Lawsuit: Darryl Williams was stunned by police six times during fatal arrest

Darryl Williams died after he was shocked with a police Taser outside a Raleigh sweepstakes parlor this past January.

Posted 10:26 a.m. Mar 18 — Updated 9:43 p.m. Mar 18

WRAL staff

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump on Monday filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of the family of Darryl Tyree Williams, who died after police shocked him with a Taser.

The lawsuit lists the city of Raleigh, Raleigh Police Chief Estella Patterson and police officers Christopher Robinson, Jeremiah Thomas, Daniel Aquino, James Scott and Bryan Ramge as defendants in the case. Crump said it is a $25 million federal lawsuit.

"We have no doubt this lawsuit is strong," Attorney Dawn Blagrove with Emancipate NC said. "We take no joy in this, There's no doubt the city of Raleigh has turned a blind eye to negligence over and over again."

Williams was stunned with a police Taser outside a Raleigh sweepstakes parlor in January 2023. His cause of death is listed as sudden cardiac arrest.

"He was no threat to [the] RPD officers that chased him and racially profiled him," Crump said.

Williams yelled to police that he had a heart condition – and officers used the Taser on him again after that.

According to the lawsuit, authorities used a Taser on Williams on six occasions during his arrest, including three times after officers subdued him.

The Raleigh Police Department stated Williams was only stunned three times.

Six officers, including the five listed on the lawsuit, were put on administrative leave, but none of them are facing any charges.

'Is he breathing?' Body cam footage provides insight into Darryl Williams' arrest, death

The autopsy also lists the use of a Taser as a factor in his death, as well as cocaine intoxication and physical exertion.

Crump said the presence of cocaine in Williams' system does not excuse the officers actions.

"It's a red herring, it's a cause for distraction," he explained. "When a man is on the ground saying 'I have heart problems. I can't breathe.' In what world is it satisfactory to [stun] him again?"

Blagrove said the lawsuit is a last resort, adding they did not want things to get this far.

"No one takes pleasure in this, [but] we are forced to use [the] mechanism of court to create accountability," she said.

The Raleigh Police Department said the department does not comment on pending litigation, but said the officers involved remained employed with the department.

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