Altercation broke out after
woman called police to report attempted burglary
By Luke BroadwaterThe Baltimore
Sun
Baltimore's spending panel
approved a $63,000 payment Wednesday to settle a police brutality lawsuit filed
by a woman shocked with a Taser in 2012.
The lawsuit concerns the events
of April 30, 2012, when Ashley Overbey called Baltimore police to report an
attempted burglary at her home. According to documents presented to the Board
of Estimates by the city solicitor's office, Overbey got into a "verbal
confrontation" with one of the officers at her home. The officer accused
her of pushing him, and attempted to arrest her.
Overbey alleges the officer
pulled her hair and began hitting her, the documents state. When additional
police officers arrived as backup, Overbey and the officer were struggling in
the hallway. A second officer began struggling with Overbey, while a third
shocked her with a Taser, the city said.
Overbey was charged with assault and resisting arrest, but city
prosecutors later dropped those charges. She filed a lawsuit against the three
officers alleging false arrest, assault and battery, among other claims.
"Folks got
emotional," City Solicitor George Nilson said of the altercation.
"There was lots of noise and lots of resistance. One citizen had to be
Tased in order to calm down. We decided it made sense to settle the matter
rather than throw it up in the air for a jury. We make these judgments all the
time."
The city of Baltimore spends
millions each year settling lawsuits. Settlements of greater than $25,000 are
approved by the Board of Estimates, which is controlled by Mayor Stephanie
Rawlings-Blake.