On May 30, 2021, in Idaho Springs, Colorado, a woman who had moved into her building that same day called police and said her neighbor punched her in the face after an argument about noise. Two officers went upstairs and knocked on that neighbor's door. The man who opened it was 75 years old. He was holding a decorative Hawaiian sword. He put it down when he was told to. Less than a minute after the door opened, Officer Nicholas Hanning fired his taser, and Michael Clark was unconscious on the hallway floor. On the radio it went out as a machete. Twenty minutes later, away from Clark, one of the officers describes on his own body camera what he did to a 75-year-old man on the ground: "Yeah, I kicked him in the knee and then punched him somewhere in the back of the head." Nobody in that conversation reacts. A few minutes after that, the officers work out the charges: "Don't even ask her. We'll just press the charges" - and two counts of felony menacing for a man who had just told them he had nothing to drink. Michael Clark suffered a stroke and permanent cognitive damage. He can no longer drive or cook for himself. He uses a wheelchair and needs supervision around the clock. His daughter: "We would be most happy if he could have his old life back." Officer Nicholas Hanning was fired, criminally charged with third degree assault on an at-risk person, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault, and agreed he would never work as a police officer in Colorado again. Officer Ellie Summers was disciplined and no longer works for the city. On November 2, 2022, Idaho Springs agreed to pay Michael Clark $7,000,000 - the largest civil rights settlement in Colorado history in a case not involving a death. CHAPTERS 0:00 The door opens 0:15 What this cost the city 0:47 "Put it down" - and the taser 1:50 It was not a machete 2:10 "Sir. Talk to me." 2:50 What the tasing cost him 3:21 "That is so absolutely false" 4:03 "What knife?" 4:33 What one officer admits on camera 5:14 How the charges were decided 6:02 $7,000,000 6:56 The practical lesson SOURCE Full unedited Idaho Springs Police Department body-worn camera footage, a public record obtained in civil litigation and published in full by attorney Sarah Schielke, The Life & Liberty Law Office: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvTMICY40Hk Reporting used for the outcome and the legal record: The Colorado Sun, Colorado Public Radio, CBS Colorado, Denver7, 9NEWS, Westword. This video is commentary and analysis of a public record. Nothing here is legal advice.

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