The Sacramento City Council on Tuesday approved a $5.2 million payout for an excessive force lawsuit of a 2017 incident in which police tased a 34-year-old man so many times his family said he was left with the mental capability of a toddler.
In a closed-door session, the council voted to approve the settlement for the family of John Hernandez, who was tased nine times and struck by officers’ batons at least five times while being arrested, according to court documents.
The settlement is believed to be the largest in the city’s history, far surpassing last year’s settlements of $2.8 million for 24 lawsuits, four of which police were alleged to have used excessive force.