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Liability against Taser for Negligence Upheld but $5.5 Million Damages Award Reversed
Loaded on Aug. 27, 2015
by David Reutter
published in Prison Legal News
September, 2015, page 56
Filed under:
Cardiovascular,
Stun Guns/Tasers,
Damages,
Failure to Train/Supervise,
Excessive Force (Wrongful Death).
Location:
North Carolina.
Liability against Taser for Negligence Upheld but $5.5 Million Damages Award Reversed
by David M. Reutter
In November 2013, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a jury’s finding that Taser International was liable for negligence in the death of a teenager tased by a police officer. However, the appellate ...
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More from this issue:
- Life Without Parole, by Beth Schwartzapfel
- News in Brief
- Legislation Removes Secrecy from Georgia Parole Board’s Proceedings, Decisions, by David Reutter
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- Delaware: Drop in Prison Phone Rates Called a “Drop in the Bucket”, by Derek Gilna
- Is Texas Poisoning Prisoners with Contaminated Water?, by Panagioti Tsolkas
- Texas County Pays Prisoner’s Family $214,500 for Wrongful Death
- Mandamus Improper Remedy to Challenge Illinois DOC’s “Violating at the Door” Policy, by David Reutter
- Prisoners Pay Millions to Call Loved Ones Every Year. Now this Company Wants Even More, by Ben Walsh
- Jails in Trouble as IRS Investigates Tax-Exempt Bonds, by Matthew Clarke
- Nevada: Federal Suit over Shackling of Pregnant Prisoner Settles for $130,000 and Policy Changes, by Matthew Clarke
- BOP Ordered to Pay Prisoner’s Attorneys $41,703 for Discovery Abuses, by Derek Gilna
- British Banking Giant Fined for Laundering Mexican Drug Money Through U.S. Banks, by Matthew Clarke
- Two Reports Find at Least 54 Countries Complicit in Secret CIA Prisons, by Matthew Clarke
- Alabama: Settlement to Integrate HIV-Positive Prisoners Finalized, by David Reutter
- Former New York Prisoner Receives $3,375,000 Settlement for Wrongful Conviction, by Derek Gilna
- $290,000 Judgment for Failure to Treat Ruptured Appendix Affirmed, by David Reutter
- Mental Health Care in South Carolina Prisons Found Unconstitutional, by David Reutter
- Ninth Circuit Orders New Trial in “Pink Underwear” Lawsuit; Case Settles for $240,000, by Mark Wilson
- Social Impact Bonds in Criminal Justice: A Deal We Can’t Refuse?, by Jennifer R. Zelnick
- Oregon Workgroup Recommends Strategies to Deal with Prison Medical Care Costs, by Mark Wilson
- Federal Court Orders Cameras to Cover Blind Spots at North Carolina Prison, by David Reutter
- Rejecting Foreign Language Letters after Interpretation May Violate Prisoner’s Rights, by David Reutter
- $400,000 Settlement in New Jersey Juvenile Solitary Confinement Suit, by Derek Gilna
- Illinois Supreme Court Affirms Supervised Release Period Despite Sentencing Omission, by Derek Gilna
- Vermont Newspaper Defends Hiring Reporter with Sex Offense Conviction, by Matthew Clarke
- Former Illinois Drug Court Judge Gets Prison Time Following Fellow Judge’s Fatal Overdose, by Joe Watson
- How U.S. Prison Officials Rubberstamped a CIA Torture Chamber, by Carl Takei
- Seventh Circuit Upholds Wisconsin Sex Offender Registration Fee, Names John Doe Plaintiffs, by Derek Gilna
- Fourth Circuit Finds Strip Searches and Delousing of Arrestees Constitutional, by Lonnie Burton
- Prison Legal News Wins FOIA Appeal Against BOP, by Derek Gilna
- Washington Prisoner Granted Injunction Ordering Outside Orthopedic Evaluation, by Mark Wilson
- Seventh Circuit: New Trial for Wrong Legal Standard in Jail Death Case, by Mark Wilson
- Texas Prisoner Held in Prison 35 Years after Conviction Vacated, by Matthew Clarke
- Corporations You’ve Never Heard of are Making Millions from Mass Incarceration, by James Kilgore
- Illinois University Faculty Member and PLN Contributor Fights for His Job after Opposing New County Jail, by Joe Watson
- Vice President’s Son Discharged from Navy Due to Drug Use, by Christopher Zoukis
- Michigan: Perjured Testimony at Trial Results in Habeas Relief, but Reversed on Appeal, by David Reutter
