City of Colorado Springs pays $3.2 million - the largest police-misconduct settlement in its history - over the 2018 death of Jeffrey Melvin, who died days after officers tased him up to eight times and pepper-sprayed him, while denying any admission that officer training was inadequate
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What happened
Jeffrey Melvin Jr., 27, died on May 2, 2018, six days after Colorado Springs Police officers Daniel Patterson and Joshua Archer tased him up to eight times over roughly two minutes and used pepper spray during a warrant check at the Remington Apartments; an autopsy ruled the death a homicide from complications of sickle cell trait and exertion associated with the Taser deployment. Melvin's estate sued, alleging inadequate use-of-force training and a pattern of racially motivated violence against Black residents. The City of Colorado Springs agreed to a $3.2 million settlement on July 29, 2025 as the case was headed to trial, with the department stating the payout was 'not an admission' of inadequate training but a decision by its insurance carrier to limit financial risk.
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