Florida Family Sues Sheriff Over Inmate Death, Claims Taser Used
Florida Family Sues Sheriff Over Inmate Death, Claims Taser Used
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ASSOCIATED PRESS
PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) -- The family of an inmate who died at the Escambia County jail says in a lawsuit against the sheriff's office that guards shocked him with a Taser stun gun to punish him even though he was suffering from mental problems.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement also is investigating the death of Robert Boggan, 65, of Pensacola, who died Aug. 29 after being in jail for 11 days. Autopsy results, including a cause of death, have not been released.
The suit, filed Wednesday, calls the Taser use ''sadistic'' and ''malicious.'' It alleges jailers pepper-sprayed Boggan's face, stripped him naked, forced him into a shower cell and then shot him at least shot three times with the stun gun after he disobeyed an order.
''Each time the Taser's darts were shot into Mr. Boggan's wet chest and he was shocked with 50,000 volts, the entire shower cell walls flashed as if lightning were striking in that small space,'' the suit alleges. ''Mr. Boggan screamed for his life on each occasion.''
Boggan then collapsed and was put in a restraining chair that was dragged back to his cell, where he remained without medical attention until he was found dead seven hours later, the suit alleges.
Boggan was being held in lieu of a $10,000 bond on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and criminal mischief, court records show.
He was arrested Aug. 18 after knocking over boxes at a Dollar Tree store during a ''mental episode,'' according to the lawsuit.
Capt. Joel Mooneyham, a sheriff's spokesman, said Friday that the suit had not yet been served, so he could not comment.
More than 100 people have died in the United States and Canada since 2001 after being shocked with a Taser, including several in Florida. Many of those who died were drug users."
Moral of the story- don't get arrested in Pensacola if you don't have the money to make bail. But it's not just here, it's everywhere.
There needs to be a complete overhaul of the tactics of police departments nationwide, especially where tasers are concerned. They're lethal weapons, and the police need to admit it.
Posted by: Linda Enterkin
The Online Store for Law Enforcement Professionals
ASSOCIATED PRESS
PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) -- The family of an inmate who died at the Escambia County jail says in a lawsuit against the sheriff's office that guards shocked him with a Taser stun gun to punish him even though he was suffering from mental problems.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement also is investigating the death of Robert Boggan, 65, of Pensacola, who died Aug. 29 after being in jail for 11 days. Autopsy results, including a cause of death, have not been released.
The suit, filed Wednesday, calls the Taser use ''sadistic'' and ''malicious.'' It alleges jailers pepper-sprayed Boggan's face, stripped him naked, forced him into a shower cell and then shot him at least shot three times with the stun gun after he disobeyed an order.
''Each time the Taser's darts were shot into Mr. Boggan's wet chest and he was shocked with 50,000 volts, the entire shower cell walls flashed as if lightning were striking in that small space,'' the suit alleges. ''Mr. Boggan screamed for his life on each occasion.''
Boggan then collapsed and was put in a restraining chair that was dragged back to his cell, where he remained without medical attention until he was found dead seven hours later, the suit alleges.
Boggan was being held in lieu of a $10,000 bond on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and criminal mischief, court records show.
He was arrested Aug. 18 after knocking over boxes at a Dollar Tree store during a ''mental episode,'' according to the lawsuit.
Capt. Joel Mooneyham, a sheriff's spokesman, said Friday that the suit had not yet been served, so he could not comment.
More than 100 people have died in the United States and Canada since 2001 after being shocked with a Taser, including several in Florida. Many of those who died were drug users."
Moral of the story- don't get arrested in Pensacola if you don't have the money to make bail. But it's not just here, it's everywhere.
There needs to be a complete overhaul of the tactics of police departments nationwide, especially where tasers are concerned. They're lethal weapons, and the police need to admit it.
Posted by: Linda Enterkin
posted by Kangaroo Brisbane Australia at 8:53 PM
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