Law enforcement wrongful deaths are among the most popular now in the news media. It may be that we are seeing the problem for the first time, acknowledging the problem for the first time, and that the role law enforcement plays in society is being viewed more critically than it has in the past. In other words, nothing much has changed other than our perspective on the matter and our interest in the matter. Nonetheless, it’s a bad look for law enforcement and the problem doesn’t seem to be getting better.
In this case, a man was found beaten after several vigilantes attacked him. Police arrived and handcuffed the man, failed to provide him with adequate medical attention, and he ended up dying as a result of a combination of the previous beating and the failure to render aid.
The public gets particularly frustrated when law enforcement makes a unilateral call as to punishment. That is not their role. Their role is enforcement. In this case, a victim was punished for no apparent reason.
In this case, law enforcement is accused of tasing the victim after he was restrained.
What will law enforcement argue?
Law enforcement will claim that the plaintiff was belligerent when they reached him, acting aggressively, and they had to restrain him. Unfortunately, they continued to cause the victim harm after he was restrained according to the allegations. Further, law enforcement claims that they were instructed to turn off body cameras while removing the defendant from the vehicle. Law enforcement allegedly sat on top of the victim while he was restrained. Eventually, he stopped breathing and his heart stopped.
What’s next?
The plaintiffs will attempt to hold the officers accountable through the civil justice system as they wait for an investigation of the matter to determine wrongdoing. Now that the wrongful death suit has been filed, more scrutiny will be paid to law enforcement conduct. That means that the officers involved in this will face difficult questions. As of now, it appears they are attempting to cover the matter up by delaying public records requests, turning off body cameras, and more. Often, the cover-up produces a fouler stink around the matter than the underlying bad actions would have on its own.
Unfortunately, this doesn’t appear to have been an instance of “one bad apple.” Rather, this is emblematic of a systematic indifference to life that allows such problems to occur. So long as police confuse their role in society with that of prison guard, more wrongful deaths like this one will occur, there will be more hardship for families, and less trust in the government.
Talk to a Tampa Wrongful Death Lawyer Today
Palmer | Lopez represents the interests of Tampa residents who have been injured or killed by negligent actors. Call our Tampa personal injury lawyers today to schedule a free consultation and we can begin discussing your lawsuit immediately.
