Taser plaintiff awarded $220,000
By Carolyn McGough
May 17, 2009 11:23 p.m.
A university statement released Friday announced resolution of litigation initiated after a former UCLA student Mostafa Tabatabainejad was hit with a Taser gun by university police in November 2006.
According to the statement, Tabatabainejad v. The Regents of the University of California has been resolved and the two parties will have no further comment on the incident or the settlement.
Tabatabainejad, who was a Middle Eastern and North African studies student, was repeatedly hit with the Taser after he did not promptly leave the CLICC Lab in Powell Library after being asked to on Nov. 14, 2006.
Due to the manner in which the litigation was settled, UCLA officials were unable to comment on the specifics of the settlements, other than the amount owed to the plaintiff and his attorney.
The plaintiff was awarded $220,000, said Carol Stoggsdill, a UCLA spokeswoman.
Tabatabainejad was asked to leave when he did not produce his BruinCard during a random after-hours security check. UCLA police officers deployed the Taser to assist in removing him from the library, believing it was the most effective way to ensure other students’ safety, according to the UCLA statement.
UCLA consequently conducted an investigation that found the officers’ actions were within department policy.
According to the statement, the university hopes to ensure the safety of the student body and the parties resolved the matter in order to allow Tabatabainejad to complete his degree and move forward with his career.
Compiled by Carolyn McGough, Bruin senior staff.
