The St. Louis Police Board voted 3-1 Monday night to fire a police detective accused of using a stun gun against a handcuffed suspect in an attempt to learn his name.

The board first decided that Detective Michael Tillman violated department procedures in using the stun gun to torture or at least threaten to torture the robbery suspect. Tillman was suspended without pay on Dec. 21, 2005, the day after the incident.

The board heard testimony and arguments from attorneys. Late Monday night, the board voted to fire Tillman.

Tillman's attorney, Neil J. Bruntrager, presented testimony from police that the stun gun didn't work when Tillman used it on the suspect and that the question of whether Tillman acted appropriately should be based on that fact.

"It didn't work," Bruntrager said. "He didn't shock him."

Chuck Ford, the attorney for the police department, argued that Tillman's use of the stun gun was inappropriate because the department bars officers from threatening suspects during questioning.

Ford said the threat of using the stun gun was enough to justify firing Tillman.

"I believe that is enough to bring discredit upon the police department," he said.

Lt. Steven Harmon testified that he thought that the stun gun did work when Tillman held it against the suspect three times, including in the hand. Tillman did not testify. The suspect is in prison and was not present.

Harmon testified that he saw the suspect flinch when Tillman jabbed him but that he did not see the blue electrical current it would normally show or hear the suspect screaming in pain. The suspect had told investigators that the 300,000-volt stun gun did not hurt him but that he felt a slight tingle when it was pressed against his arm.

The incident happened inside the South Patrol station on Sublette Avenue.

A stun gun is a hand-held device that delivers a painful shock with an electric arc between two electrodes when pressed against a person and fired. Police sources have said the device was Tillman's personal property and not authorized by the police department.

The suspect had been seen in an area where several robberies had occurred. He was brought in for questioning but refused to identify himself.