Oregon Injury Lawyer Blog
Last December, our Portland, Oregon personal injury law firm blog post about a wrongful death case filed against the city of Sandy and a number of individuals over the police shooting death of a Gresham man. This week, an announcement was made that the family of 27-year-old Fouad Kaady has reached a $1 million settlement with the Oregon city and former police officer William J. Bergin.
Kaady was burned, naked, and bleeding when Officer Bergin and Clackamas County sheriff’s Deputy David E. Willard approached him on September 8, 2005. Kaady reportedly was behaving erratically and would not cooperate with police. He had also just rear-ended three motor vehicles and damaged the vehicle he was driving. According to witnesses, Kaady, who has a history of mental illness, was making wolf-like sounds.
To apprehend Kaady, police at first used a stun gun and shocked him several times. They then shot him seven times after he jumped on top of a police car.
Kaady’s family says that the reason he was in such a disturbed state was that the can of gas he was transporting caught on fire, which caused him to hit another motor vehicle. He ripped his clothes off to get away from the flames and was in need of help. The 27-year-old’s family believes that he sustained head injuries during the crash that caused him to behave strangely.
The plaintiffs have accused police of not knowing how to deal with someone coping with mental illness. Their Oregon wrongful death lawsuit accused police of excessive use of force and civil rights violations.
By settling, the city of Sandy is not admitting liability. The family’s Clackamas County wrongful death lawsuit against the County and Willard is still moving forward.
Police Brutality
Police are never supposed to use excessive force in any situation. Police brutality is a civil rights violation and an abuse of police power that can be a reason for why a victim or his or her family might choose to file a Portland, Oregon personal injury lawsuit or wrongful death claim.
Just last week, the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners gave its stamp of approval for a $925,000 Portland, Oregon wrongful death settlement to be paid to the family of James Chasse for his police brutality-related death in 2006.
Police chased down Chasse after they spotted him urinating in public. There are conflicting reports as to how they apprehended him. However, he sustained 16 broken ribs and a punctured lung. Chasse died while being transported in a police car to a hospital. Chasse suffered from schizophrenia.
Multco board approves $925,000 payment for Chasse’s family, KATU.com, July 2, 2009
$1 million settlement reached in 2005 shooting near Sandy, OregonLive.com, July 1, 2009
Oregon Wrongful Death Trial Alleging Police Brutality Toward Unarmed Portland Man Can Move Forward, Says Federal Judge, OregonInjuryLawyerBlog.com, December 1, 2008
Related Web Resources:
Clackamas County, Oregon
Truly Reforming Law Enforcement-Ending Police Brutality!, OregonLive.com, March 18, 2009
