Amended lawsuit names Mobile Police officers accused in Jawan Dallas’s death

MOBILE, Ala. ( WKRG ) — Attorneys representing the family of Jawan Dallas — a man who died after a confrontation with Mobile police — have amended a lawsuit filed against the City of Mobile to include the officers they said were involved.

In the amended lawsuit, Dallas’s family claims that Officers Jared Hutto and Christian Davilla hit and tased Dallas several times after responding to a burglary call on Carol Plantation Road last July, News 5 has learned.

On July 2, 2023, around 9:45 p.m., police responded to the report of a residential burglary at Plantation Mobile Home Park. Upon arrival, officers reportedly found two men on the scene.

Mobile police tried to identify the men when one of them — Dallas — tried to run, according to past news reports. Officers attempted to arrest Dallas, who allegedly physically resisted and tried to take away the taser gun.

An officer was able to regain control of the taser and attempted to tase the man again, allowing the officer to take him into custody, according to past reports.

Paramedics responded to the scene and evaluated Dallas after the tasing.

“The subject experienced a medical emergency and was transported to the hospital,” the MPD release that week said. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.

A publicly available autopsy report ruled Dallas’s cause of death to be “Cardiorespiratory Failure” brought on by the toxicity of drugs in his system.

Dallas’s family claims the use of force during his arrest contributed to his death and that the officers’ lack of skills or carelessness were factors.

His death was one of several use-of-force incidents reviewed in an investigation into Mobile police procedures by former U.S. Attorney Kenyen Brown.

Brown’s report said, in this case, the use of force was justified because Dallas resisted arrest and reached for an officer’s taser.

The family filed a $36 million lawsuit in December.

Civil rights attorneys Harry Daniels, John Burris, Lee Merritt, Ben Crump and Roderick Van Daniels, who represent Dallas’s family, released a statement on the amended lawsuit.

“This amendment was made in keeping with our commitment to transparency and we firmly believe the lawsuit speaks for itself as we continue the fight for justice on behalf of Jawan Dallas’ family and his memory,” the statement said.

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