Physinews: A 21-year-old man who called 911 for help
after taking drugs later died after he was beaten
by police.
Doctors couldn’t revive Tawon Boyd following
the altercation with police – who repeatedly
punched him while they responded to a call for
an ambulance.
Initial accounts by Baltimore County Police
Department claim officers were responding to a
call made by Boyd’s girlfriend, Deona
Styron.Though, Latoya Francis-Williams, a
lawyer representing the Boyd family, claims the
victim placed the call himself requesting an
ambulance.
‘They really were supposed to be there to get
him to the nearest healthcare facility.’When
questioned regarding the discrepancy the force
updated their account, stating: ‘Police originally
thought the girlfriend was the caller because
the information passed on to police from the
dispatcher said “female yelling on the phone”.’
The police report states: ‘While speaking with
the subject, I observed that he was sweating
heavily and appeared to be confused and
paranoid.
‘It was obvious that Suspect Boyd was under
the influence of a narcotic and/or suffering’ and
needed to be taken to the hospital for an
emergency evaluation.’
The report also details how Boyd attempted to
gain entry to police vehicles before he was
punched in the face and restrained by Officer
Bowman and Officer Garland, who attended the
scene.
One officer held down his arms and
head, while another used his body weight to
lean on Boyd’s buttocks and thigh area. The
report states he was extremely resistant.
According to witnesses he was shouting: ‘Stop,
stop. I can’t breathe.’
Boyd had sustained injuries caused by officers
by the time he was loaded into the ambulance,
though medics claim he still had a pulse.
Boyd ended up in intensive care with swelling
and fluid on the brain and his kidneys failed. He
died in hospital three days later.
Police say an autopsy could take up a month
after taking drugs later died after he was beaten
by police.
Doctors couldn’t revive Tawon Boyd following
the altercation with police – who repeatedly
punched him while they responded to a call for
an ambulance.
Initial accounts by Baltimore County Police
Department claim officers were responding to a
call made by Boyd’s girlfriend, Deona
Styron.Though, Latoya Francis-Williams, a
lawyer representing the Boyd family, claims the
victim placed the call himself requesting an
ambulance.
‘They really were supposed to be there to get
him to the nearest healthcare facility.’When
questioned regarding the discrepancy the force
updated their account, stating: ‘Police originally
thought the girlfriend was the caller because
the information passed on to police from the
dispatcher said “female yelling on the phone”.’
The police report states: ‘While speaking with
the subject, I observed that he was sweating
heavily and appeared to be confused and
paranoid.
‘It was obvious that Suspect Boyd was under
the influence of a narcotic and/or suffering’ and
needed to be taken to the hospital for an
emergency evaluation.’
The report also details how Boyd attempted to
gain entry to police vehicles before he was
punched in the face and restrained by Officer
Bowman and Officer Garland, who attended the
scene.
One officer held down his arms and
head, while another used his body weight to
lean on Boyd’s buttocks and thigh area. The
report states he was extremely resistant.
According to witnesses he was shouting: ‘Stop,
stop. I can’t breathe.’
Boyd had sustained injuries caused by officers
by the time he was loaded into the ambulance,
though medics claim he still had a pulse.
Boyd ended up in intensive care with swelling
and fluid on the brain and his kidneys failed. He
died in hospital three days later.
Police say an autopsy could take up a month
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