The Durham Police Department has faced many vexing questions recently in the court of public opinion, from queries about a teen who died in custody to complaints of racial profiling and accusations of excessive force.
One of those topics — allegations of excessive force and the department’s policy on when, where and how to use Taser stun guns — has spilled over to the courts.
A recent ruling in a Taser-use case, filed by Bryan DeBaun against Officer Daniel J. Kuszaj and the city of Durham, has buoyed civil rights advocates and others fighting for more limits on the device.