Family Of Woman Who Died After Being Tasered Suing Police
Associated Press
Tue April 29, 2008
Area: Jacksonville
JACKSONVILLE, Florida - The family of a schizophrenic woman who died after being shocked by a Taser 10 times during a mental health crisis is suing the City of Green Springs and two of its police officers in federal court.
An autopsy categorizes 56-year-old Emily Delafield's 2006 death as a homicide and lists Taser shocks as a contributory cause. The main cause of death was cardiomegaly (an enlarged heart) due to hypertensive heart disease (high blood pressure).
Delafield, who was obese and confined to a motorized chair, died after she was shocked by Green Cove Springs police officers Barbara Luedtke and James Acres, for a total of 121 seconds.
The suit, filed by her nephew and executor of her estate, Ryan Delafield, alleges the officers were not adequately trained in dealing with people suffering from mental illness or those having a mental health crisis.
Emily Delafield called police to her home claiming her relatives were trying to harm her.
When officers arrived, Delafield was sitting in her motorized chair in the middle of the street outside her home, holding a hammer and two kitchen knives.
Delafield's screams while being Tasered can be heard on a 911 tape released by the Green Cove Springs Police Department.
A review by the State Attorney's Office ruled the officers were justified in using Tasers because she was armed with deadly weapons.
The suit also alleges the officers used excessive force and the city's failure to train its police officers resulted in a violation of her civil rights.
In a recent interview with The Associated Press, Ryan Delafield, said his aunt was an active church member, who liked to write poetry, and should still be alive.
"When someone is in an agitated state, the last thing you do is Tase them," Delafield said.
"She was a very loving and kindhearted person. Everybody that knew her, just loved her to death. There was never any issues of her being mean or rude or anything like that," he said.
Police Chief Robert Musco declined comment on the suit.
"We'll go through the court system and will obviously defend ourselves," he said.
A call to Green Cove Springs City Manager Don Bowles was not immediately returned. Acres' home telephone number had been disconnected and there was no answer at Luedtke's home telephone number.
Green Cove Springs is about 25 miles south of Jacksonville.
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