In 2018, 65-year-old Panhandler, Jerry Blasingame was panhandling on the streets of Atlanta when he was approached by a police officer who was attempting to run him off the corner. When he fled the officer’s interaction, he was chased and subsequently shot with a taser.
The electric shock from the taser sent him plummeting to the ground causing multiple facial fractures, a broken neck and a brain injury.
According to 11Alive, Officer Jon Grubbs was judged to have used excessive force by a jury, leading to Blasingame receiving a historic $100 million payout from the city. The panhandler will receive $60 million from the Atlanta Police Department, and officer Grubbs will pay $40 million. APD refused to comment on the officer or the verdict.
Jerry Blasingame’s injuries have left him immobile, and he needs care around-the-clock. Attorney Ven Johnson discussed his feelings over the choice and how it will affect his client’s life:
“We’re really, really happy for Jerry, because what we now see as a quadruple pathetic, in other words, a quadriplegic with just a little bit of movement in his arms, hopefully now he will have money to fund his care so that he can live the rest of his life as best as he can possibly live,” Johnson said.
At the time of the jury’s decision, the pan handler had already accrued $14 million in medical bills related to the incident.