Federal Way, WA – The family of Leon Davis, a 27‑year‑old who died on March 12 at St. Francis Hospital, has filed a wrongful‑death and negligence lawsuit against the City of Federal Way, the Federal Way Police Department and the hospital that operated the facility.
Background and incident
Davis entered St. Francis Hospital voluntarily after drinking and feeling ill. According to his relatives and their attorneys, he was a “model patient” for two days before requesting to leave the facility. When staff refused his discharge, Davis resisted, prompting a physical confrontation with security guards and responding officers.
Police body‑camera footage released by the department shows Davis handcuffed, face‑down on the floor, with several officers and security personnel pressing down on his legs and buttocks. The video captures Davis struggling to breathe while blood streamed from his nose and mouth. Family attorneys say the restraint lasted at least 25 minutes, that a spit hood was placed over his head despite no evidence he was spitting, and that hospital staff administered tranquilizers before he went into cardiac arrest.
Family’s legal claims
Roger Rogoff, representing the Davis family, described the manner in which officers and guards held Davis to the floor: “The security guards were lying across his legs and buttocks, forcing his body into the floor, making it difficult for him to breathe and making it difficult for his heart to work.” Sim Osborn, another family attorney, emphasized that Davis had a legal right to leave the medical center and that the force used was excessive.
Shannice Johnson, Davis’ sister, recalled her brother as an “outgoing big teddy bear” and a peacemaker. After viewing the footage, she said, “There’s no way that you could think that it was okay what happened to him; no one deserves to be treated that way. It shows the negligence on the medical staff side, the police side, and the brutality he endured.”
Police handling of evidence
The body‑camera video was withheld for more than seven months before the family requested its release. Osborn questioned the delay, asking, “Why did they hold that video?” The attorneys have not disclosed how they obtained the recording.
Hospital response
Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, which operates St. Francis Hospital, declined to comment on the ongoing legal matter, citing patient privacy. The health system reiterated that the safety and well‑being of patients and staff remain its highest priority.
Legal and community implications
The lawsuit seeks damages for wrongful death, negligence, and alleged violations of Davis’ civil rights. It also raises broader concerns about the use of restraints in medical settings, the application of spit hoods, and the transparency of police evidence handling.
Local officials have not yet responded to requests for comment on the pending litigation. The case adds to a growing national conversation about police‑hospital interactions and the rights of patients in emergency care situations.
Original reporting: KIRO 7 (Tacoma / Pierce County stories) — read the source article.
