Family sues police & paramedics over unexpected death of “distressed” trans woman

Two years to the week after a trans woman died while being transported to a hospital by Dallas police and paramedics, her family is suing.

LaDamonyon DeeDee Hall, 47, a Black transgender woman, was pronounced dead at Baylor Hospital after police and paramedics responded to a call about Hall causing a disturbance, yelling, and falling down in Dallas’ Casa View neighborhood.

Related: Trans woman Darri Moore found dead along the Mississippi River

She “was funny, smart, talented, kind but most of all very loved.”

In a 35-minute-long bodycam recording, officers are seen arriving at midday along a state highway next to a used car dealership, where Hall seemed alternately frightened and disoriented. About six minutes into the recording, she falls to the ground and speaks incoherently. She is clearly in distress.

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The video reveals officers and paramedics addressing Hall as “ma’am” — and they refer to her with female pronouns in the police report, as well — but as Hall grows more agitated and confused and lifts her dress, exposing herself, officers and paramedics then switch to calling Hall “sir” and “bud.”

As she screams, one officer puts a knee to her back and paramedics place a spit hood over her head. She’s placed on a stretcher and restrained.

Later, as Hall is being transported in the paramedic’s van, she complains she’s uncomfortable and having trouble breathing. Police officers can be heard occasionally laughing and joking and ask Hall repeatedly to calm down and breathe.

After noticing Hall has gone silent, police and paramedics begin actively tending to Hall again, but she is unresponsive. After several minutes of CPR in the paramedic van and hospital, Hall was pronounced dead.

The family’s attorney at the time said Hall suffered from “bipolar schizophrenia” and appeared to be experiencing a mental health episode when officers arrived. 

“Our city agencies failed a person who was in dire need of their help,” attorney Justin Moore said. Hall was also taking a “cocktail of medications,” including diabetes medication and hormone patches, Moore added.

The family believes police showed repeated disregard for Hall, who was in visible distress. Tue family notes that, over the course of her interaction with first responders, she repeatedly says, “I’m dying,” and “I’m dead.”

The two paramedics’ credentials were suspended following the incident.

Several investigations were held following Hall’s death, including a medical review by Dallas Fire Rescue Emergency Medical Services, the Dallas Police Community Oversight Board, and the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office.

An autopsy revealed Hall died of acute heart failure caused in part by the restraint position she was held in and the paramedics’ use of a spit hood.

Spit hoods have been implicated in at least 10 deaths since 2001.

Hall’s family believes her death was preventable and are asking for $2 million in damages and a jury trial. They accuse the city of negligence, excessive force and discrimination in the suit.

Referring to Hall, the family says first responders demonstrated a “callous disregard for her dignity and well-being.”

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