Ft. Worth Settles Taser Lawsuit

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) _ Fort Worth officials have approved a $2 million settlement with the family of a man who died after police used a Taser gun on him.

The city admits no wrongdoing in the settlement with relatives of Michael Patrick Jacobs Jr., whose 2009 death was ruled a homicide.

The medical examiner said the 24-year-old was shocked twice. The first time was for 49 seconds _ much longer than the Taser is designed to deliver shocks _ and the next for 5 seconds. The officer involved wasn’t disciplined or indicted.

Jacobs’ family filed a federal civil rights lawsuit, which doesn’t limit the amount a city could be forced to pay, unlike cases filed in state court.

Jacobs had bipolar disorder and was causing a disturbance before his family called police.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)


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