[secondmortgages]

Grandmother Tasered in bed by police while strapped to oxygen machine sues her Oklahoma hometown

Associated Press
06/29/10 7:15 PM PDT

OKLAHOMA CITY — An 87-year-old grandmother who was Tasered by police while hooked to an oxygen machine in her bed is suing her Oklahoma hometown. Attorney Brian Dell said Tuesday that he filed the lawsuit June 21 on behalf of his client, Lona Varner. He did not specify the amount she's seeking from the city of El Reno but said it's at least $75,000.

Varner's grandson called 911 on Dec. 22 and told the dispatcher his grandmother "wanted to end her life" and that he was concerned she had taken some unknown medicine. Officer Thomas Duran says in a police report that Varner pulled a kitchen knife from under her pillow and threatened to stab and kill him if he tried to take her from her home. The report says another officer used a stun gun on Varner.