UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN

SOUTHERN DIVISION

CORA MITCHELL, on behalf of herself )

Individually and as Personal Representative )

of the Estate of ROBERT MITCHELL, )

)

Plaintiff, ) Case No. 5:09-cv-11480

)

v. ) Judge John Corbett O’Meara

)

TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC., ET AL., ) Magistrate Judge Mona Majzoub, 

)

)

Defendants. )

DECLARATION OF JEFFREY HO, MD, FACEP, FAAEM

I, Jeffrey Ho, being of legal age and under the penalties of perjury, state as follows:

1. I am a competent adult and have personal knowledge of the following facts, or 

believe them to be true based on information and belief. Facts about which I do 

not have personal knowledge are of the type reasonably relied upon by experts in 

this field and have probative value to me in rendering my opinions.

2. Attached hereto is a true and accurate copy of my expert report in the above 

captioned litigation.

3. The report summarizes my analysis and findings and includes a statement of my 

opinions. The report also includes data and other information considered by me 

in forming my opinions and sets out my qualifications (including my resume).

4. My opinions are expressed to a reasonable, or higher, degree of medical and/or 

scientific certainty and/or probability.

5. I affirm under the penalties of perjury that the foregoing statements are true and 

correct.

September 13, 2013

Case 5:09-cv-11480-JCO-MKM ECF No. 165-2, PageID.2867 Filed 11/22/13 Page 1 of 10
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Introduction

I have been retained as an expert medical consultant on behalf of the Defendants for this 

case, TASER International, Inc. and Michigan TASER Distributing, Inc. I have been 

asked to provide my opinions about the effects of the electrical output from a TASER®

Conducted Electrical Weapon (CEW or device) on human physiology and what its 

human effects were in this particular case. My opinions offered in this case are rendered 

to a reasonable degree of medical certainty or probability.

I reserve the right to supplement or modify this statement if and when I acquire additional 

relevant information prior to the time of trial.

Qualifications: 

I am a practicing, residency trained and board-certified emergency medicine physician 

and hold an academic appointment as an associate professor at the University of 

Minnesota Medical School. I am a Fellow of the American College of Emergency 

Physicians and of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine. I also hold a full-time 

peace officer license in the State of Minnesota and currently work as a deputy sheriff. I 

have previous experience as a firefighter/emergency medical technician (EMT) and have 

fellowship training specifically in the area of emergency medical services (EMS)/prehospital emergency care. I have 9 years of reserve military service as a medical corps 

officer and I currently serve as a medical director to EMS agencies in the upper Midwest. 

I am also an expert medical research consultant on human physiology in association with 

TASER device applications and maintain certification as a TASER® CEW Instructor. I 

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Appendix R

Case Specific Documents and Materials

Mitchell v. TASER International, Inc.

Pleadings

1. Opinion and Order Granting in Part and Denying in Part

Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment 02.09.12

2. Notice of Appeal 02.13.12

3. Stipulated Order Allowing Third Party Complaint and Second 

Amended Complaint 04.04.12

4. Second Amended Complaint and Jury Demand 04.09.12

Deposition Transcripts & Exhibits

Officers

5. William Cataldo 

(Chief of Homicide, Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office) 02.02.10

6.

James Langtry 

(Chief of Operations, Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office) (30 

(b)(6) representative of Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office)

02.04.10

7. Daniel Burmistrzak 

(Officer)

02.22.10

&

11.05.10

8. Robert Churchran

(Investigator, Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office) 03.22.10

9. Darin Miller

(Officer, Detroit Police Department) 04.13.10

10. Charles Flanagan

(Lieutenant, Detroit Police Department) 04.14.10

11. Kenneth Gardner

(Sergeant, Detroit Police Department) 05.27.10

12. Byron McGhee

(Officer, Homicide Division, Detroit Police Department) 05.27.10

13. Jason Sloan

(Sergeant, Detroit Police Department) 08.09.10

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14. Eddie Edwards

(Officer, Detroit Police Department) 08.09.10

15. DeSheila Howlett

(Officer, Warren Police Department) 08.11.10

16. Scott Taylor

(Officer, Warren Police Department)

08.12.10

&

06.19.13

17. Mathew Milne

(Officer, Warren Police Department) 09.08.10

18. Raymond Henke

(Officer, Warren Police Department)

10.18.10

&

06.19.13

19. Jesse Lapham

(Officer, Warren Police Department)

10.20.10

&

06.19.13

20. Kevin Howell

(Sergeant, Warren Police Department) 10.27.10

21. Daniel Klik

(Officer, Warren Police Department) (Now Retired)

01.20.11

& 

02.15.11

22.

