WFAA 8 News – by Jim DouglasFORT WORTH — The family of a man who died after being shocked with a Taser says police video shows the man did not resist.
The raid by Fort Worth police in May 2013 was captured by helmet cameras worn by officers. Lawyers for the family of Jermaine Darden obtained the video and released it to News 8.
Fort Worth officers came with a “no knock” warrant after undercover cocaine buys at the home last year. They wanted surprise in case anyone inside was armed.
There were several people in the little house on Thannisch Avenue, including children. Jermaine Darden, 34, was kneeling on a couch, and may have been sleeping.
According to police reports, during the raid Darden stood up with one officer on his back and tried to leave.
You don’t see that on the video. You do hear a struggle as police order him to stop resisting. You then hear the pop of the Taser device. Police jolted him again 16 seconds later.
In the video, people in the house scream at officers that Darden can’t breathe. He was under six feet tall, but weighed well over 300 pounds. He had a history of asthma, and as it turned out, severe heart disease.
The video shows four or five officers pressing on Darden’s back and pulling on his arms and hands to get him cuffed. First with zip ties, and then metal cuffs.
His sister, Angela Tyson watched the video, wiping away tears.
“Anger. Hurt,” she said, describing her feelings watching it. “Nobody is listening to the cries in the house that he’s not fighting you. He just can’t breathe.”
Officers said he resisted commands. Angela Tyson said it didn’t look like he was resisting at all.
Officers propped Darden in a sitting position while they secured the house, then called MedStar. Eight minutes later, medics found him unresponsive. It’s unclear when he stopped breathing.
The medical examiner ruled the death “natural” due to heart disease and application of restraint. According to the autopsy report, there was no direct contribution by the Taser shock.
Tests also revealed K2, also known as synthetic marijuana, in his blood.
“Jermaine’s civil rights were violated,” Angela Tyson said. “He had a right to breathe.”
Because of a possible lawsuit, Fort Worth police declined to comment.
Jermaine Darden is at least the seventh person to die after being shocked by Fort Worth police.
E-mail jdouglas@wfaa.com
dont ever trust that their video footage will ever come out..always have your own.
invest in your own video recording system and have it installed in your home, definetly hide the DVR or recorder in some place they wont look
it could be your freedom you save
“Angela Tyson said it didn’t look like he was resisting at all.”
That’s because he wasn’t.
Cops are so stupid that after they smash you face-first on the ground to the point that you can’t breathe that if you try to naturally push your head up a little to gasp for air, then that is resisting. Hell, if you are not holding your breath for more than 10 seconds and playing dead, face-first on the ground, then you are resisting to them. Oh hell, even if you are playing dead, that is resisting because then they will complain that you are resisting because you are not putting your hands behind your back when they ask you to.
Just once, I’d like to take one of these cops and throw them on the ground and yell in THEIR face saying, “Stop resisting! Stop resisting!” as I’m beating the shit of them. Then when they are hanging in the public square, gasping for air and struggling with their life, I just want to go up and hit them with a bat in the stomach like a pinata and say, “STOP RESISTING!!! STOP RESISTING!!!”.
I am not a violent person, but they are pushing me and everyone else to be that way. I have nothing but sheer hatred for these pig cops. They want to act like rabid dogs. They will be treated like rabid dogs. They all have it coming to them.
I would take the drugs any day over the cops. I really wonder at this drug thing. I see it as those that want them can have them and if they do themselves in well good writhins one less to deal with. Countries that have legalized drugs have a lot less problems all around. But here it is a good money making scheme on all levels even the cops and the courts.
what’s the worst that can happen to them? its not like they get sued individually or its coming directly out of their pockets or they get demoted. how many lawsuits later before cash strapped cities say enough is enough? how many suicides later???
I agree with having a few recording systems in both home and cars/trucks but also perhaps even a hidden personal camera,sucks we have come to that.They will screw with the wrong family member/friend who will not be satisfied with a court monetary settlement,then a true price will be paid.
“but also perhaps even a hidden personal camera”
Won’t work. If you bring it to court, the police or judges will charge you with wiretapping because you did not inform the pig cops that you were recording them with it or they will make up some other excuse to confiscate the footage and charge you.
Once again, there is no law. Only what suits them.
fine than..!
time to beat them back..within an inch of their lives too
“STOP RESISTING!!! STOP RESISTING!!!”.pig!