The U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has allowed the family of an obese man to sue two Fort Worth police officers after they allegedly caused him to have a fatal heart attack by throwing him to the ground and using a Taser on him twice while serving a no-knock drug warrant.

The Fifth Circuit's decision reverses and vacates trial court ruling that dismissed the excessive force claims against the police officers and a failure to train claim against the City of Fort Worth.

The background to the Aug. 9 ruling in Darden v. City of Fort Worth is as follows, according to the decision.

This content has been archived. It is available through our partners, LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law.

To view this content, please continue to their sites.

Go To Lexis →

Not a Lexis Subscriber?
Subscribe Now

Go To Bloomberg Law →

Not a Bloomberg Law Subscriber?
Subscribe Now

NOT FOR REPRINT