Family of Black Man Files Wrongful Death Suit Against Vallejo Police: Tasered Several Minutes

From [HERE] On June 15, 2010, Michael White, a 47-year-old Vallejo man, died after police officers tased him while attempting to arrest him inside his home. White is the brother of r&b artist  Jay King. 

White's daughter and her mother are suing the the city of Vallejo, as well as Vallejo Police Chief Robert Nichelini, for wrongful death, claiming that White died because of excessive force.  "The actions of [the police officers] were intentional ... reckless, malicious, deliberately indifferent to [White's] rights," stated the suit, Monday in Sacramento. "[White] did not die from Excited Delirium, but from asphyxiation and excessive or unreasonable tasing."

The police were at White's house to investigate an assault claim. White's neighbor, an elderly woman, had called them after White allegedly assaulted her at her front door. Police claim that when they arrived, White refused to cooperate and locked himself inside another neighbor's bathroom. For some reason police went to use force against him and they claim he resisted restraint. Officers then shocked White with Tasers. White collapsed at some point during the struggle. He died soon after at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Vallejo. The complaint claims that the tasing "lasted several minutes," which it calls "unreasonable long exposure."

White's actions, it states, were due to "untreated serious medical needs."

Jay King said , "my brother was arrested by 12 police officers tased at least twice but as many as 4 times while handcuffed, he died.... VPD said they did nothing wrong, they drug a lifeless body from a its home and put it in a squad car and they said this same lifeless body put up a struggle outside the home, the story is rdiculous, doesn't fly and won't go unnoticed... I can't let that happen, my 47 yr old brother is dead as a result of murder by the same people who we pay to serve and protect!!" [MORE] 

The plaintiffs argue that Nichelini "failed to properly hire, train, instruct, monitor, supervise, evaluate, investigate, and discipline" the officers involved. The officers, the suit states, should have been more cognizant of Taser International's multiple warnings "against prolonged exposure to the Taser in people suffering symptoms of ... Excited Delirium."

Police outnumbered White by "at least four to one," according to the filing, and White "never posed a serious or immediate threat to any person."

The Vallejo PD has noted that White's criminal history included at least one assault on police.

In addition to the city and the chief, 25 unnamed police officers are listed as defendants in the lawsuit. The plaintiffs are seeking damages.

Vallejo police reported that cocaine was found in White's blood. His death, the department told the press, was apparently caused by "Excited Delirium," which the Chronicle described as "a complication of cocaine abuse marked by bizarre actions or speech, aggressive behavior, and elevated body temperature.

My brother was no angel, but he was no monster either as a matter of fact he was happy and laughing most often then not, even when he was in prison. The Police act as a gang and whether black,white, male or female and you've encountered the Police in some type of dispute you know what i'm talking about My brother was arrested by 12 police officers (in a bankrupt town) tased at least twice but as many as 4 times while handcuffed, he died.... VPD said they did nothing wrong, they drug a lifeless body from a its home and put it in a squad car and they said this same lifeless body put up a struggle outside the home, the story is rdiculous, doesn't fly and won't go unnoticed... I can't let that happen, my 47 yr old brother is dead as a result of murder by the same people who we pay to serve and protect!!! I'm tired of watching it happen! if you are too please tune in to our show Sunday, June 20th 2010 from 2-4pm pacific standard time as we discuss this serious community issue www.blotalkradio.com/jay-king 347-205-9366 Robert Redwine & I hope you join us and help fight this gang violence that continues to occur in our police department.