Family of Alabama man who died after police tased him demands to see body camera video

By Rebekah Riess, CNN

(CNN) — The family of an Alabama man who died after a police officer tased him is demanding to view body camera footage of the incident and claims the man was mistakenly apprehended, according to the family’s attorney.

Mobile Police officers responded Sunday to a residential burglary in progress at a mobile home park around 9:45 p.m., authorities said.

Arriving officers found two men “at the scene,” and while trying to identify one of them, that man tried to flee, police said in a July 4 news release.

The man, who police identified as 36-year-old Jawan Dallas, “physically resisted” when officers tried to apprehend him, police claim.

An officer deployed his Taser to “gain compliance,” the release stated, but police said the initial stun “failed to have any effect.”

Dallas then allegedly “attempted to grab” the Taser from the officer, the statement claims, and once the officer regained control, the officer again deployed the Taser against Dallas.

Police said, “Following standard protocol, medical personnel were called to the scene to evaluate” Dallas, who then experienced a medical emergency. Dallas was transported to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

“We are currently awaiting several reports as a part of this investigation to assist with determining the exact cause of death,” the release from Mobile police said.

The officers involved have been placed on administrative leave and the investigation remains active, Mobile Police Cpl. Katrina H. Frazier told CNN.

National civil rights lawyer Harry Daniels, who is representing Dallas’ family, said at a news conference Thursday that Dallas was an “innocent bystander,” and that multiple eyewitnesses had reported to his firm that Dallas was “nowhere near an alleged burglary.”

According to Daniels, Dallas was about 200 yards down the street from the incident when police arrived.

“He had no reason to speak to them because (…) he wasn’t a suspect of any crime. There was no probable cause he was involved in any crime,” Daniels said.

Daniels said the family submitted a request to view body camera video of the incident with Mobile’s mayor, chief of staff, city clerk and city attorney on Thursday morning.

“My son shouldn’t have left here this way. If he was sick, or something, I can understand it, but for him to be tased to death, beat or whatever – is not right,” Dallas’ mother, Christine Dallas, said.

“It’s unimaginable, it hurts, and I want something done about it,” she said.

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CNN’s Jamiel Lynch contributed to this reporting.