A mother in Tennessee has filed a federal lawsuit claiming that police and paramedics subjected her son to 'inhumane acts of violence' instead of providing medical treatment during a seizure. The incident involving 23-year-old Austin Hunter Turner has raised questions about the use of force by law enforcement in non-lethal situations.
The lawsuit, filed after police body-camera footage was shared with Turner's parents, challenges the official explanation that Turner died of a drug overdose. The video contradicts the police account of events inside Turner's apartment in Bristol, Tennessee.
According to the lawsuit, officers treated Turner as a suspect rather than a patient facing a medical emergency. Turner, who was experiencing a seizure, was allegedly restrained and shocked with a Taser despite not resisting arrest or being combative.
The lawsuit accuses the city, police officers, and firefighters of violating Turner's civil rights. The family believes there was a cover-up surrounding Turner's death and is seeking accountability for the actions of those involved.
The case underscores broader issues of accountability in fatal police encounters that do not involve shootings. Legal challenges, including statutes of limitations and qualified immunity for officers, present obstacles to seeking justice in such cases.
Medical experts who reviewed the case dispute the official cause of Turner's death, citing critical errors made by the Bristol police during the incident. The family's attorneys argue that the statute of limitations should be extended due to the alleged cover-up.
The lawsuit represents a quest for justice by Turner's family, who are challenging the narrative presented by authorities and seeking accountability for the handling of the medical emergency that led to Turner's death.
