Family of 86-year-old man stunned by police settles for $900K
The South Carolina man was stunned by police after a car chase last month.
— -- The family of an 86-year-old South Carolina man has settled with the city of Kingstree just a month after the man was stunned by police after a car chase.
Police dash cam video of the incident shows Albert Chatfield immediately emerging from his car at an intersection and backpedaling from two police officers, who repeatedly shout for him to stop. As he continues to back up through the street, one officer pulls out his stun gun and, after the other officer is heard shouting, "Tase him," fires it. Chatfield is knocked to the ground instantly.
The city agreed to pay $900,000 to Chatfield's family over the incident, one of the fastest settlements in a stun gun case in the state, according to the family's lawyer. Chatfield remains in the hospital after suffering bleeding on his brain due to the fall, according to ABC affiliate WCIV.
Police had claimed Chatfield assumed a "fighting stance" as he backpedaled from police. The video shows the man raising his hands, but he is slowly backing away from the officers throughout. The police report also described the scene as a busy street, saying they were trying to protect Chatfield and others' safety, though the video shows just one car in the intersection.
"Our lives have been permanently changed," Chatfield's daughter Jodie said at a news conference Friday to announce the settlement. "We've been in ICU for an entire month."
The family's lawyer, Justin Bamberg, blamed the police chase on a mental issue. Police had been called after Chatfield was aggressively tailgating other vehicles.
Bamberg said the money would be used to pay for Chatfield's medical expenses.
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