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CHARLOTTE -- Sudden cardiac arrest and death associated with application of shocks from a Taser. Those words are black and white in a recent American Heart Association journal article.

The researcher examined several Taser related deaths and concludes the devises can provoke cardiac arrest. The researcher also happened to be the expert witness in the case of Darryl Turner.

A Charlotte teen who was killed after being shocked by a CMPD officer in 2008. His family filed suit against Taser International, the makers of the weapon, and won.

The family's attorney John Burton said that verdict and the recent article is proof of the devises danger.

“Taser International will go broke unless they play by the rules and behave themselves,” said Burton.

Taser International released a statement of their own after the article was published earlier this month.

A spokesman said the researcher is biased and there is currently no medical evidence that CEDs pose a significant risk for induced cardiac dysrhythmia in humans when deployed reasonably.

Last year CMPD officials reviewed their Taser policy and procedures shortly after another Taser related death at a light rail station.

New Tasers were eventually issued to officers and it doesn't seem as if the American Heart Association article will have any baring on the devises continued use.

In a statement CMPD spokesman Rob Tofano said, “the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department uses the Taser X2 and is confident in the functionality of the equipment.”