The family of Tyrone West was just awarded $400k by MD and $ 600k by the city of Baltimore.

the total settlement (from the city and state) will be $1 million in return for the family dropping their lawsuit, which was scheduled to go to trial this fall.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Tyrone_West

On July 18, 2013, Tyrone West, a 44-year-old African American male, was pursued by two officers of the Baltimore Police Department after he fled a traffic stop during which cocaine was discovered

The criminal history of Tyrone West dates back to 1991, with prior convictions of assault, battery, use of a deadly weapon with intent to injure, and handgun and drug violations. Notably, West had three previous convictions for resisting arrest, was charged with attempted first-degree murder in 1999, and had prosecutors drop additional charges in another attempted murder case.[

After convictions for assault and drug distribution in 2000, West spent twelve years in prison before being released on parole during the summer of 2012. He was living at 2413 Guilford Avenue in North Baltimore during the summer of 2013

Police pulled West over for driving unsafely and speeding.

During questioning, police noticed a bulge in West’s sock, discovering a bag of cocaine when West shoved Officer Bernardez-Ruiz backward

Possession of cocaine was in violation of his parole and would have likely resulted in an eight-year prison sentence

Investigators later found 13 bags of cocaine in the car totaling roughly a gram

Only a couple of witnesses agreed to be interviewed, but they all concurred that West initiated the fight

Repeatedly, West would seemingly comply with officers, only to resume punching, kicking, and pushing

After a second and third distress call, five backup officers finally arrived on scene

six officers were actually involved in restraining West

West was in handcuffs when he appeared to experience a medical episode with labored breathing, so Chapman immediately radioed for medical help

West died at the hospital

An autopsy was performed the following day at 9:00 a.m. at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the State of Maryland.

Chief medical examiner David Fowler determined that West died of cardiac arrhythmia when his heart suddenly stopped beating exacerbated by dehydration, a heart condition, and excessively high temperatures

Neither asphyxia nor trauma from the fight were found to be causes of death

Additionally, West’s urine tested positive for cocaine.

What the hell is wrong with those people?

quote:

Chief medical examiner David Fowler determined that West died of cardiac arrhythmia when his heart suddenly stopped beating exacerbated by dehydration, a heart condition, and excessively high temperatures

Neither asphyxia nor trauma from the fight were found to be causes of death

Additionally, West’s urine tested positive for cocaine.

I wonder if the medical examiner linked the causes of death listed to West testing positive for cocaine since every symptom mentioned can be associated with cocaine use.

The article mentions West's having tested positive for cocaine almost parenthetically.

What a travesty. Once again, the taxpayers are on the hook for a million dollar payout which should never have been made.

The ghetto lottery be strong up in dat place. Insane.

13 baggies of cocaine equaling just one gram.

Damn if that ain't proof of possession with intent to sell.

The coke in his system had nothing to due with his death?

quote:

Originally posted by braillediver:
The coke in his system had nothing to due with his death?

Only the contrary, it seemed to play a significant part in his death.

But this worthless family now gets one million dollars. Perfect.

Seems to me that the city made a fiscal decision rather than a moral one. Most likely the case would have run up much more than a million to litigate and they did not want to engage.

So many times it's about money, not guilt or innocence. Expediency, not optics or morality rule.

Damn shame.

quote:

Originally posted by JimTheo:
Seems to me that the city made a fiscal decision rather than a moral one. Most likely the case would have run up much more than a million to litigate and they did not want to engage.

So many times it's about money, not guilt or innocence. Expediency, not optics or morality rule.

Damn shame.

When I worked for a major national food chain, we took every single "food poisoning" case to trial.

Every. Single. One.

We did this, because 99.9% of them are bullshit, and we didn't want to be seen as a patsy by the trial lawyers who was known to settle.

In a remarkably short time, we stopped seeing those cases because word got around, and litigation is expensive for both sides.

Baltimore needs to cowboy the fuck up, and learn to say "no".

quote:

Originally posted by Sigfest:
What the hell is wrong with those people?

They know that a Baltimore jury award would start at about $10 million and go up from there. Disgusting.

Glad to know the lawyers will suck up a good 1/3 of that.

quote:

Originally posted by ArtieS:

quote:

Originally posted by JimTheo:
Seems to me that the city made a fiscal decision rather than a moral one. Most likely the case would have run up much more than a million to litigate and they did not want to engage.

So many times it's about money, not guilt or innocence. Expediency, not optics or morality rule.

Damn shame.

When I worked for a major national food chain, we took every single "food poisoning" case to trial.

Every. Single. One.

We did this, because 99.9% of them are bullshit, and we didn't want to be seen as a patsy by the trial lawyers who was known to settle.

In a remarkably short time, we stopped seeing those cases because word got around, and litigation is expensive for both sides.

Baltimore needs to cowboy the fuck up, and learn to say "no".

People don't riot over food poisoning.

^^^^^^^
Yeah, probably closer to half. The rest will be gone in a year. It is going to rain Thunderbird for a while.

quote:

People don't riot over food poisoning.

They're not usually shot for it either. Maybe if we started shooting rioters, there would be less of it.