The city of Cleveland has reached at $2.25 million settlement with the family of a woman with mental illness who died after police tried to take her into custody.
In November 2014, two Cleveland police officers responded to a call for a woman in crisis. As officers tried to put the handcuffed Tanisha Anderson in their cruiser, there was a struggle, and she ended up on the ground, unresponsive. She was pronounced dead at a hospital.
The Cuyahoga County medical examiner ruled the death a homicide, saying heart disease and restraint in the prone position were contributing factors.
Anderson’s family is asking police to adopt new policies meant to prevent officers from causing death or injury while restraining people. At a news conference, Anderson’s mother, Cassandra Johnson, said she wanted to help people who experienced what her daughter did.
“I’m going to continue to fight for the rights of all mentally ill. I can’t bring Tanisha back, but there are more, many many more, who need this kind of help, and that is my goal.”
The Ohio attorney general’s office is acting as special prosecutor in the case. Attorneys from that office have not yet announced whether they’ll seek criminal charges against the officers.
The city of Cleveland is not commenting on the settlement, which still must be approved by the judge.
