Teen dies after officer uses Taser on him

MARTINSVILLE -- Virginia State Police are investigating the death of a 17-year-old Martinsville boy who died last night after a city police officer used a Taser on him.

Martinsville Police Chief Mike Rogers said officer R.L. Wray, now on paid administrative leave, accosted the boy in a home on Rives Road and used his stun gun when the boy "moved rapidly" toward him in an offensive manner.

"The officer was well within the guidelines of our policy when he used the Taser," said Rogers.

Last June, the U.S. Department of Justice tentatively completed a study that found no conclusive medical evidence that Tasers cause injury or death, despite many publicized cases of people dying after being hit by the stun guns. In many cases, the victims had pre-existing medical conditions.

Police would not release the name of the boy who died yesterday in Martinsville, but another teenager who was in the home at the time identified him as Derick Jones of Martinsville.

The other teenager, 15, has been charged with disorderly conduct.

Rogers said Wray went to Rives Road after police received a 911 report at 9:25 p.m. of a young man "using the bathroom" in the street. A second 911 caller complained of two or more young men in the street "yelling or fighting."

When Wray arrived, he saw a young male run into the house at 307 Rives Road. Wray followed and found the front door busted, and blood on the inside wall.

He found the two teenagers inside. The one he had seen running was upstairs, so Wray called for him to come down, and after hearing "striking or pounding" noises in the kitchen, he called for the teenager there to come out, Rogers said.

It was then that the 17-year-old moved aggressively toward the police officer, and the teen "was also making some not very kind" comments to Wray, Rogers said.

The 15-year-old said he came downstairs to find his friend on the floor. "The cop used excessive force," he said today. "I told him he didn't need to Taser him. Derick was just drunk."

The 15-year-old said both of them had been drinking that night.

Rogers said the police officer tried to resuscitate the teenager as soon as he realized he was unresponsive. He was pronounced dead at Memorial Hospital of Martinsville and Henry County.

Rogers said the State Police investigation could take one to two weeks. State Police Sgt. Bob Carpentieri declined to comment on the investigation. Contact Rex Bowman at (540) 344-3612 or .