Tasered Ex-Prisoner Settles Suit for $55,000
Tasered Ex-Prisoner Settles Suit for $55,000
The State of Pennsylvania and a prison guard settled a suit by a former prisoner who was allegedly shocked with a Taser without justification. The terms of the settlement required Pennsylvania to pay $50,000 and prison guard Kenneth Lucas to pay $5,000.
Gerald Keehn was a prisoner at SCI Fayette when a guard allegedly lured him into a back room at the prison with the promise of a TV. Instead of a TV, Keehn found two guards and another prisoner.
Lucas was one of the guards. He allegedly told Keehn that be "was going to give all of them [oral sex] or get Tasered." Keehn refused to perform the sex act and was shocked with a Taser.
Keehn filed a civil rights suit pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against Lucas and two other guards named Chipikytis and Elstner in federal district court. He alleged that the guards' actions violated his civil rights by inflicting cruel and unusual punishment. The state characterized the incident as "innocent horseplay" in court filings.
The state chose to settle the suit for $55,000 on the eve of trial in March 2012. Lucas was initially fired, but successfully grieved the termination and was reinstated.
Keehn was represented by attorney Jennifer J. Tobin of the Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project. See: Keehn v. Lucas, U.S.D.C. (W.D. Penn), Case No. 2:09-cv-00016-MPK.
Additional Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
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Related legal case
Keehn v. Lucas
| Year | 2012 |
|---|---|
| Cite | U.S.D.C. (W.D. Penn), Case No. 2:09-cv-00016-MPK |
| Level | District Court |
| Conclusion | Settlement |
| Damages | 55,000.00 |