The family of a man who died after being repeatedly tased by Los Angeles police officers earlier this year in Venice is suing the city and the officers, alleging wrongful death.
Attorneys for Keenan Anderson’s family said Monday that he was having a mental health crisis when he was handcuffed during a police encounter in January.
His family said that Los Angeles police body cam video shows Anderson was not a threat during the incident before officers used a stun gun on him for a minute and a half.
Police had previously said that Anderson was a suspect in a hit-and-run crash who initially compiled, but resisted and was combative when officers tried to take him into custody.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office determined that Anderson died of an enlarged heart and cocaine use.
Attorneys, however, said he died of cardiac arrest at a hospital hours after being tased. They said Anderson was trying to get help after a crash, but was chased and held down by multiple officers.
Attorneys stressed that officers are trained to confront people and should not engage in excessive and unreasonable force, including on those under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or are having a mental health crisis.
“It matters not why he was in distress, because it’s clear from the body-warn footage that he was never a threat,” the family’s attorney, Carl Douglas, said Monday. “He spoke to officers politely. He was always compliant. He never balled his fists, he never kicked, he never did anything to give an officer the belief that he was a threat.”
Anderson, 31, was a high school teacher and had a 5-year-old son.
Attorneys said they filed a $100 million claim for damages and put the city on notice that they intend to file a state-based civil rights lawsuit against Los Angeles and the police officers involved.
Previously, a $50 million claim alleging wrongful death and civil rights violations had been filed on behalf of Anderson’s son. Attorneys on Monday said that claim was denied.