Family of Tasered inmate files lawsuit

By Vince Mancini

Published on October 10, 2005

Robert Boggan, 65, died Aug. 29 after being in jail for 11 days. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the death, but autopsy results have not yet been released.

In the suit filed Wednesday, the family alleges that jailers stripped Boggan naked, pepper-sprayed his face, forced him into a shower cell and then shot him at least three times with the Taser. It calls the Taser use "sadistic" and "malicious", meant to punish the man even though he was suffering from mental problems.

The suit alleges that after being Tasered in the shower, Boggan collapsed and was placed in a restraining chair and dragged back to his cell. He was found dead seven hours later.

Bogan was arrested Aug. 18 after knocking over boxes at a Dollar Tree store during a "mental episode", and was being held on a $10,000 bond on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and criminal mischief.

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