Shelby Township police settle $1.95 million wrongful death lawsuit

January 13, 2009
4:28 pm

Justice Seeker

Heather L. Ryan, R.N., C.L.N.C- Heather Ryan is a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant with 15 years of experience in the health care industry. Her expertise in reviewing medical records and assisting lawyers with the determination as to whether legal action should be taken provides an invaluable asset to the newsroom. Medical-malpractice, products liability, personal injury and workers’ compensation are some of the recent areas of litigation Ms. Ryan has focused her efforts on. A member of the Florida Justice Association, Heather maintains a long list of certifications and credentials to support her areas of expertise and stays up-to-date with her clinical knowledge working as an emergency room/trauma nurse, at a Level 1, Adult/Pediatric trauma and teaching institution in South Florida.

Shelby Township police settle $1.95 million wrongful death lawsuit

Michigan community and police officers settle a $1.95 million wrongful death lawsuit.

JusticeNewsFlash.com–The family of Steven Spears settled a wrongful death lawsuit against Shelby Township for $1.95 million. The Chicago Tribune reported the lawsuit was filed by Spears family against the Macomb County, Michigan community when Spears died after receiving a taser shock from police.

According to the Shelby Township police Spears was found running through traffic in August 2007 in only his underwear. Police officers attempted to subdue Spears by giving him an electrical shock with a taser gun. The 49 year-old man died during the altercation. The lawsuit, filed by the family claimed Mr. Spears was struck repeatedly by police with Tasers and beaten. The suit also alleged he was suffocated when police were restraining him.

U.S. District Judge Denise Page Hood approved the $1.95 million dollar settlement on December 8, 2008. The family named five police officers and Shelby Township, Michigan, in the wrongful death lawsuit of Steven Spears. The report reflected a medical examiner had ruled the Tasers were not a factor in Spears’ death. The settlement comes in light of possible police misconduct and the aggressive tactics of the five police officers against Spears as the cause of the wrongful death.

Beneficial news for wrongful death lawyers by JusticeNewsFlash.com