Kevin Borycz

(Detective Corporal, Criminal Investigation Unit, Warren Police 

Department)

02.15.11

23. David Hendrickson

(Captain, Warren Police Department)

03.21.11

&

04.12.11

24. Michael R. Torey

(Lieutenant, Warren Police Department) 03.28.11

25. Curtis Thrift

(Paramedic Instructor Coordinator, Warren Fire Department) 06.19.13

Witnesses

26. Cora Mitchell (deceased’s mother)

06.24.11

&

06.21.13

27. Michael Wright (deceased’s youngest brother) 06.24.11

28. Latoiya Mitchell (deceased’s half-sister) 06.24.11

29. Charlotte McGlory (deceased’s grandmother) 07.01.11

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30. Debra McGlory (deceased’s aunt, sister of Cora Mitchell) 07.01.11

31. Harrison Mitchell (deceased’s uncle, brother of Cora Mitchell) 07.01.11

32. Sharonda Watkins (deceased’s sister) 09.24.11

33. Toya Baker (back-seat passenger of the Dodge Stratus) 06.17.13

34. Cheryl Loewe, M.D. (conducted the autopsy on Robert Mitchell) 06.20.13

35. Ron Dehne (owner of Michigan TASER Distributing) 06.21.13

36. Kayree Dayvon Jeffrey a/k/a Chris Davis (driver or the Dodge 

Stratus) 06.21.13

Defendant TASER’s Discovery 

37. TASER Manufacture and Sale Records for X26 ECD Serial No. X00-

218640 (Bates No. TI-Mitchell-5-000183) 2006

38. Law Enforcement Product Warnings 04.28.08

39. TASER Download Report

(Bates No. TI-Mitchell-1-000021) 04.10.09

40. Warren Police Department Communications Report

Plaintiff’s Discovery

41.

Cynthia Bir email to Sgt. Klik, with 3 attachments

(Article: Valentino, Daniel J., TASER X26 Discharges in Swine: 

Ventricular Rhythm Capture is Dependent on Discharge Vector)

(Article: Wu, Jiun-Yan, Taser Dart-to-Hart Distance That Causes 

Ventricular Fibrillation in Pigs)

(Wikipedia: Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia)

(01738-01764

05.19.09

42.

Plaintiff’s Answers to First Interrogatories and Request for 

Production of Documents

[From: Defendant City of Warren]

11.24.09

43.

Plaintiff’s Responses to Defendants’ Second Request for 

Production of Documents to Plaintiff

[From: Defendant City of Warren]

07.20.10

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44.

Plaintiff’s Answers to Defendants’ [Second Set of] Interrogatories 

and Request for Production of Documents to Plaintiff Regarding 

Lay Witnesses

[From: Defendant City of Warren]

12.20.10

45. Plaintiff’s Rule 26 Disclosures 01.09.13

46. Plaintiff’s Responses to Defendant Michigan TASER Distributing, 

Inc.’s First Set of Request for Admission 06.05.13

47. Plaintiff’s Responses to Michigan TASER Distributing, Inc.’s First 

Set of Interrogatories 06.05.13

48. Plaintiff’s Responses and Objections to Defendants First Joint 

Request for Production of Documents 06.05.13

49. Plaintiff’s Objection to TASER International Inc.’s First Set of 

Interrogatories 06.05.13

50. Plaintiff’s Responses to Defendant TASER International, Inc.’s First 

Set of Requests for Admissions 06.05.13

Officer Statements (Detroit Police Officer’s to Warren P.D.)

51. Daniel Burmistrzak

(Handwritten statement)(2 pgs.) 04.10.09

52. Daniel Burmistrzak

(Handwritten statement)(2 pgs.) 04.11.09

53. Eddie Edwards

(Handwritten statement)(1 pg.) 04.17.09

54. Darin Miller

(Handwritten statement)(1 pg.) 04.17.09

Incident-Related Investigative Reports

55. Postmortem Examination (ME #537-09) 04.11.09

Incident –Related Police Records

56.

