Center for Constitutional Rights v. Pittsburgh (Taser case)

Synopsis

In 2007, the CCR filed a lawsuit against the City of Pittsburgh and various City Police officers alleging that the Pittsburgh police unconstitutionally used TASERS against peaceful demonstrators at an anti-war demonstration in Pittsburgh. The use of Tasers by law enforcement officials in the United States has been a subject of criticism from international human rights groups such as Amnesty International and domestic civil rights and civil liberties groups. In the Pittsburgh case, as in many others, the plaintiffs alleged that there was no necessity to use tasers and that the police unconstitutionally used them without notice and where the person was already being restrained by the police.

Status

In the spring of 2009, a Federal District Court Judge denied the City’s motion for summary judgment and set the case for trial. The City and plaintiffs recently entered into a settlement which still has to be approved by the Pittsburgh City Council and would resolve the case satisfactorily for the plaintiffs.

Description

Co-operating attorneys Mike Healey and Jules Lobel represented CCR in this case.

Timeline