Facts

On June 16, 2020, Phris Keaton was arrested and handcuffed by San Francisco Deputy Sheriff Garret Edwards at the San Francisco General Hospital on 1001 Potrero Avenue. Keaton brought a claim against Garret Edwards, the San Francisco Sheriff's Office, and the City and County of San Francisco, alleging negligence, assault, battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

PLAINTIFF'S CONTENTIONS: Plaintiff alleged that Deputy Sheriff Garret Edwards used excessive force when he handcuffed plaintiff without explanation, twisted plaintiff's arm, and slammed plaintiff's head onto a steel table, causing severe injuries to plaintiff. Moreover, plaintiff maintained that defendant's actions were negligent, careless, reckless, and wanton and done in a harmful, deliberate manner that a reasonable person would have been offended by. Additionally, plaintiff argued that Edwards was an agent of the San Francisco County's Office and the City and County of San Francisco but was also acting in his own capacity when he committed the violent actions. Finally, plaintiff alleged that she did not consent to any of the conduct directed at her by defendants.

DEFENDANTS' CONTENTIONS: Defendants alleged that plaintiff was comparatively negligent, failed to exercise reasonable care and diligence to mitigate her alleged damages, and assumed the risk of injury for the arrest. Further, defendants contended that Sheriff's Deputy Edwards used reasonable, privileged, and justified force against plaintiff in light of the circumstances at issue and in light of plaintiff's own actions and conduct and acted with probable cause and reasonable suspicion in making the arrest. Finally, defendants argued that they were immune from liability because Deputy Edwards was acting to execute and enforce the law and instituting or prosecuting a judicial or administrative proceeding and his actions were subjectively and objectively reasonable as to entitle him to absolute immunity for any acts within the scope of his employment.

Result

The City and County of San Francisco settled the case for $45,000.