Attorneys for the five-year-old son of a man who died in the US after being repeatedly shocked by Los Angeles police with a stun gun have launched a $50 million lawsuit against the city.
Before Keenan Anderson’s son can file a civil rights violation lawsuit against the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) for tasering his father six times in less than a minute on January 3, the claim must be made.
Carl Douglas, the family’s attorney, remarked at a news conference announcing the case that “he was a flower just about to bloom, but the LAPD regrettably was a hammer.” They handled that blossom as though it were a nail.
On behalf of Anderson’s son, Syncere Kai Anderson, who appeared with his mother, Gabrielle Hansell, and their attorneys, the claim was made on Friday.
A hit-and-run traffic accident occurred in Venice, California, on the US west coast, and Anderson, a 31-year-old high school English teacher in Washington, DC, was a suspect. Anderson is the cousin of Patrisse Cullors, co-founder of the Black Lives Matter movement. He allegedly eluded police and resisted being taken into custody.
According to a video published by the LAPD, Anderson cried for assistance after being pinned to the ground by police.
Anderson screamed, “They’re attempting to kill me!”
A police officer was seen elbowing Anderson in the neck and putting his forearm on his chest in the video.
Anderson said in reference to the Black guy killed by police in Minnesota: “They’re trying to George Floyd me.”
Anderson initially cooperated with authorities as they looked into whether he was under the influence of alcohol or narcotics, according to police chief Michel Moore. He raced into the center of the street and fought being arrested, but was eventually restrained.
Although these findings are independent from the coroner’s independent report, the LAPD toxicology test discovered cocaine and cannabis in Anderson’s body, the chief added.
Although the names of the implicated officers have not yet been released, their union claimed in a statement that the family and its attorneys were “trying to shamelessly profit” from a “tragic tragedy”.
After being restrained, Anderson experienced a heart arrest and passed away about four hours later at a hospital.