Warren Police Department Incident Report No. 09-20345

(Bates Nos. TI-Mitchell-1-000001 through 000020)

a.) Milne Report (Original) (001-004)

b.) Henke Report (Supplement) (005-009)

c.) Taylor Report (Supplement) (010-012)

d.) Lapham Report (Supplement) (013-016)

e.) Busch Report (Supplement) (017-020)

04.10.09

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57. Detroit Police Department Crime Report 

(Case No. 0904100178)(Report No. 0904100178.3) 04.17.09

Medical Records - Emergency

58. Warren Fire Department Records

(Bates WFD1 – 00001 to 00006) (Fire) 04.10.09

59.

Macomb County Emergency Medical Services - Life Support 

Ambulance Run Report Form Universal-Macomb Ambulance 

Records

(A000001 – 09) (Ambulance)

04.10.09

60.

Henry Ford Macomb Warren Hospital Records

(Bates Nos. TI-Mitchell-2-000016 through 000032)

 (Hospital)

04.10.09

Medical Records - Prior

61. Northeast Guidance Center 03.05.08 - 02.19.09

62. Saratoga Urgent Care 02.08.09

Other Records

63.

As attached to Plaintiff’s Responses to Defendants’ 2nd

Request for Production of Documents

A (1) Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Letter Request 09.02.09

B (2) City of Detroit’s Response to FOIA Letter Request 09.16.09

C (3) City of Detroit’s 2nd Response to FOIA Letter Request 10.07.09

D

(4) Subpoena In a Civil Case & Records Deposition Subpoena Duces 

Tecum Addendum (Issued to the Macomb County Prosecuting 

Attorney)

10.12.09

E (5) City of Detroit’s Response to Subpoena In Civil Case 10.15.09

F (6) Correspondence Response to Subpoena in a Civil Case from 

Macomb County Prosecuting Attorney to William Goodman 10.19.09

G

(7) Correspondence from Goodman & Hurwitz to the City of 

Detroit Law Department re: enclosed payment for “processing 

fee”

11.05.09

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H (8) Correspondence from the City of Detroit Law Department to 

Goodman & Hurwitz re: Subpoena Response 11.11.09

I (9) Correspondence from Goodman & Hurwitz to Macomb County 

Prosecutor’s Office re: Subpoena in a Civil Case 11.05.09

J (10) Correspondence from the City of Detroit Law Department to 

Goodman & Hurwitz re: Subpoena Response (duplicate of 8) 11.11.09

K (11) Facsimile Correspondence and attachments from Goodman & 

Hurwitz to James Langtry, Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office 11.23.09

L

(12) Correspondence from Goodman & Hurwitz to Macomb 

County Prosecutor’s Office re: 2nd 30 (b)(6) Subpoena in a Civil 

Case and 2Nd Notice of Records Deposition Subpoena Duces Tecum 

Addendum (01.21.10)

12.23.09

M

(13) Correspondence from Goodman & Hurwitz to Macomb 

County Prosecutor’s Office re: 2nd 30 (b)(6) Subpoena in a Civil 

Case and 2Nd Notice of Records Deposition Subpoena Duces Tecum 

Addendum (01.21.10) (duplicate of 12)

12.23.09

N

(14) Correspondence from Goodman & Hurwitz to Macomb 

County Prosecutor’s Office re: Subpoena in a Civil Case and Notice 

of Records Deposition Subpoena Duces Tecum Addendum 

(01.20.10)(Robert Chuchran)

12.23.09

O

(15) Correspondence from Goodman & Hurwitz to Macomb 

County Prosecutor’s Office re: Subpoena in a Civil Case and Notice 

of Records Deposition Subpoena Duces Tecum Addendum 

(01.21.10)(James Langtry)

12.23.09

P

(16) Correspondence from Goodman & Hurwitz to Macomb 

County Prosecutor’s Office re: Subpoena in a Civil Case and Notice 

of Records Deposition Subpoena Duces Tecum Addendum 

(01.20.10)(Robert Chuchran)

12.28.09

Q

(17) Correspondence from Goodman & Hurwitz to Macomb 

County Prosecutor’s Office re: Subpoena in a Civil Case and Notice 

of Records Deposition Subpoena Duces Tecum Addendum 

(01.20.10)(James Langtry)

12.28.09

R

(18) Correspondence from Goodman & Hurwitz to Macomb 

County Prosecutor’s Office re: Corrected 2nd 30 (b)(6) Subpoena in 

a Civil Case and 2Nd Notice of Records Deposition Subpoena Duces 

Tecum Addendum (01.21.10)

