10M Honolulu Police Suit Claims Excessive Force

A $10 million federal lawsuit claims Honolulu police used excessive force in restraining a man who suffocated.

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser Tuesday Tassa Torres filed a lawsuit on behalf of her brother Aaron Torres. The medical examiner’s office called the 37-year-old’s February suffocating death a homicide. The office also said cocaine in his blood was a contributing cause.

Relatives say officers handcuffed Torres and threw him on the ground after he called 911. They say one officer sat on his back, another sat on his neck and shoulders, while a third officer sat on his legs. Police say when they arrived, they found him mentally unstable and possibly on drugs. Police say he lost consciousness as officers tried to restrain him to prevent him from injuring himself or others.

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