Baltimore County Settles Excessive Force Suit for $1M

Baltimore County will pay more than $1 million to settle claims by the family of a 21-year-old who died days after an encounter with police officers and medical workers.

The Baltimore Sun reported Monday on the settlement.

The family of Tawon Boyd accused police of excessive force. The county said the officers used reasonable force. A medical examiner ruled the death accidental, caused by the synthetic drug known as bath salts.

The family’s lawyers said Boyd called 911 in 2016 to report a break-in. His girlfriend said he may have been delusional. Their federal lawsuit accused police of beating Boyd, and says paramedics gave Boyd the drug Haldol to calm him down, but it sent him into cardiac arrest.