The Taser M26 and X26 non-lethal stun guns have revolutionized global law enforcement, protecting police officers and saving thousands of lives during potentially deadly altercations. The Taser X26 sends two probes up to 21 feet, transmitting pulse energy into the nervous system of the target, leading to immediate incapacitation.

But while Taser stun guns have been fighting crime out in the streets, Taser International Inc. has been fighting for its life in court, fending off dozens of product-liability lawsuits from law-enforcement opponents who have claimed that the products are unsafe. A spate of recent court victories may signal that the Scottsdale, Arizona-based company has survived a downward spiral caused by storms of negative publicity. A U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio recently entered an order dismissing a product liability lawsuit filed against Taser. The U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas entered a similar order, dismissing another lawsuit. The cases are the twenty-first and twenty-second wrongful death or injury lawsuits that have been dismissed or decided in favor of the stun-gun maker. Taser has yet to lose a case.

Outside of the courthouse, Taser is seeking to win the hearts and minds of the public by trumpeting stun-gun safety. Its public relations group issues a continuous stream of press releases showing that its products have peacefully ended armed standoffs, defused hostage crises, rescued suicidal persons, and apprehended dangerous criminals. In addition, the company has amassed mountains of independent medical and scientific studies that vindicate the non-lethal labeling of the stun gun.

Playing the role of vigorous defendant and stun-gun cheerleader has started to pay off for Taser. If the strategy continues to work, detractors may have to move on to other dubious causes—such as warning the public about the dangers of french fries.