Tennessee Family's Lawsuit Against Police and Paramedics Dismissed by Federal Judge
A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by a Tennessee family alleging that Bristol police officers and paramedics used excessive force on a 23-year-old man during a seizure and failed to provide adequate medical care. The dismissal was based on the judge's ruling that the statute of limitations had expired before the family filed the case in 2024.
Details of the 2017 Incident and Subsequent Legal Battle
The lawsuit centered on the death of Austin Hunter Turner in 2017, which occurred after his girlfriend called 911 for medical assistance. Police body-camera video, later obtained by Associated Press reporters in 2023, showed officers using a Taser and physically restraining Turner face down, with his hands cuffed and legs shackled. The family's attorneys argued the video contradicted police accounts, showing Turner was not resisting but experiencing a seizure.
The lawsuit claimed that police and paramedics applied significant pressure to Turner's head and upper back while he was in a prone position, with a spit sock covering his airway. This incident was part of a broader AP investigation identifying over 1,000 deaths nationally following police use of force intended to subdue but not kill individuals.
Statute of Limitations and Family's Appeal Plans
Attorneys for the city of Bristol, the paramedics, and involved officers argued that the statute of limitations began on the day of the incident in 2017, giving Turner's mother, Karen Goodwin, only one year to file a lawsuit. Since she was present in the apartment and aware of the force used, they contended the deadline had passed.
However, the family's attorney, David Randolph Smith, stated they plan to appeal the decision. "We respectfully disagree with the judge's interpretation," Smith said, emphasizing that the family only learned the true cause of death in 2023 after reviewing the body-camera footage and a forensic pathologist's analysis.
Smith explained that the original autopsy report incorrectly attributed Turner's death to multiple drug toxicity, and it wasn't until 2023 that evidence suggested restraint-induced asphyxia was the actual cause. "We intend to appeal and will ask the Court of Appeals to hold that families in this position are entitled to their day in court," he added, citing misinformation by government actors as delaying their discovery of the facts.
Broader Implications and Investigation Findings
The AP's investigation highlighted that in many cases, officers violated established guidelines for safe restraint, such as pinning people face down in ways that could restrict breathing. The family's lawsuit alleged a cover-up, arguing the statute of limitations should not start until AP reporters shared the video with them in August 2023.
Attorneys for the city and officers declined to comment when contacted by the AP. The dismissal underscores ongoing debates over police accountability and the legal challenges families face in pursuing justice, particularly when critical evidence emerges years after an incident.
