Prior to pepper spray and tasers, guns and choke holds were used in situations when the use of pepper spray and tasers would have been much more helpful. For example, a man with a knife can now be stopped with a taser, while he would previously have been shot. Pepper spray can be used against unarmed assailants. And properly-applied choke holds are useful for subduing assailants without the danger of blunt-force trauma or electrical shock.

Choke holds were resulting in peoples' deaths because LEOs were not being properly trained in the proper application of chokes. There is a huge difference between a properly applied rear naked choke, which cuts off blood supply to the brain by squeezing off the carotid arteries, and a rear forearm choke, which cuts off air supply by compressing the trachea. Blood chokes are effective and can be applied with very little force without the risk of permanent injury or death if they are properly-applied and released shortly after unconsciousness (about 4-10 seconds into the choke). There is a relatively huge margin for brain damage (another 15-20 seconds before it becomes dangerous) with a blood choke. Air chokes can damage the trachea and require a huge amount of force comparatively.

Trained properly, there is pretty much no danger to blood chokes. If you're truly interested, go look up at the mortality rates for chokes being applied in grappling tournaments, like a judo shiai. It's basically 0%, since trained grapplers can easily apply the choke without danger to either them or their opponent.

It is like I am at an Air Supply concert. My underpants, as yet, unsoiled.

The great new song Master Exploder, however, does give me some hope.