The family of Tawon Boyd filed the lawsuit that also claims Boyd’s constitutional rights were violated.
Boyd was 21 years old when he died September 21, 2016—three days after he struggled with Baltimore County police officers. Police say officers responded to a call about a disturbance around 3 a.m. at Akin Circle in Middle River. Attorneys for Boyd’s family say it was Boyd who made the call, believing someone was trying to burglarize his home. Boyd’s girlfriend admits he had been drinking and smoking marijuana.
The medical examiner ruled Boyd’s death as accidental caused by ingesting “bath salts” or man-made synthetic drugs. Boyd’s family believes otherwise. They claim the EMT’s gave Boyd the anti-psychotic drug, Haldol (Haloperidol)---a drug used to treat psychotic disorders , such as conditions that cause difficulty telling the difference between things or ideas that are real and things or ideas that are not real)for persons with mental illnesses (www.medlineplus.gov).
The family alleges Boyd was beaten and the drug sent him into cardiac arrest. Boyd family attorney Dwight Pettit talked with WEAA’s Julius White about the case.