Grand jury to get Louisiana taser case

WINNFIELD, La., July 28 (UPI) -- A Louisiana prosecutor said Monday he will present to a grand jury the case of a man who died after being shot nine times with a stun gun by a police officer.

Winn Parish District Attorney Chris Nevils said he would convene the grand jury Aug. 12 to consider charges against the white officer, Scott Nugent, 21, in the Jan. 17 death of Baron "Scooter" Pikes, a 21-year-old black man who had been arrested on a drug possession warrant, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Pike's death while in police custody has heated racial tensions in Winnfield, the newspaper noted. Police claim Pikes told them he had asthma and was high on drugs but a coroner ruled he was healthy and had no drugs in his system, the Tribune reported.

Nevils said in a statement that it is "my obligation, and that of the grand jury, is to objectively sort through the facts and make a decision that is in the best interest of justice."

Nugent acknowledged in his own report of the incident that Pikes had not struggled or resisted arrest. He wrote he used his Taser because Pikes did not respond promptly to his orders.

Witnesses said Pikes pleaded with Nugent and two other officers to stop using the Taser on him.