Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
Lawyers Representing Family Of Man Who Died After He Was Repeatedly Tased By An LAPD Officer File $50 Million Claim
Attorney Ben Crump (left) speaks to reporters to announce a $50 million claim filed against the City of Los Angeles in the case of Keenan Anderson. Gabrielle Hansell (middle) is the mother of Anderson's five-year-old son. Carl Douglas is co-counsel on the case.
(
Robert Garrova
/
LAist
)
Topline:
Keenan Anderson, 31, died Jan. 3 after an LAPD officer tased him multiple times. The department said Anderson was trying to flee a car accident. Now, attorneys representing his family say they’ve filed a $50 million claim for damages against the city of Los Angeles citing “unreasonable” and “excessive force.”
Backstory: LAPD Chief Michel Moore released officer body-worn camera footage of the incident last week. An officer can be seen repeatedly tasing Anderson. At one point Anderson says “They’re trying to George Floyd Me.” Hours after he was tased, Anderson went into cardiac arrest and died at a Santa Monica hospital. Anderson’s family said he was a dedicated English teacher in Washington D.C. and was coping with the recent death of two of his students due to gun violence.
What’s next: Attorney Carl Douglas will represent Anderson’s five-year-old son and the boy’s mother, Gabrielle Hansell. Ben Crump, who represented the families of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, will be co-counsel. They plan to ask the civil rights division of the Department of Justice to open an investigation.
Support for LAist comes from
The quote: “We can only wonder what Keenan Anderson meant when he said ‘They’re trying to George Floyd me.’ But if he meant that he would end up dead at the end of the encounter, at the hands of the Los Angeles Police Department, then Keenan Anderson was correct,” Crump told a press conference Friday.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
There’s still a lot to be determined as the refinery, which supplies about one-fifth of Southern California's vehicle fuels, works to restore production and as data is collected. -
The FCC voted to end E-Rate discounts for library hotspot lending and school bus Wi-Fi. -
About half the Pacific Airshow’s 2025 lineup has been grounded because of the federal government shutdown. -
USC says it’s reviewing the letter also sent to eight other prestigious schools nationwide. California's governor vowed that any California universities that sign will lose state funding. -
Scientists say La Niña is likely, but that doesn’t necessarily mean a dry winter in Southern California. -
According to a grand jury report the contractor took advantage of strained relations and political pressures to “force” the city to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to settle disputes.
Best of LAist