Could 'excited delirium' be cause of deaths?
An officer encounters a shirtless man raving in the streets and rolling on the ground.
"Oh … officer, please help me … this guy beat me up," the man says through short breath.
"How much you smoke, man?" the officer responds.
"I don't do nothing," the man replies shortly before running out into traffic. The officer takes him down and handcuffs him. It takes five officers to restrain the hysterical individual. Stepping back from the prisoner, officers take a second to catch their breath and then realize the man has lost consciousness and he's not breathing. Officers perform CPR in a frantic effort to revive him. But even medical crews can't revive the man. In all, the event lasts just 12 minutes.
Video of this ordeal is posted on www.exciteddelirium.org at the University of Miami.
An expert in the condition known as "excited delirium" says neither police, Tasers nor anti-depressants are the cause of people suddenly dying in police custody. Rather, it is a rare brain disorder that can be triggered by either drugs or mental illness and is often fatal no matter what police do.
The issue of excited delirium has become a topic in the recent tragic death of Brian Cardall, who died earlier this month after being Tasered twice by Hurricane police. In fact, in recently released police recordings of the incident, officers are overheard saying:
"Excited delirium, huh?"
"Yeah."
In the tapes, Anna Cardall describes her husband "freaking out" and taking off all his clothes and running into traffic.
Dr. Deborah Mash, professor of neurology and molecular and cellular pharmacology at the University of Miami, says she has studied 90 cases of excited delirium for over 20 years. However, Mash's research remains controversial and some human rights groups call excited delirium simply a convenient term that excuses police brutality.
The American Medical Association does not recognize it as a medical condition, nor does the International Association of Chiefs of Police. It is also not listed in the chief psychiatric reference book.
But Mash maintains that years of research shows there is a rare genetic condition which lies dormant in a few people and can be triggered by drugs such as cocaine, crack or methamphetamine. The result is a severe psychotic episode. The person's body temperature skyrockets to 106 degrees or higher and the connection between the heart and brain is disrupted, leading to sudden death.
"These people are on a lethal path," Mash said. "They're in a state of exhaustive mania."
Recent comments
It was scary. The cops had guns. This guy could have taken one of...
Officer training 2 | July 1, 2009 at 2:16 a.m.
I am looking forward to a public hearing of the investigator's...
investigators | June 24, 2009 at 5:50 p.m.
I'm concerned about an officer who tases a mentally ill man on the...
concerned | June 24, 2009 at 5:49 p.m.
- Salvation Army kettle stolen 9:05 a.m.
- Charges filed in ATM theft 9:05 a.m.
- Army teams nurture mental health 9:04 a.m.
- Man suspected of killing family 9:04 a.m.
- Black-white turnout key in Atlanta 9:02 a.m.
- Attorney: Demjanjuk treated harshly 9:02 a.m.
- 3 Spanish aid workers kidnapped 8:56 a.m.
- Russian train crash toll hits 26 8:55 a.m.
- Stock market looks to consumers 8:52 a.m.
- Big Bang machine beats record 7:58 a.m.
- Hall mouths off about hate of Utah
- Y. student vanished in China
- BYU is champion of the state
- Max Hall issues apology
- Hall's pain reflects self-betrayal
- Cougars beat Utes in overtime
- Boy shot following traffic stop
- Cougs begin bowl preparations
- Marriage definitions vary widely
- Field goals, penalties doomed Utes
- Hall mouths off about hate of Utah
872 - Cougars beat Utes in overtime
477 - Max Hall issues apology
212 - BYU is champion of the state
138 - Man trapped in Nutty Putty cave dies
119 - Cave to be sealed with body inside
116 - Hall's pain reflects self-betrayal
108 - Rivalry Week is highly profane
90 - Hall's legacy measured today
79 - Utes fall to Seattle U. at home
65
I wanted to tell them not to go. I dropped subtle hints. "My money is on...
When I was a kid, I worshipped my grandpa. He was undoubtedly my hero....
Re-posting Hall's comments just serves to further stir up fury instead of...
I only waited five minutes at the Orem In-n-Out. That was on the way to the...
For all you that are saying that RES doesn't have good security they do, YOU...
Europeans won't let that happen. i promise
The Utes get last year. Yep, Kruger is still open, open enough to get a...
The kid had a gun a shot was fired, the officer shot him. enough said . Now...
Utah fans- You need to thank Max for giving you something to focus on after...
against all odds, the deseret news is SPOT ON
No response = good, calming response = better. Max was incredibly foolish...
Nice viewpoint Amy. Well thought out and substantiated by the quotes you...


