A Marin County, California man has filed suit against the local sheriff’s department for an incident in which he says law enforcement officers went too far.
On June 29, 2009 McFarland and his wife were returning home from a charity fundraiser just before midnight. McFarland says he injured himself as he stumbled and fell down the long steps to his front door.
His wife called paramedics, who helped him into the house and treated him. As the paramedics were leaving, two sheriff’s deputies arrived. What happened in the following minutes was captured on a camera mounted on the deputy’s Taser.
The deputy tells McFarland he is going to take him to the hospital because he may be suicidal. McFarland says it was just hyperbole. He says he was tired and in pain.
The deputy orders him numerous times to get up or else. The exchange goes on for about five minutes; his wife keeps pleading with the deputies not to tase him, saying he has a heart condition.
Then, McFarland tells the deputies in no uncertain terms to leave. As he gets up to go to bed, McFarland is tased, not once, but three times – Read full article…
