Illinois city settles claim after 17 year-old dies from stun gun shocks by police.
Chicago, IL(JusticeNewsFlash.com)–As reported by the Chicago Tribune, a lawsuit filed against the Jerseyville Police Department, a suburb of St. Louis, Illinois, settled for an undisclosed amount. According to court documents, Roger Holyfield was shocked with a stun gun, by police officers, on October 28, 2006. The boy, who was 17 at the time, was approached by Jerseyville authorities while carrying a Bible and shouting, “I want Jesus”. Police officers allege the boy became combative when authorities confronted the young man.
Police shocked Holyfield with a stun gun once, and when he failed to comply shocked him again. Jerseyville police officers called for emergency medical personnel (EMS) when he dropped to the ground unconscious. St. Louis area EMS workers arrived, began CPR, and transported Holyfield to the hospital. Doctors were unable to maintain Holyfield’s life and pronounced him dead. Rita Cummings, the mother of the dead boy, and her lawyers filed the wrongful death claim against the city of Jerseyville and the Jerseyville Police Department. The plaintiff and named defendants agreed to settle for an undisclosed amount of damages in the boy’s death.
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