Tasered man dies of prior medical conditions

HEMET--A coroner’s review has concluded that the death of a man who was shot with a police Taser was accidental.

Lawrence Rosenthal had been running through traffic on busy Florida Avenue claiming he was on fire when he became confrontational with sheriff’s deputies. He died five days later on August 7th.

A coroner’s review just completed said Rosenthal suffered a heart attack because of cardiovascular disease and acute cocaine toxicity.

There’s was no mention of the Taser incident in the cause of death.

Sheriff’s officials plan no changes in the use of Tasers as the result of the man’s death.
Story Date: September 23, 2008