Family files $25 million wrongful death lawsuit, releases video of in custody death

a reply to: Shamrock6

Keep something in mind, just because he is restrained does not mean he is no longer a threat to himself or the safety of the public. In my opinion 3 officers tazing him was definitely questionable. Judging from the video, if one officer tazed him over and over I probably wouldn't question it. He was obviously combative.

a reply to: KEMIK

I'm pretty well aware of what qualifies as a threat and what doesn't.

A man slumped over in a seat, unresponsive to verbal commands, while handcuffed and shackled does not fall into the "threat to public and officer safety" territory.

originally posted by: Shamrock6
a reply to: Domo1

No, I don't think it's malicious intent at all. I think they're out of shape and scared to go hands on. Only one of them looked to be anything close to in decent shape.

I think they saw the taser worked to arrest his movement once, so they kept using it every time they didn't get the response they wanted. I don't know how good their training is, so I can't offer an opinion on it. What I CAN say is I think they they FORGOT their training.

Bumbling idiots who have forgotten their training isn't usually going to play out well.

If you had come upon a civiliian who had just tasered a defenseless man until he died you would want the book thrown at him. I imagine you would argue for malicious intent, any sane person would. this is assuming he would survive this hypothetical encounter that is, you are a cop in the U.S. after all.

a reply to: Shamrock6

I agree with you there, when he was in the back of the cruiser there was no need to tase him.

a reply to: Shamrock6

What saddens me is justice is sometimes followed by a dollar sign.

Sure the victims family deserves adequate compensation, but 25 million? I doubt they will get that much. The family should be compensated for loss of income, lets say the deceased average income was 50k a year, so his family should receive the equivalent of his lifetime salary and depending on age and other factors could be between 2-3 million dollars. Then there is the supplementary costs which might rack up another million.

The deceased's family should get what they are entitled to because they were robbed of a lifetime of wages and the Go'vt should cover the legal bills and the officers in charge should have the book thrown at them. But IMO 25 million dollars is not achievable.

a reply to: Shamrock6
In your experience, has anyone played possum whilst you were on duty to gain an advantage?
Serious question.

Is there any procedures for that type of deceit? (Obviously not multiple tasers whilst slumped)

Could the cops possibly see that as a tactic he was employing, especially seeing he wasn't in the right frame of mind and tried to escape just 1 min earlier?

Remember I'm not justifying it, just objective
thinking.

Would like to know.

a reply to: Thecakeisalie

Good point. Has there been a value placed on human life based on previous cases? Is it valued solely on possible contributions?

normally I would side against the police in this case. Just think of it like this though. If a coked up man was kicking out windows running crazy would you not as a Leo but as john w citizen do something to stop it? Did they go a bit far sure in retro spect. At the time though me personally I'm not messing around or worrying about that dudes safety I am concerned about my own. Think scar face coked up taking rounds "Cocaine it's a hell of a drug!"

a reply to: Thecakeisalie

I am not a hundred percent sure but I do live in va.somewhere in the back of my mind I recall the state implementing max civil punishments against the state at like 250k after the vt shooting and massive law suits against the university.

a reply to: dr1234

I don't bother with "if it was a civilian" scenarios. It wasn't a civilian.

originally posted by: DexterRiley
a reply to: hopenotfeariswhatweneed

the officers involved should be fired with no pension and the commanding officer of the station should be charged for withholding evidence.

I agree. However according to the OP's link:

All three officers have been promoted.

Unbelievable!

-dex

OMG i didn't read that far down and i should have that is surreal......promoted...wtf man...

The officer, Lt. D. W. Barker, wrote that Martin met with him and another police official about the investigation, and “advised that she had looked into the matter and felt that the officers had no criminal fault in the investigation,” but she also wanted another prosecutor “assigned to the case to review everything behind her.”

Ms. Martin did not dispute Lt. Barker’s statement in an interview with MSNBC this week, but said “it would be premature to comment on a preliminary opinion when the investigation is still pending. I will withhold a final judgment until my investigation is complete.”

Over two years after the State Police investigation and Martin’s investigation, there have been no charges in the case.

All three officers have been promoted.

And this ...far out....

Officer Bratton was asked how she decided Lambert did not need immediate medical attention, based on his condition when officers left the hospital. She said he looked like “he needed a Band-Aid.”

Want to take a wild guess how many time officer Bratton fired her tazer.....

Most of those discharges were from Officer Bratton, who used her Taser 15 times, including 10 times in a two-minute span.

a reply to: Shamrock6

the real sad thing is they they will plead 'not guilty', and despite video evidence a 'LAW' -yer will defend them in their not guilty plea, im sure they have had some high priced lawyers lined up from the start , find technicalities in the videos,
they may get off free, relocate, and become LEO in some other state. or if found guilty, a year, or two, or a slap on the wrist discharge.

and to think the video wasnt being released when the lawsuit wasnt even filed yet. why was it being stashed away some where.

i wonder if the guy wasnt bla.... never mind.