By Associated Press - Thursday, November 16, 2017

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - The family of a Sacramento man who died while in California Highway Patrol custody is filing a civil rights lawsuit against several officers.

The federal lawsuit filed Wednesday alleges officers hogtied Christopher Murphy and used a stun gun on him rather than rendering medical assistance after he was in a fiery crash in December 2016.

Police said then that Murphy was driving the wrong way when the crash occurred, and officers found him walking in traffic. They said he struggled with officers, was stunned using a Taser in a low-power mode and later became unresponsive.

Attorney John Burris says medical records suggest Murphy was actually stunned in a high-power mode. Burris says the 41-year-old Murphy had no drugs or alcohol in his system.

CHP spokesman Rodney Fitzhugh declined to comment.

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