Family of Jim Rogers, who died after police Tased him in 2021, settles federal suit with city for $8 million

The city of Pittsburgh will pay the family of Jim Rogers $8 million to settle a federal wrongful death suit brought after Pittsburgh police used a Taser on him 10 times in a fatal altercation over a stolen bicycle on a quiet Bloomfield street.

Attorney Todd Hollis, representing the family, announced the settlement at a Thursday news conference on Harriet Street where the incident occurred on Oct. 13, 2021.

“The city has agreed to a settlement of eight million dollars,” he said in an email later. “And they have agreed to negotiate with us to change certain policies regarding police practices.”

James Frierson, administrator of Jim Rogers’ estate, brought the suit last year in U.S. District Court against the city of Pittsburgh, 11 officers and two paramedics on grounds of excessive force, “deliberate indifference” to Rogers’ medical needs and other civil rights counts.

Rogers was 54.

Hollis, who represents the estate, said that Officer Keith Edmonds used a Taser on Rogers 10 times.

Rogers didn’t have a weapon and posed no threat, Hollis said. He also said Edmonds had a history of using his Taser on people without cause.

As to the paramedics, the complaint said they didn’t act to save Rogers.

Police had been called on the morning of Oct. 13 to Harriet Street after a woman called 911 to report that someone had stolen a bike from her neighbor’s porch.

Edmonds responded, questioned Rogers and searched him for weapons. He had none.

A video of the incident shows Edmonds throwing Rogers to the ground, yelling at him and then stunning him with the Taser repeatedly, the suit said.

Rogers asked for medical help and to be taken to a hospital, but no one responded, according to the complaint.

Two officers started driving him to the jail. Despite Rogers’ pleas for help, they drove past West Penn Hospital, the complaint said.

As they approached the jail, the officers determined that Rogers’ condition was getting worse so they took him to Mercy Hospital. The ER staff performed live-saving care, but Rogers died the next day.

Hollis said the $8 million settlement is the most the city of Pittsburgh has ever paid in a civil case.

In addition to the payout, the settlement requires the city to improve training and police policy, Hollis said, including creating a public database of all use-of-force incidents.

The city fired five officers over Rogers’ death, and others were recommended for discipline.

None of the officers has been charged with a crime.