Police beanbag shotgun?

[George at Orwellian.Org]

Ah, kinder, gentler, "less lethal" police ammo.

[snipped]
http://www.latimes.com/news/state/20010624/t000052342.html
#    
#    Woman Killed in Standoff with Long Beach (CA) Police
#    
#    Long Beach homicide detectives are investigating the death of 
#    a 48-year-old woman shot by officers who fired beanbags during 
#    a standoff outside her home.
#    
#    Reymer was hit in the arm and torso with beanbags fired from 
#    a 12-gauge shotgun, Tabing said. Police were about 30 to 35 feet 
#    away from her when they fired, after receiving the order from 
#    a sergeant on the scene, she added.
#    
#    Beanbags, which police consider "less lethal" ammunition, are 
#    used by police departments across the nation. The bags travel 
#    much more slowly than bullets and are meant to control suspects 
#    without killing them.
#    
#    Paramedics, already on the scene, rushed in to perform CPR, Taylor 
#    said. "They rolled her over," he said. "There was no blood, but 
#    she was not responding."