Inmate Tased 40 Times in Jail: Wrongful Death Lawsuit | The Cromer Law Group PLLC

A man died after being tased dozens of times in a county jail. Learn how families can pursue federal civil-rights and state tort claims. Free consultation.

Inmate Tased 40 Times in County Jail — What Victims of Excessive Force and Custodial Misconduct Must Know

On September 27, 2024, Johnathan Mansfield, a 44-year-old husband and father from Richmond, Kentucky, was arrested for public intoxication and taken to the Madison County Detention Center. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJkF0bgEWG0. According to the wrongful death lawsuit his family filed, what followed was a sequence of events that tragically ended in his death on October 10, 2024. LEX 18 News - Lexington, KY (WLEX)+1

What the lawsuit alleges

• The suit claims Mansfield was “tased approximately 40 times” while in custody—using both probe tasers and a “taser glove” device—before he lost consciousness. Weku+1

• The complaint further alleges that officers placed Mansfield in a restraint chair, later isolated him, then forced full-body restraints (described as a “straight-jacket”), and failed to respond promptly when he showed signs of medical distress (blood around his mouth, slumped posture). LEX 18 News - Lexington, KY (WLEX)+1

• It asserts that despite visible signs of a serious medical event, nearly ten minutes passed before EMS evaluated him. He later died after being transported to a hospital. Weku+1

• According to the lawsuit, a treating physician at the hospital concluded Mansfield’s cardiac arrest was caused by the repeated tasings. Police Brutality Center

• The case names the former jailer and specific correctional officers, and alleges “actions, inactions, conscious disregard, willful and wanton, and depraved behaviour.” LEX 18 News - Lexington, KY (WLEX)

Why this case matters for civil-rights and police/custodial misconduct claims

• The alleged facts involve excessive force by law-enforcement/corrections officers while a detainee was in custody—a classic basis for civil‐rights claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and state tort claims (battery, wrongful death, negligent training/supervision).

• The detention context creates additional duties: once a person is in custody, officers have a constitutional obligation to prevent harm, including intervening in medical emergencies (Eighth, Fourteenth Amendments).

• The claim also highlights accountability for institutional failures: training, supervision, restraint policy, prompt medical care. That opens liability beyond the individual officers to the agency or jail facility.

• For victims in Michigan, this case offers valuable precedent and lessons about how to document custodial abuse, tardy medical response, and wrongful death in jail settings.

What victims/potential clients should do

If you or a loved one was detained or arrested and suffered physical injury, excessive force, restraint abuse, or wrongful death in custody, consider these steps:

1. Preserve evidence immediately — booking records, use-of-force reports, video footage (body-cam, jail surveillance), medical records, timestamped incident logs.

2. Document injuries and timeline — note when force was used, when medical staff intervened, any delay in care, and outcomes.

3. Identify decision-makers and policy violations — training records, prior discipline of officers, restraint devices used, delay in care.

4. Consult an attorney experienced in custodial and civil rights litigation — the statute of limitations may vary; preparation matters. 

5. Free consultation is critical — at The Cromer Law Group PLLC we evaluate jail/custody‐force cases, including excessive taser use, wrongful death, restraint injuries, and unconstitutional treatment.

Why now may see more cases like this

With heightened attention on law-enforcement and correctional misconduct — and increased public scrutiny of jail deaths and excessive force — more families are coming forward. If your loved one was harmed during arrest or detention (state or federal), especially where force, restraint, or medical neglect was involved, your rights deserve protection.

Call to Action

If your family has been the victim of custodial abuse, excessive force, wrongful death in jail, or any police/corrections misconduct, contact The Cromer Law Group PLLC today for a free consultation. We will fight to hold accountable those who violate rights and endanger lives.

📞 (248) 809-6790📍 Southfield & Detroit, Michigan – defending your rights in state and federal courts.