Lawsuit filed over death of Kentucky man in police custody

GLASGOW, Ky. (AP) - A federal lawsuit has been filed over the death of a Kentucky man after a confrontation with police officers.

The estate of Jeremy Marr filed the lawsuit Monday in U.S. District Court against the city of Glasgow, its police department and three officers, the Daily News reported.

The suit accuses the officers of excessive force, wrongful death, negligence, cruel and unusual punishment and battery. It accuses the city and the department of negligent hiring, retention, supervision and training.

A spokesman from the police department declined comment, but attorneys representing the city said officers “acted appropriately” to the situation.

Marr, 35, died last April after officers responded to a call about a man who had unlawfully entered a home, according to Kentucky State Police. Marr had a medical emergency as officers tried to arrest him and was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The lawsuit said Marr was cooperating when an officer grabbed him “for some unknown reason and without provocation,” and then took him to the ground, restraining his arms above his head and straddling him.

“In less than approximately three minutes, Marr was tased eight to 10 times directly onto the skin of his back, with the majority of the taser discharges occurring within two minutes,” the lawsuit said.

He was also struck, which caused him to be unable to breathe, the lawsuit said.

The city attorneys said Marr appeared “erratic, agitated and paranoid” when officers arrived and they attempted to calm him and deescalate the situation. Marr did not comply, became combative and resisted arrest, attorneys Tom Kerrick and Matthew Cook said in a statement.

“Mr. Marr was eventually subdued with non-deadly force and handcuffed,” Kerrick and Cook said. “Mr. Marr subsequently experienced a medical event and emergency medical personnel attended to him and transported him to the hospital, where he later passed away.”

A state police investigation and a special prosecutor found no wrongdoing.