INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The family of a gentleman who died in custody just after remaining shot with a stun gun filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday against the metropolis of Indianapolis and six police officers.
The estate of Herman Whitfield III is trying to get compensatory and punitive damages pursuing the 39-year-old pianist’s dying April 25 inside his parent’s dwelling in Indianapolis.
The man’s mom, Gladys Whitfield, claimed they were being trying to get help for him when they named law enforcement.
“We believed we had been availing ourselves of providers that they supply and they killed our son,” Gladys Whitfield mentioned. “I’m just extremely dissatisfied and sad about what transpired. I could not be more unfortunate.”
Herman Whitfield III plays a piano. (Picture courtesy of Arts Council of Indianapolis)
The lawsuit statements the officers used a stun gun on Whitfield and then “crushed the breath out of an unarmed, non-violent Mr. Whitfield.”
The lawsuit also statements the officers ignored Whitfield’s cries of “I simply cannot breathe.”
Law enforcement Main Randal Taylor and city’s Place of work of Corporation Counsel declined to remark on the lawsuit.
Responding officers ended up advised Whitfield was going through a psychological wellness problem and necessary an ambulance, police stated.
Officers had tried negotiating and using de-escalation methods for much more than 10 minutes when Whitfield moved promptly towards an officer, law enforcement said.
“The officer activated the Taser two times and the guy continued to resist,” law enforcement reported in a information release at the time.
Officers handcuffed the man, but medics obtained no reaction from him, and they began CPR, police claimed. Whitfield was transported to a clinic, exactly where he was pronounced dead shortly following arrival.
Officers described the guy as about 6-foot-2 (1.9 meters) and close to 280 pounds (127 kilograms) lbs ..