- Court Denies Challenge to D.C. Sex Offender’s Website on Registry Officials
- Terrorism Suspect Moves to Suppress Statements Made to FBI due to Torture Threats, by Matthew Clarke
- Tennessee Jail Considers Charging for Toilet Paper, Underwear, by Christopher Zoukis
- Automatic Placement of Death Row Prisoner in Segregation Does Not Violate Due Process, by David Reutter
- ACLU Awarded $50 Million to Help End Mass Incarceration, by Christopher Zoukis
- Seventh Circuit Reverses Verdict when Prisoner Not Allowed to Poll Jury, by Derek Gilna
- Liability against Taser for Negligence Upheld but $5.5 Million Damages Award Reversed, by David Reutter
More from David Reutter:
- Help Wanted: 31,000 Prison Guard Jobs Open Nationwide, Sept. 1, 2025
- Fifth Circuit Greenlights Federal Takeover of Mississippi Jail, Aug. 1, 2025
- Ninth Circuit Revives Prisoner’s Claim Based on Guard’s Thwarting of Administrative Remedies, Aug. 1, 2025
- Tenth Circuit Ruling Paves Way for $2.7 Million Settlement for Intellectually Disabled Jail Detainee Raped by Sheriff, Aug. 1, 2025
- Ninth Circuit Agrees That Former Guantanamo Detainee Lacks Grounds to Sue for Waterboarding, Aug. 1, 2025
- Qualified Immunity Denied for Iowa Prison Doctor’s MRI Delay for Non-Medical Reasons, Aug. 1, 2025
- Ninth Circuit: Continuing-Violations Doctrine Applies for PLRA Administrative Exhaustion Purposes, Aug. 1, 2025
- First Circuit: Prosecutor’s Breach of Plea Agreement Requires Government’s Specific Performance of Agreement, Not Specific Performance by District Court, Aug. 1, 2025
- Oregon Prisoners Can Now Seek Economic Damages for Future Lost Income More Easily, July 15, 2025
- $22.5 Million Verdict Arrives Too Late for Wrongfully Convicted Illinois Prisoner, July 15, 2025
More from these topics:
- Fifth Circuit Greenlights Federal Takeover of Mississippi Jail, Aug. 1, 2025. Sexual Assault, Failure to Protect (General), Eighth Amendment, Staffing, Stun Guns/Tasers.
- Suit Filed Over Fatal Beating of New York Prisoner That Sparked Massive Guard Strike, Aug. 1, 2025. Guard Misconduct, Failure to Treat, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Restraints, Failure to Protect (Wrongful Death), Excessive Force (Wrongful Death).
- News in Brief, Aug. 1, 2025. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Private Prisons, Misconduct/Corruption, Guard Misconduct, Systemic Medical Neglect, Male Reproductive, Malpractice, Escapes, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Stun Guns/Tasers, Pepper Spray/Tear Gas, Restraints, Excessive Force (Wrongful Death), Juvenile Prisons, Bureau of Prisons (BOP), Bribery/Extortion/Theft.
- Ninth Circuit Agrees That Former Guantanamo Detainee Lacks Grounds to Sue for Waterboarding, Aug. 1, 2025. War on Terror, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Stun Guns/Tasers, Pepper Spray/Tear Gas, Restraints, Terrorism.
- News in Brief, Aug. 1, 2025. Assault by Police, Misconduct/Corruption, Guard Misconduct, Police Misconduct, Stun Guns/Tasers, Immigration, False Arrest, Evidence - Integrity/Reliability of.
- First of 10 Guards Charged with Killing of New York Prisoner Pleads Guilty, July 15, 2025. Guard Brutality/Beatings, Excessive Force (Wrongful Death), False Statements/Perjury.
- 14th Alabama Sheriff’s Employee Pleads Guilty in Jail Detainee’s Death by Freezing, July 15, 2025. Guard Misconduct, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Excessive Force (Wrongful Death).
- Sixth Guard Sentenced in West Virginia Killing of Pretrial Detainee, July 15, 2025. Failure to Protect (General), Guard Brutality/Beatings, Excessive Force (Wrongful Death).
- Academic Study of Prison Guards’ Use of Excessive Force Details Sad State of Civil Rights for Abused Prisoners, June 1, 2025. Guard Brutality/Beatings, Stun Guns/Tasers, Pepper Spray/Tear Gas, Restraints, Dogs, Burning, Electric Fences, Laser Weapons.
- New York Guards Plead Guilty to Fatally Beating Prisoner, Mopping Up His Blood, June 1, 2025. Prison/Jail Murders, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Excessive Force (Wrongful Death).

