The family of a mentally ill woman who died after being stunned multiple times with a Taser at a Virginia jail filed a $15 million wrongful death lawsuit.
Natasha McKenna, 37, of Alexandria, died in February 2015 after a confrontation with Fairfax County jail guards who were trying to transfer her to another facility. Guards used a Taser on her four times while she was partially restrained.
According to court documents, six officers restrained McKenna in a chair while she was only wearing a smock. The officers used the Taser repeatedly and did not attempt to use any other means of resolving the situation, the documents say.
The death of McKenna, who was black, drew criticism from the Black Lives Matter movement and from advocates for the mentally ill. Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney Ray Morrogh reviewed the case but declined to bring charges. He called her death a "tragic accident."
The sheriff's office did not respond to questions about the lawsuit, which was filed Friday.
