Attorneys representing the estate of Keenan Anderson, who died from cardiac arrest after he was repeatedly tased by Los Angeles Police Department officers, filed a $50 million claim of damages against the city of Los Angeles for his death, they announced in a news conference Friday.
via: People
Attorneys representing the estate of Keenan Anderson — a 31-year-old teacher who died earlier this month from cardiac arrest hours after being tased by police officers — filed a $50 million claim of damages Friday against the city of Los Angeles.
Anderson’s family, including his 5-year-old son Syncere Kai Anderson and mom Gabrielle Hansell, joined legal team Ben Crump and Carl Douglas Saturday for a press conference regarding the filing.
“Three trained killers — because that’s what officers are — were unable to handcuff an unarmed man without having to taser him six separate times on the backside of his heart,” Douglas said, in a video shared by Crump on Twitter.
Police are trained to use tasers with restraint due to their high power. Why did the LAPD officers deem it acceptable to tase Keenan Anderson 6 times as he pleaded for help?! We have filed a complaint to force the city to CHANGE its policing protocols in matters concerning POC. pic.twitter.com/GXeCPIGuV9
— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) January 21, 2023
The claim requests $35 million for damages against Anderson’s son and another $15 million for his estate, according to CNN. It accuses the city of Los Angeles of having “failed to properly train the involved officers” who used “unreasonable deadly force.”
“The officers’ use of unreasonable force under these circumstances was intentionally malicious, oppressive, and despicable, and/or with a deliberate indifference to Mr. Anderson’s rights and safety,” the complaint reads, per USA Today.
The identities of the officers involved have not been shared.
The claim is a prerequisite to filing a lawsuit for civil rights violations and wrongful death, which Douglas said they intend to pursue, per USA Today.
As previously reported, Anderson, who taught 10th-grade English, was the cousin of Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors. His encounter with the LAPD was captured on edited body-camera footage.
Police claimed Anderson fled from a car crash in Venice, Calif. around 3:40 p.m. on Jan. 3 before being shocked with the Taser. They also stated that those involved in the accident reported Anderson was responsible for it.
In the footage, Anderson initially appears to comply with police, getting down on his knees and putting his hands behind his head.
“I didn’t mean to,” he can be heard telling officers. “Please, I’m sorry.”
LAPD, however, claimed he was “acting erratically,” and “ignoring officer commands,” as he apparently fled the scene on foot after seven minutes of questioning.
In the body cam clip, Anderson can be seen running into traffic and asking for help, while officers order him to lie on his stomach and submit to being held down in the road.
“They’re trying to kill me,” Anderson said at the time, adding, “They’re trying to George Floyd me.”
According to the LAPD: “[Anderson] began to resist, resulting in a use of force. Officers struggled with Anderson for several minutes, utilizing a TASER, bodyweight, firm grips, and joint locks to overcome his resistance.”
Approximately four and a half hours following the incident, Anderson went into cardiac arrest, and was pronounced dead after an ambulance took him to a local hospital.
On Jan. 3, Keenan Anderson was reportedly involved in a traffic accident, and when LAPD arrived, they restrained and REPEATEDLY tased him on the ground. The 31-yo English teacher died of cardiac arrest hours later at the hospital. Was this repeated use of the taser necessary?! pic.twitter.com/dCshaVbbBG
— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) January 12, 2023
