LOS ANGELES (AP) — A federal jury has awarded $3.2 million to a mentally ill woman who sued after Los Angeles police shot her and shocked her with a Taser.
The Los Angeles Times (lat.ms/PWalI0) says jurors last Friday found that officers were negligent, malicious and used excessive force in their confrontation with Valerie Allen.
Her attorneys say Allen is bipolar and was in a manic episode when she grabbed a wooden stake and knocked down an officer who confronted the incoherent woman in September of 2009.
Other officers shot her three times and shocked her with a stun gun.
Allen was charged with assault with a deadly weapon but the charge was dropped.
Police Chief Charlie Beck says he stands by the officers and a department review concluded they acted reasonably.
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Information from: Los Angeles Times, http://www.latimes.com
