Oregon Officers Ruled Justified in Taser Incidents

A Douglas County grand jury has found that police officers in two separate incidents were justified in using stun guns against the suspects -- both of whom died following their confrontations with police.

The findings, released Tuesday by the Douglas County District Attorney's office, involve a March 3 incident in which Douglas County Sheriff's deputies used a Taser on Walter Ray McKelvey, 26, and a June 22 incident in which Roseburg Police officers used a Taser on Gregory Allen Price, 56.

Autopsies and extensive medical reports in both cases accounted for the delay in taking the matter to the grand jury, prosecutors said.

In the March incident, McKelvey had called 911 around 8:38 p.m. from a grocery store, claiming he was being followed by two men, according to a press release from the Douglas County District Attorney's Office. After a deputy determined no one was following him, McKelvey requested a ride to the Seven Feathers Casino. The police officer advised him to take a shuttle, but McKelvey instead walked into the street to try to flag down vehicles, the press release states.

As a second officer arrived, McKelvey continued to ignore their orders to get out of traffic, the press release states, and ran down the middle of the street. Officers deployed their Tasers and arrested McKelvey who continued to struggle and talk to them, the release states.

Shortly after, he stopped breathing, according to the district attorney's release. Officers and medical personnel were unable to revive him. An autopsy report concluded he died of methamphetamine intoxication and excited delirium. The autopsy also noted a cyst in his brain.

In the June case, Roseburg police officers were responding to a complaint that a man, identified later as Gregory Allen Price, was acting erratically in front of the courthouse. He had tried to force his way into an occupied car, jumped on another occupied car and was refusing to comply with officers, said Kathleen Johnson, a deputy district attorney.

Officers were trying to take him into custody and were concerned that he was a danger to himself and others, she said. But he continued to resist officers. The officers fired their Tasers multiple times, although it is unclear how many made contact.

After handcuffing Price, officers realized he was not breathing. They started CPR, but he died at the scene.

According to the release, an autopsy determined that the cause of Price's death was atherosclerotic coronary artery disease with physiologic stress from fighting with police. Methamphetamine use and excited delirium were also contributing factors.

McClatchy-Tribune News Service