Family of comatose man reaches last-minute settlement in Bay Area Taser case

The family of Deontae Charles Faison settled their lawsuit against East Bay Regional Park District officer Jonathan Knea minutes before jury selection was to begin, over a 2024 incident in which Faison was Tasered multiple times while in San Leandro Bay and has been comatose since. Terms were not disclosed by either side.

The family's suit alleged Knea stopped Faison over expired tags, drew a gun when Faison tried to leave, and then deployed his Taser five times as Faison fled into the water, including three discharges the family says violated both district and manufacturer policy. Officers reportedly watched him call for help for nearly 40 minutes before he lost consciousness, without administering CPR.

A federal judge had already allowed claims against the district to proceed, ruling the failure to train officers was obvious enough to suggest deliberate policy, while dismissing some claims against Knea and advancing others, including those tied to the final three Taser discharges, to trial.

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