Bulldozer sent to crush homeless camp runs over and kills Georgia man, suit says

Miami Herald

3 days ago

The family of a Georgia man is suing after they say he was killed when a bulldozer was ordered to crush a homeless camp and fatally ran him over while he was inside a tent.
The lawsuit was filed July 18 against the city of Atlanta and seven other unknown individuals.
The lawsuit stems from the January death of 46-year-old Cornelius Taylor.
'The incident involving Mr. Taylor was a tragedy, however it would be inappropriate to comment on any potential pending litigation,' a city representative told McClatchy News in an email.
In preparation for a Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration, the city of Atlanta requested the Department of Public Works clean a street that had a '(large) number of tents and debris,' according to a civil complaint.
On Jan. 16, the city began to clean the homeless encampment which 'consisted of assorted tents and other makeshift structures made of various materials,' the lawsuit said.
The city deployed a 'front loader (a small bulldozer in appearance)' to 'flatten/crush' the tents and structures, the complaint said.
The city did this knowing men and women experiencing homelessness used the tents and 'makeshift structures' as their homes, according to the lawsuit.
Taylor was in a tent he occupied when the front loader 'flattened' it with him still inside, the lawsuit said.
Taylor was able to call for help, and an officer found him in 'severe distress,' the lawsuit said. After he was taken out of what remained of the tent, he 'declined quickly' before being taken to a hospital and dying, according to the complaint.
No city employee or officer performed 'the simple act of looking inside the tent to see whether it was occupied,' the lawsuit said.
'Take a few seconds to open the tent to see if anyone is inside the tent!' Taylor's sister, Darlene Chaney, told WXIA.
A report from the medical examiner determined Taylor's cause of death to be blunt force injuries, which included a fractured pelvis, 'causing a total separation of the pelvic bones,' lacerations to organs and internal bleeding, according to the complaint.
Taylor's attorney told WXIA his family's goal with the lawsuit is to change how homeless camps are cleaned up.
'I watched all the years go by, how he struggled and struggled, and he didn't wanna struggle anymore. A decision was made for him, but now we can help make decisions for other people. To help get them out of this life,' Chaney told WXIA.
The lawsuit said by employees not checking the tent, the city's 'actions showed neglect to perform, improper performance, or unskillful performance of a ministerial duty,' the lawsuit said.
The lawsuit is asking for an undetermined amount in damages.