Newark, NJ – A federal judge has largely cleared the City of Paterson and several of its police officers of liability in the 2019 death of Jameek Lowery, ruling that most claims brought by his estate cannot proceed to trial.
The ruling, issued September 10 in Duncan v. City of Paterson, resolves motions for summary judgment filed by both the city and the officers. The estate, represented by administrator Shaquana D. Duncan, had alleged civil rights violations, failures in training and supervision, and state-law claims after Lowery died two days after a confrontation with police.
According to undisputed facts in the record, Lowery experienced a drug-related medical emergency early on January 5, 2019. He was first transported to a hospital, where he acted erratically, then left in a taxi. At a red light, he fled and ran toward Paterson police headquarters, foaming at the mouth and appearing delirious.
Police called an ambulance. When it arrived, Lowery initially resisted but eventually entered with officer assistance. Inside, his behavior turned violent, and he began hitting and kicking officers. They restrained him on a stretcher, apparently using handcuffs. Lowery was taken to a hospital, where he died two days later.
The lawsuit accused Paterson of failing to properly train or supervise its officers and alleged that excessive force was used. Judge Michael E. Farbiarz found that the evidence did not support those claims to the extent needed to survive summary judgment, granting most of the defendants’ motions.
Some aspects of the case, however, were left unresolved, with limited claims potentially still in play.
Key Points
- A federal judge granted summary judgment for Paterson and officers in the 2019 death of Jameek Lowery.
- Lowery, in medical distress after drug use, died two days after being restrained in an ambulance.
- The estate’s claims of inadequate training, supervision, and excessive force were largely rejected.
The ruling narrows a case that has drawn significant public attention in Paterson, focusing scrutiny on the city’s handling of medical emergencies involving police custody.