01.07.10

S

(19) Correspondence from Goodman & Hurwitz to Macomb 

County Prosecutor’s Office re: Second Corrected Subpoena in a 

Civil Case and Notice of Records Deposition Subpoena Duces 

Tecum Addendum (01.21.10)(James Langtry)

01.07.10

T (20) Correspondence from Goodman & Hurwitz to Macomb 

County Prosecutor’s Office re: Second Corrected Subpoena in a 01.07.10

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U Civil Case and Notice of Records Deposition Subpoena Duces 

Tecum Addendum (01.20.10)(Robert Chuchran)

V

(21) Correspondence from Goodman & Hurwitz to Macomb 

County Prosecutor’s Office re: Subpoena in a Civil Case and Notice 

of Records Deposition Subpoena Duces Tecum Addendum 

(01.20.10)(Willaim Cataldo)

01.07.10

W (22) Correspondence from Goodman & Hurwitz to Macomb 

County Corporate Counsel re: upcoming depositions 01.15.10

X

(23) Correspondence from Goodman & Hurwitz to Goldpaugh & 

Associates, PC re: Second Notice of Taking Deposition of Officer 

Daniel Burmistrzak, together with attachments (a) Burmistrzak 

Witness Statement, (b) 4.24.09 Email, and (c) sticky note

02.08.10

Y

(24) Correspondence from Goodman & Hurwitz to Macomb 

County Prosecutor’s Office re: Third Re-Notice Subpoena in a Civil 

Case and Notice of Records Deposition Subpoena Duces Tecum 

Addendum (02.11.10)(Robert Chuchran)

02.08.10

Z

(25) Correspondence from Goodman & Hurwitz to Goldpaugh & 

Associates, PC re: Second Subpoena and Second Records 

Deposition Subpoena Duces Tecum Addendum of Officer Daniel 

Burmistrzak

02.12.10

AA

(26) Correspondence from Goodman & Hurwitz to Macomb 

County Prosecutor’s Office re: Fourth Re-Notice of Taking 

Deposition Duces Tecum (03.22.10)(Robert Chuchran)

02.15.10

BB (27) Correspondence from Goodman & Hurwitz to Darin Miller and 

duplicate copy of Subpoena 04.07.10

CC (28) Email from William Goodman to Sgt. McGhee re: deposition 

rescheduling 04.14.10

DD

(29) Correspondence from Goodman & Hurwitz to Sgt. Kenneth 

Gardner and Officer Bryon McGhee, together with attachment (a) 

handwritten statement of Burmistrzak dated 04.11.09

05.04.10

EE (30) Facsimile correspondence from Goodman & Hurwitz to Sgt. 

Lewis re: Subpoena served upon Sgt. McGhee 05.27.10

FF (31) Correspondence from the City of Detroit Law Department to 

William Goodman 06.02.10

Media

64. Dispatch Tape (44 tracks) 04.10.09

65.

Warren Police Department scout car in car video tape #3198, 

evidence tag #5454

(Officers Henke/Milne)

04.10.09

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66.

Warren Police Department scout car in car video tape #3047, 

evidence tag #5465

(Officer Seidel)

04.10.09

67.

Warren Police Department scout car in car video tape #3043, 

evidence tag #5465

(Officer Howlett)

04.10.09

68.

Warren Police Department scout car in car video tape #3069, 

evidence tag #5509

(Officers Adams/Livingston)

04.10.09

69.

Warren Police Department scout car in car video tape #3063, 

evidence tag #5515

(Officer Kleinstiver)

04.10.09

70.

Warren Police Department scout car in car video tape #3086, 

evidence tag #5510

(Officers Taylor/Lapham)

04.10.09

71.

Warren Police Department - Footage of the route of foot pursuit 

of Mitchell

(Det. Nearing) (DID WE EVER GET THIS?)

04.10.09

72. DPD Daniel Brumistrzak’s in car video (DID WE EVER GET THIS?) 04.10.09

Photos

73. Autopsy Photographs (27) 04.11.09

74. Hospital Photographs (32) 04.10.09

Indexes

75. Deposition[s] Exhibits Index

(Cora Mitchell v. City of Warren) (Cause No. 09-cv-11480) Various

Sales Records

76. Michigan TASER Distributing Invoice No. 1682 08.24.06

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