Police, Pilots Train With Tasers
WHITFIELD: An update on our top story. Vice President Dick Cheney is at a Washington, D.C. hospital undergoing some test following complaints of shortness of breath. The vice president has a history of heart problems. Republican strategists Mary Madeline tells our John King the vice president expressed feeling a shortness of breath at about 11:00 a.m. this morning. And then he was taken to the hospital where he is undergoing tests but it is not clear whether he's being admitted into GW University Hospital. Cheney is 63 years old and has had four heart attacks since 1978 when he was the age of 37. Miami Dade police are getting a lot of criticism today after a stun gun was used to subdue a first grader. National correspondent Susan Candiotti has the story.</s>SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): A five second, 50,000 bolt volt from a Taser can drop a full grown man in a heartbeat. It does the same to a 6-year-old child. Three weeks ago police Tasered this boy in a Miami area public school.</s>DET. JUAN DEL CASTILLO, MIAMI DADE POLICE: It caused no injury to him, no injury to anybody else it stopped the situation.</s>CANDIOTTI: A Miami Dade police report describes the youngster as mentally disturbed, highly agitated, and smearing blood over his face. Miami Dade police say the first grader was holding a security guard at bay with a piece of glass.</s>CANDIOTTI (on camera): According to the police report, at least four adults were there. A school resource officer, a security guard, and two police officers. One of the two officers says the report called a superior and got clearance to Taser the 6-year-old boy.</s>CANDIOTTI (voice over): When they did that to him, says the boy's great grandmother, he fell to the floor and vomited. Police defend their actions.</s>CASTILLO: Our main concern was that he was going to hurt himself with that piece of glass.</s>CANDIOTTI: A police official who did not want to be identified called Tasering a 6-year-old unbelievable.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They could have restrained him with their hands or any other thing, not with that.</s>CANDIOTTI: Parents and child advocates are demanding answers.</s>BENJAMIN JEALOUS, AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL: Why four grown-ups couldn't have swarmed that kid and restrained him doesn't make any sense.</s>CANDIOTTI: It's bad, says the boy's great grandmother. The police were only doing their job. Then she adds but they made a mistake. Tasers are being used in schools nationwide. In rural Putnam County Florida, Tasers deployed five times this year in middle and high schools.</s>JAMAL CURTIS, TASERED STUDENT: It felt bad it was -- it's just like down right pain.</s>CANDIOTTI: Jamal Curtis and his sister, honor roll students, among those jolted for alleged violent behavior. School officials insist Tasers are less harmful than batons and pepper spray.</s>KAREN HUGHES, PRINCIPAL PALATKA H.S: If they're not going to respect authority and do what they're asked to do, force sometimes has to be used.</s>CANDIOTTI: Taser International maintains its weapons are tested as the safest way to subdue anyone who weighs at least 60 pounds. But they remain a controversial way of policing children, especially those of a tender age. Susan Candiotti, CNN, Miami.</s>WHITFIELD: Scott Peterson's jury took just a few hours to find him guilty. What does the quick verdict mean to the defense, and could Scott take the stand during his sentencing? We'll discuss those points with our "Legal Roundtable" team coming up.