OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Two police officers from a small southern Oklahoma town have been charged with second-degree murder after being accused of using their stun guns more than 50 times on a 28-year-old man who died.
Brandon Dingman, 34, one of two Wilson Police Department officers charged with second-degree murder after being accused of using their stun guns more than 50 times on a 28-year-old man who died. Photo credit: Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation
Wilson police Officers Joshua Taylor, 26, and Brandon Dingman, 34, were charged in the death last year of Jared Lakey, according to court documents.
Court documents said the two officers used their stun guns on Lakey more than 50 times, “which greatly exceeded what would have been necessary or warranted by the attendant circumstances,” and was a “substantial factor” in Lakey’s death.
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, which assisted with the investigation at the request of the Carter County sheriff’s office, said that after Taylor and Dingman used their stun guns on Lakey on July 4, 2019, Lakey was hospitalized and died on July 6, 2019.
Taylor and Dingman had come into contact with Lakey after responding to a call that he was acting in a disorderly way, OSBI said. The agency said that when Lakey wouldn’t comply with the officers’ commands, they used their stun guns multiple times.
Joshua Taylor, 25, one of two Wilson Police Department officers charged with second-degree murder after being accused of using their stun guns more than 50 times on a 28-year-old man who died. Photo credit: Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation
A deputy with the Carter County sheriff’s office eventually responded to the scene and helped get Lakey into custody. OSBI said that shortly after that, Lakey stopped breathing and became unresponsive. He was taken to the hospital.
OSBI said that on Wednesday, prosecutors issued arrest warrants for Taylor and Dingman. OSBI said both turned themselves in Thursday morning. They were each given a $250,000 bond and both have bonded out.
Court records do not list attorneys for Taylor or Dingman and home phone numbers for the men could not be found.
If convicted, each faces a punishment of 10 years to life in prison.
Wilson is located about 100 miles south of Oklahoma City.
