Wednesday, March 17, 2010

$145 Million Wrongful Death Suit filed in Harford County, Maryland

The family of Dwight Jerome Madison, a 48 year old Navy veteran, filed a civil suit against Harford County and the Harford County Sheriff's office after Mr. Madison died as a result of being Tasered.  

The suit filed in the U.S. District Court in Baltimore alleges that Mr. Madison was assaulted by three correction officers and a civilian jail employee.  During the assault, Mr. Madison struck his head and became seriously injured nevertheless, the correction officers continued to "fire thousands of volts of electricity into Mr. Madison, causing his death."

Mr. Madison was initially taken to Upper Chesapeake Hospital in Harford County but later transferred to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center where he died on June 13th.  

The suit claims that the actions of the correction officers violated Mr. Madison's civil rights, directly causing his death.  

Recent studies indicate Tasers could potentially cause ventricular fibrillation.  During ventricular fibrillation, the heart goes into overdrive.  Instead of pumping blood in the normal sequence, the heart writhes uncontrollably, potentially causing sudden death.  Further, studies have shown that Tasers interrupt brain signals.  Tasing could cause the nerve cells in the brain to fire signals in a fast, rhythmic pattern, triggering a seizure, which could possibly lead to secondary injuries and potentially lethal outcomes such as suffocation.

If you, a family member, or someone you know has sustained injuries or wrongful death as the result the negligence of another person or persons, or you would like more information on wrongful death claims, please contact Portner & Shure for a free consultation..

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