Jury clears police in Taser death case

NASHVILLE, May 20 (UPI) -- Police officers who used a Taser on a 21-year-old man in Nashville allegedly resisting arrest were not responsible for the man's death, a federal jury says.

Attorney Joseph Bednarz Sr. said while the jury may have cleared police in the 2005 death of Patrick Lee, the man's parents remain convinced the Taser strikes were the cause of the man's death, The (Nashville) Tennessean reported Wednesday.

"We don't have an answer to why he died," said Bednarz, the attorney for Lee's parents, Bud Lee and Cindy Lundman. "It's still our contention that it was the strikes of the Taser and restraint procedures."

Police allege Lee was under the influence of LSD when he resisted arrest outside a Nashville nightclub in 2005. In addition to using pepper spray and batons to restrain Lee, police officers allegedly used a Taser on the man up to 19 times.

Lee died two days after the incident as a result of what the medical examiner termed excited delirium, the Tennessean said.

Bednarz said his clients will consider appealing the jury's verdict regarding the actions of police officers Jason Creagan, Jonathan Mays and Jaime Scruggs.