• Font Size    

Most Popular Videos Featured On KDKA.com

Local Highway To Be Renamed I-376
E-mail

Close Window E-mail This Page

Attorney: Taser Victim Had 17 Bruises, Abrasions

Required fields are marked with an asterisk(*)

The information you provide will be used only to send the requested e-mail and will not be used to send any other e-mail communications. Read more in our Privacy Policy

Send E-mail

   Print     Share +   
Aug 18, 2008 4:37 pm US/Eastern

Attorney: Taser Victim Had 17 Bruises, Abrasions

DA: Investigation Is Ongoing, No Conclusions Have Been Reached

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― The family of a man who died after police used a taser on him says the preliminary results of an independent autopsy show a significant difference than the results that Allegheny County is now using.

The family wants to know if police used excessive force in the death of Andre Thomas.

Howard Messer, the attorney for the family of 37-year-old Andre Thomas, held a press conference to discuss all of the issues. 

He showed the press photos he would not allow to be broadcast that he says is evidence of bruises he believes indicate there may have been police brutality on the night in question.

Messer also says the family would like to look further into the use of the taser on that given day.

They would also like access to the toxicology results on the autopsy performed by the Allegheny County Medical Examiner.

Messer also said they would like to look at Thomas' heart.

He believes there may be evidence there of what happened. Messer says it's all about determining the cause of death.

"I think the family and I personally believe another side of the story has to be told, from the family perspective," said Messer. "So far, the media has covered the government's side of the story. And now we think it is time for us to speak up."

Messer did just that -- calling a press conference to discuss the investigation into Thomas' death.

Witnesses argued police used excessive force but the medical examiner's autopsy found no such evidence.

The family hired Dr. Cyril Wecht and say they found very different results.

"There are 17 different bruises and contusions, 17 contusions and abrasions on Mr. Thomas' body," said Messer. "We have photographed them and we have catalogued them. So to indicate that there was no violence that evening is wrong."

Messer said today he would like to see a public inquest and is looking into the possibility that the taser may have malfunctioned.

"We are concerned the taser may be defective," said Messer. "We have not had an opportunity to check the taser. We have not had an opportunity to determine how many times it was used."

The Allegheny County District Attorney's Office says in a statement that the investigation is ongoing and "no conclusions have been reached."

Stay with KDKA for more details.



(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

Featured Slideshows On KDKA.com

You need the latest Flash player to view video content.
Click here to download.

Click here to bypass this detection if you already have the latest Flash Player.

Local News

Top News Stories

© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.