Wrongful Death Suit Against Tennessee Town Settles for $6,000
by Monte McCoin
A $1 million lawsuit filed by the widow of a man who died at the city jail in Kingsport, Tennessee following a 2015 DUI arrest settled on February 28, 2017 for just $6,000.
Judy Honaker alleged that the City of Kingsport and two jailers, Monica Safis and Jared Glover, failed to provide an adequate level of attention to the medical needs of her husband, Benjamin, when he was booked into the jail following a traffic accident.
According to court records, Ben Honaker was arrested after he left the scene of a two-car crash and was suspected to be severely impaired. He was taken to a hospital for a blood draw to determine his level of intoxication, but was not medically evaluated after the accident. He was found not breathing several hours after being booked.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation investigated the incident and cleared the Kingsport Police Department of any wrongdoing in Honaker’s death, which was attributed to a multi-drug overdose.
The settlement, which dismissed the lawsuit by stipulation, covered the cost of Honaker’s funeral expenses. See: Honaker v. City of Kingsport, U.S.D.C. (E.D. Tenn.), Case No. 2:15-cv-00276-MCLC.
Attorney Earl Booze, who represented the city, said Kingsport “followed all policies and procedures that were in place, and as the case developed, it showed. It was a very unfortunate circumstance for Mr. Honaker and his family.”
Source: www.timesnews.net
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Related legal case
Honaker v. City of Kingsport
| Year | 2017 |
|---|---|
| Cite | U.S.D.C. (E.D. Tenn.), Case No. 2:15-cv-00276-MCLC |
| Level | District Court |
| Conclusion | Settlement |
| Damages | 6,000 |