Black Father Tased in Front of Kids After Removing Son from Colorado Hospital

LaDarius Butler faced no legal violation last year when he and his partner took their 3-year-old son from a Colorado hospital after receiving contradictory medical advice regarding his shortness of breath, seeking a second opinion elsewhere. However, the 32-year-old Black man was subsequently tasered, handcuffed, and arrested on a baseless obstruction charge, which was later dismissed. He has since filed a lawsuit against the Aurora Police Department, an agency currently under a consent decree for a history of racially biased policing, according to IntegrAssure. Butler's attorneys claim that this troubling incident, captured on body camera footage released recently, reflects a failure to learn from past mistakes, referencing the shooting of Elijah McClain by the same department in 2019. The lawsuit emphasizes the excessive use of force, noting Butler’s compliance during the tense encounter, which could have concluded with a simple phone call.