Family of San Francisco man left in a coma after Oakland tasering files lawsuit
The family of a San Francisco man has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit after he was tasered while in the Oakland Estuary last April.
Attorneys say the man -- 35-year-old San Francisco resident Deontae Faison -- has been in a coma since the incident involving an East Bay Regional Park District police officer.
According to attorneys, the officer left him struggling in the water. The suit has been filed against the park district, Alameda County, and the two officers involved in the incident.
Attorneys shared edited body camera video of the incident, along with their account of what happened.
Attorneys said Faison and a friend were having a picnic in Oakland when an officer accused them of having expired tags on their van and ordered them to sit on the bumper.
According to the lawsuit, Faison got nervous when the officer pointed his service weapon and started running toward the Oakland Estuary.
The officer pursued him and shot him with his Taser. Faison stumbled into the water.
The attorneys said the officer continued tasing him. According to the lawsuit, Faison struggled in the water for more than 30 minutes.
"We have a human being who needed help, who was calling out for help, and his pleas fell on deaf ears," one of the attorneys said at a Tuesday press conference.
Attorneys said officers eventually pulled Faison out of the water, but did not give life-saving aid. He was then brought to the hospital, where he slipped into a coma.
When asked for a response to the charges, the East Bay Regional Park District said it does not comment on pending litigation.
