Legal Opinion
Wheeler v. City of Philadelphia
District Court, E.D. Pennsylvania
Decided April 21, 2005No. Civ.A. 04-3792PublishedCited by 8 opinions
1Opinion of the Court
MEMORANDUM
DALZELL, District Judge.
On August 17, 2002, William Wheeler had a psychotic breakdown near his Philadelphia home. Hallucinating, high on cocaine, and armed with a pair of scissors, a steak knife, and a screwdriver, he ran into the street screaming at imaginary assailants. When police officers arrived, they tried to calm Wheeler, to no avail. Wheeler charged them with a screwdriver. The officers deployed pepper spray, grounded Wheeler, and then used control holds to handcuff him. Minutes later, he died of cardiac failure.
His family sued the City of Philadelphia, the Philadelphia…
2Cases cited33 opinions
- Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc.Supreme Court of the United States · 1986
- Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, Administratrix of the Estate of CatrettSupreme Court of the United States · 1986
- Monell v. New York City Dept. of Social Servs.Supreme Court of the United States · 1978
- Graham v. ConnorSupreme Court of the United States · 1989
- City of Canton v. HarrisSupreme Court of the United States · 1989
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3Cited by8 opinions
- Brice v. City of YorkDistrict Court, M.D. Pennsylvania · 2007
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- PEREZ v. THE BOROUGH OF JOHNSONBURGDistrict Court, W.D. Pennsylvania · 2021
- Rachel Kay, John Kay and Susan Kay, H/W v. Officer Kevin Godfrey, Chief Christopher Engelhart, John/Jane Does #1-5, Hilltown Township, Colin Wahlers, and John Wahlers and Wendy Wahlers, H/WDistrict Court, E.D. Pennsylvania · 2026
3 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.