Raleigh to Pay $975K Settlement in Darryl Williams Case After Fatal Police Tasing Sparks Outcry
Raleigh Reaches $975K Settlement in Death of Darryl Williams
RALEIGH, N.C. — The City of Raleigh has agreed to pay $975,000 to settle a federal lawsuit filed by Sonya Williams, the mother of Darryl “Tyree” Williams, a 32-year-old man who died in 2023 after police repeatedly shocked him with a Taser during an arrest.
The settlement, finalized December 1, 2025, brings closure to a nearly two-year legal battle led by civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump and Emancipate NC’s Jaylen Miller. While the city denies wrongdoing, the payout represents one of Raleigh’s largest settlements involving alleged police misconduct since 2012.
According to the city’s agreement, the payment “is not based on the merits of the case” and does not constitute an admission of guilt. Officials said the decision was a financial one—settling to avoid “anticipated and unavoidable legal expenses.”
A Deadly Arrest Caught on Camera
On January 17, 2023, Raleigh officers Christopher Robinson and Jeremiah Thomas approached Williams’ car in a Rock Quarry Road parking lot during a patrol in an area known for drug and weapons reports.
After discovering what appeared to be a white powdery substance folded in a dollar bill, police attempted to arrest Williams. He ran, and officers deployed Tasers several times—ultimately shocking him at least six times, according to the lawsuit.
Body-camera footage captured Williams’ desperate pleas before the final Taser use.
“I have heart problems,” he gasped. “Please. Please.”
Williams lost consciousness and was pronounced dead around 3 a.m.
The North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled his death a homicide, citing sudden cardiac arrest brought on by cocaine intoxication, physical exertion, multiple Taser deployments, and physical restraint.
Raleigh police officer’s body cam video shows tasing of Darryl Williams
A Mother’s Legal Fight for Justice
Williams’ mother filed a $25 million wrongful death suit in March 2024 against the city, then Police Chief Estella Patterson, and several officers. The lawsuit claimed excessive force, negligent training, and a pattern of unconstitutional policing.
While a federal judge dismissed some claims against city leadership, he allowed those against individual officers and the city’s training practices to proceed.
Despite city reports indicating Williams resisted arrest, his attorneys argued that officers used deadly force even after he was pinned to the ground and no longer a threat.
Raleigh’s Taser policy prohibits use on fleeing suspects who do not pose an immediate danger and warns of heightened risk when a subject is under the influence of drugs—guidelines Williams’ attorneys say were ignored.
Public Outcry and Legal Context
At a press conference held at Mount Peace Baptist Church in Raleigh shortly after Williams’ death, attorney Ben Crump and Sonya Williams condemned the city’s lack of accountability. Crump said,
“Our eyes and ears did not deceive us. What we saw was a man begging for his life.”
Following the settlement, Raleigh’s total payouts in police-related lawsuits now exceed $5.4 million since 2012.
A Step Toward Healing
Although the settlement closes the lawsuit, for Sonya Williams, it is only partial justice. “No amount of money can bring my son back,” she said in a prior statement.
The agreement prohibits either party from making disparaging remarks and specifies that no admission of negligence or wrongful conduct is implied.
Williams’ family continues to call for reforms in Taser training, accountability, and transparency within the Raleigh Police Department.