a recreational dose of LSD leaving him "temporarily chemically deranged" and unable to process instructions from police, a court has heard.
Psychiatrist Jonathon Phillips today presented a report to the coronial inquiry into the death of Roberto Laudisio Curti, saying the young man's descent into "paranoid delusion" and psychosis had begun soon after taking one-third of a tab of the hallucinogenic drug.
He was most likely in his "own private hell", the psychiatric expert told the Coroner's Court in Glebe.
Dr Phillips said it was clear from the evidence collected for the inquest that Mr Laudisio Curti was in a "very vulnerable state - vulnerable psychologically and vulnerable physically" and was "prone to overreact" to any situation.
His "level of fear skyrocketed" when he was approached by police, he said, and "stressors" such as the police chase, attempts to tackle him, the Taser, OC spray and physical restraint would have adversely affected him.
"Well they each individually, and certainly collectively, would have added to his fear at the time and he would have perceived each individually and collectively as further threats to his ... survival," he said.
His capacity to process instructions would have been "minimal", he said.
Dr Phillips said he did not agree with police suggestions that Mr Laudisio Curti displayed "superhuman strength" as they tried to arrest him.
"People can be extremely strong when they are fearful ... fear is the driver which in fact causes the person to be very strong and very aggressive for a brief period," he said.
Mr Laudisio Curti died in the early hours of March 18 this year after being chased and Tasered by police following reports of an armed robbery of a Sydney convenience store.
The young man had in fact taken two packets of biscuits from the shop, having earlier sought solace there believing people were trying to kill him, telling the manager he was a "messenger from God" and the world was going to end.
Dr Phillips said it was "just good medicine" to try to placate someone in such a psychotic state - not agitate them further.
Decision to fire Taser for second time
A police officer who Tasered Mr Laudisio Curti twice in 45 seconds has admitted that part of his reasoning for the second "blast" of electricity was based on a "figment of his imagination".
Senior Constable Eric Lim also told the State Coroner in evidence today that he had not seen that Mr Laudisio Curti was handcuffed when he cycled his Taser a second time.
He had previously described seeing the Brazilian kicking, thrashing and bucking police officers from his body.
He said police did not have "control" of the situation and he believed they might once again be overpowered by the Brazilian.
These factors led to his decision to deploy his Taser a second time, he said.
But Peter Hamill, SC, representing the Laudisio family, said that, based on Senior Constable Lim's Taser-cam footage played to the court, it was a "delusion" and that it simply did not happen.
"According to the footage, no," Senior Constable Lim said.
After viewing the footage again, he accepted that just before his second "cycling" of the Taser, Mr Laudisio Curti was compliant, his hands appear cuffed, one officer had a knee on his abdomen, and he had only attempted to roll over.
He was surrounded by five other officers at the time, the court heard.
"You were not justified in deploying your Taser a second time, were you?" Mr Hamill asked.
"I disagree," the officer said, adding that he believed he or other officers might have been injured in any further attempt by the Brazilian to escape.
Senior Constable Lim said he did not hear another officer fire his Taser five times in "drive stun" mode, nor had he smelled the capsicum spray used by another colleague.
The court also saw and heard recordings from a second Taser in use on the night, which Mr Hamill suggested was Mr Laudisio Curti "wailing" as he struggled against the force used.
"I didn't hear any of that," he said.
He later said he would not have used his Taser a second time if he had perceived police had control, and Mr Laudisio Curti had not moved again.
Standard Operating Procedures for the use of Tasers also permit using the weapon while a person is in handcuffs if it is "justified".
The inquest continues.
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/tasered-student-temporarily-chemically-deranged-20121010-27cgc.html
