$500,000 to family of man Tasered to death by Chicago police

July 28, 2010
Chicago Tribune

The City Council today agreed to pay $500,000 to the family of a man who died in 2005 after being Tasered by a Chicago police sergeant.

The sergeant used a Taser on Ronald Hasse, 45, for 62 seconds when he resisted police trying to take him into custody. Hasse later died from “electrocution due to taser application” with crystal methamphetamine intoxication as a “significant contributing factor.”

Since then, police have learned of potential harm from long Taser applications, especially if used on people who have taken narcotics, according to a Law Department statement. The payment settles a lawsuit filed by Hasse’s family.