On January 16, the teen, who suffers from a medical condition that causes seizures following an accident, had a seizure at school, but was not taken to the hospital for medical treatment. Later that evening, she attended a concert and was trampled, triggering another seizure.
"A Taser was used three times on a child's chest, during a medical emergency, while she was pinned to the ground by officers," plaintiffs’ attorney Gregory Harp told Al.com. "Other officers present at the scene failed to intervene. Her mother was knocked to the ground, handcuffed, and then she herself Tased and arrested."
At one point during the concert featuring hip-hop artist Kevin Gates, the artist went into the crowd and caused a large “stampede.” As the teen was trampled, she went into a grand mal seizure causing the crowd to part around her.
The suit states an employee picked her up and carried her to the lobby, and "unceremoniously dumped" the girl onto the floor and held her with a chokehold, Al.com reports.
The girl’s sister then called their mother who rushed to the venue in her pajamas. When she arrived, the suit alleges she was "held down on the ground at five different points of her body" by police. Her hands were also restrained, and an officer ordered another to “get her,” before another officer proceeded to tase her. The tasing reportedly caused her to urinate on herself.
Meanwhile, the teen who was "face down with her arms secured behind her" was tased three times during her medical emergency and lost consciousness. She was taken to the hospital as her mother was arrested for disorderly conduct.
"The actions of the … defendants … were unjustified, unprovoked, and objectively unreasonable and constitute a violation of their rights under the Fourth Amendment and/or the Fourteenth Amendment to be free from the use of excessive force," the suit states.
The officers also reportedly made jokes about the teenager’s condition and threatened to have her committed to a mental hospital.
The lawsuit names eight police officers who were involved, Rainbow City Police Chief Greg Carroll and Center Stage, the venue where the incident took place.
The family claims they were subject to excessive force, torture "and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment,” and are seeking damages for pain, emotional distress, medical expenses, punitive damages and attorney fees.
