On Monday, March 18th, the family of Darryl Tyree Williams announced their lawsuit against the City of Raleigh for wrongful death, unlawful detention, and unlawful tasing. The $25 million federal lawsuit was filed by Emancipate NC and civil rights attorney Ben Crump, and it names as defendants the City of Raleigh, Raleigh Police Chief Estella Patterson, and the four officers involved in the encounter.
Click here to read the complaint→
At the press conference Sonya Williams, Darryl Williams’ mother, said: “There is not a day that goes by that I don’t think about how he was viciously murdered.”
When asked how $25 million was the decided number attorney Ben Crump said: “It is real simple, if I killed your loved one like a dog in the street when they said I have a heart condition and I can’t breathe and you tased them again, how much would you sue for? That is the question to the mayor, that is the question to the Chief, that is the question to the city council.”
The News & Observer reported Dawn Blagrove, executive director of Emancipate NC, saying that they filed the lawsuit because Raleigh leaders refuse to hold officers accountable for this and other interactions: “Everyone who you elect and pay to create accountability is failing to do it.”
Check out more coverage of the press conference →
- WUNC – Family of Darryl Williams files wrongful death lawsuit against city of Raleigh and Chief of Police
- ABC 11 – Family of Darryl Williams is seeking $25 million in lawsuit against city of Raleigh
- WRAL – Lawsuit: Darryl Williams was stunned by police six times during fatal arrest
- Raleigh News & Observer – Lawsuit says Raleigh police tased man 6 times before he died. Police say it was just 3
- Spectrum News – Family files wrongful death suit after man died during 2023 arrest in Raleigh