A family from North Carolina has filed a $25 million lawsuit against the Raleigh Police Department following the death of Darryl Williams, who reportedly passed away after being tased by officers.
According to the medical examiner’s report, Williams died from cardiac arrest, with factors including a taser, cocaine, and physical exertion listed as contributing causes. The family’s attorneys, led by Ben Crump, argue that Williams was tased six times, with three of those instances occurring after he had been subdued in January 2023 outside a Raleigh sweepstakes parlor, despite informing officers of his heart condition.
Raleigh Police Department Chief and officers sued
The lawsuit was officially filed in federal court on Monday, naming Raleigh Police Chief Estella Patterson and officers Christopher Robinson, Jeremiah Thomas, Daniel Aquino, James Scott, and Bryan Ramge as defendants. While the family’s legal team claims the taser was used six times, the Raleigh police department maintains that it was deployed only three times.
Following the incident, six officers, including the five mentioned in the lawsuit, were placed on administrative leave, but none have faced charges in connection with Williams‘ death. Despite the presence of cocaine in Williams’ system, Crump asserts that this does not justify the actions of the Raleigh police department. The officers involved are still employed and on active duty within the city’s police department.
