Town in Missouri to pay $2.4 million in Taser lawsuit settlement

Moberly to pay $2.4 million in Taser lawsuit settlement
The Associated Press


MOBERLY, Mo. | This municipality agreed Monday to an indefinite moratorium on the use of stun guns and will pay $2.4 million to survivors of a man who died after police shocked him.

Stanley Harlan, 23, died in August 2008 after Moberly police officers stunned him three times during a stop for suspected drunken driving. His family settled with the city of Moberly on Monday in U.S. District Court in St. Louis.

Harlan's mother, Athena Bachtel, sought the moratorium as a way to prevent other deaths, said the family's lead attorney, Stephen M. Ryals.

"The pursuit of justice for her son and specifically reforms of the behavior of Moberly police was paramount," Ryals said. "The monetary settlement was really unimportant to her."

Harlan was shocked after arguing with officers during a traffic stop. Authorities have said he was suspected of drunken driving. A statement from his family's lawyers said he was accused of speeding.

The readout on the officers' Taser indicated Harlan was stunned three times, Ryals said. Harlan lost consciousness and died a short time later.

more...

http://www.kansascity.com/news/breaking_news/story/1267264.html

but at least its some consolation to his family.

How come if the municipality are coughing up there is no mention of charges against the officers concerned ?

30+ years ago and still tells stories about that town and those people. They wanted to fire her because she worked part time at Pizza Hut, where they served beer.

Everyone knows those hypocrites drink beer, they just do it where no one will see them.

Lots of time spent in the garage fixing nothing in towns like that.

If they are so non-lethal how do they kill someone 23 years old? My biggest problem with this story is why did the officers feel using a taser was justified? The story only said it occurred during a traffic stop. Was it for cause or a checkpoint? Even if he was argumentative, how difficult would it be to physically restrain him without the use of a taser?

I've said for years that these techno tools are taking the place of reason, training, and judgment. I hope this judgment puts another nail in the coffin of police state tactics for LEO's.

It reminds me of a situation after I got out of HS. Late 70's, small town of 5,000, local cop takes off after a car for running a light. 10 mile chase ends when the 4 kids in the car screw up a corner and twist the car into scrap metal. Four kids dead for running a light. All these kids lived in the same town and most people could have picked them out on the street. The car was a family car and could have been tracked after the fact very easily.

I knew the cop involved in the chase, he was always a Neanderthal asshole. How he got a job in law enforcement puzzles me to this day.