Original Article Feb 13, 3:20 AM EST Study: Tasers 39 times more powerful than manufacturer claims PHOENIX (AP) -- A newly published study that found the electrical output from Taser stun guns to be 39 times more powerful than the manufacturer claimed is again raising concerns over the safety of the popular law enforcement weapon. A study published last month in the Journal of the National Academy of Forensic Engineers found that Taser shocks are powerful enough to cause fatal heart rhythms, The Arizona Republic reported. "The findings show the energy delivered by the weapon to be considerably understated by the manufacturer," the Journal study said. "These findings place the weapon well into the lethal category." Officials with Scottsdale-based Taser International called the study's findings exaggerated, erroneous and "beyond the laws of physics." In response to the Journal study, Taser hired a lab to conduct similar output tests. The company said their study found that the weapon produced power that was significantly less than what the Journal study found and met all specifications. Taser also contends that the author of the Journal study, electrical engineer James Ruggieri, does not have the technical expertise to make conclusions about stun guns. Taser is suing Ruggieri for defamation over his claims in a presentation and testimony in a wrongful-death case last year that Tasers can cause fatal heart rhythms. In an interview with The Republic, Ruggieri said Taser has launched personal attacks to distract from the real issue. "This isn't about me. It's about the findings, the study," he said. Meanwhile, the Army has also concluded that Tasers could cause ventricular fibrillation - a chaotic rhythm of the heart that can quickly become fatal. In determining whether soldiers should be shocked with the stun guns during training exercises, as Taser had initially recommended, the Army found seizures and ventricular fibrillation can be induced by the weapon's electrical current. In a February 2005 memo, the Army's Occupational Health Sciences director called Tasers an effective weapon but determined that the "practice of using these weapons on U.S. Army military and civilian forces in training is not recommended, given the potential risks." Taser has been selling its weapons to law enforcement and the military since 1998. Today, about 171,000 Tasers are being used by more than 8,000 agencies in the United States, according to the company. But more than 167 people have died after being shocked by police since 1999, according to The Republic's count. Medical examiners have cited Tasers in 27 deaths, saying that they were a cause of death in five cases, a contributing factor in 17 cases and could not be ruled out in five cases, The Republic also reports. The deaths have prompted some police departments to reconsider the necessity of the devices and lawmakers have introduced bills restricting their use. Taser denies that its products are solely to blame in any deaths, arguing that drugs, health conditions or other factors - not the electrical shock - have been the cause. The company also contends Tasers have saved the lives of thousands of suspects who might otherwise have been shot by police. --- On the Net: Taser International: http://www.taser.com