Mental Health Patient Dies from Police Stun-Gun

Relatives have identified an Alabama man who died after police used a stun gun on him.

Dorothy Nelson and a family lawyer on Tuesday identified the dead man as Nelson’s son, 49-year-old Randy Joe Nelson of Athens, Alabama. Court records show Nelson had at least two previous arrests in which officers knew he had mental problems.

Athens police on Monday said that officers used a stun gun on a man who became unruly at Athens-Limestone Hospital on Feb. 3. Police say the man had breathing difficulties and died five days later at another hospital.

Dorothy Nelson says her son had mental problems for years and was known to officers.

Nelson was black and the officers are white, but there’s no indication whether race was a factor.

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