Baltimore County

Baltimore County Settles Excessive Force Lawsuit for $1M

Baltimore County will pay more than $1 million to the family of a 21-year-old who died days after an encounter with police officers and medical workers

Baltimore County will pay more than $1 million to settle claims by the family of a 21-year-old who died days after an encounter with police officers and medical workers.

The Baltimore Sun reported Monday on the settlement.

The family of Tawon Boyd accused police of excessive force. The county said the officers used reasonable force. According to the newspaper, a medical examiner ruled the death accidental, likely caused by the drug N-Ethylpentylone, the synthetic drug known as bath salts.

The family's lawyers said Boyd called 911 in 2016 to report a break-in. His girlfriend said he may have been delusional. Their federal lawsuit accused police of beating Boyd, and says paramedics gave Boyd the drug Haldol to calm him down, but it sent him into cardiac arrest.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Tawon Boyd had received bath salts from paramedics. The drug he was given was Haldol. We regret the error.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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