$1.25 Million Settlement: Civil Rights Matter Involving Wrongful Death During Police Encounter

Attorney Mark V. Maguire of our civil rights team secured $1.25 million for the estate of Damien Daniels, an Army veteran, wrongfully killed by police during a welfare check.

On August 25, 2020, Damien Daniels was shot twice in the chest by police officers dispatched to his home by his own family for a wellness check. Mr. Daniels, a combat veteran suffered from severe post traumatic stress disorder, was previously a subject of four mental-health related calls with no incident. Knowing the state of Mr. Daniels' the family reached out to the Red Cross to perform the wellness check, they in-turn called the police department to encourage him to check in to the local VA hospital for assistance. The police unequipped for mental health assistance escalated, resulting in the wrongful death of our client.

Though nothing can bring Mr. Daniels back, his family receives restitution. The family and community knows that McEldrew Purtell’s Civil Right Teams would not rest without holding accountability for the untimely loss of their loved one.