SEATTLE — Seattle will pay $1.75 million to settle a federal civil rights lawsuit in the case of a mentally ill man who suffered a heart attack and severe brain damage during a 2010 arrest.
The lawsuit filed by Brian Torgerson’s father alleged that the younger man was beaten by officers, restrained and had his head wrapped in a mesh “spit hood” even though he was bleeding heavily and vomiting.
The Seattle Times reported that court documents say police went to Torgerson’s apartment at the request of his parents, who wanted him to receive help after he had assaulted his father the night before.
Brian Torgerson spent nearly three months at Harborview Medical Center after the incident, then was transferred to Western State Hospital. Lawyer Edwin Budge says he now lives in a group home.
Assistant City Attorney Brian Maxey called what happened to Torgerson a “horrible outcome” to the officers’ legal attempt to take him into custody.
Information from: The Seattle Times, http://www.seattletimes.com
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