KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WOKI / WVLT) — A federal appeals court has denied qualified immunity to a Knox County Sheriff’s deputy accused of tasing a disabled Air Force veteran during a 2022 encounter, allowing a civil rights lawsuit against the deputy to move forward.
The ruling centers on the October 10, 2022 arrest of Brian Eugene Hux, a 64-year-old Air Force veteran who was classified as 100% disabled at the time of the incident.
According to court documents, Deputy Randall Williams stopped Hux on Edington Road in South Knox County while searching for a hospital patient who had escaped police custody.
Questions Raised About Initial Stop
Court records indicate the person deputies were seeking was described in a be-on-the-lookout alert as a 34-year-old man, approximately six feet tall with brown hair.
Hux, according to the lawsuit, was 64 years old, stood 5-foot-9, and had long purple-dyed hair.
Attorneys for Hux argue those differences should have made it clear he did not match the description of the individual deputies were attempting to locate.
The lawsuit claims body camera video shows Hux walking away from the deputy before running only after Williams rushed toward him.
Severe Injuries Alleged
The lawsuit alleges Williams deployed his taser, striking Hux in the back of the head and causing him to fall face-first onto the pavement.
According to medical records cited in the court case, Hux suffered a fractured skull, a brain bleed and other permanent injuries as a result of the encounter.
The lawsuit states Hux now resides in a 24-hour assisted care facility because of the injuries he sustained.
Appeals Court Rejects Immunity Argument
The U.S. Court of Appeals agreed with a lower court’s decision to deny qualified immunity for Williams, concluding there are significant factual and constitutional questions that should be considered at trial.
The court cited three primary reasons for allowing the lawsuit to proceed:
- Williams may have lacked reasonable suspicion to stop Hux.
- The deputy may have provoked Hux’s attempt to flee.
- An outstanding arrest warrant does not eliminate an individual’s constitutional protections.
Attorneys representing the deputy argued that Hux’s outstanding warrant meant his rights were not violated during the encounter. The appeals court rejected that position.
Case Heads Toward Trial
The lawsuit was filed on October 10, 2023, exactly one year after the incident occurred.
Since then, attorneys representing Knox County and the deputy have sought qualified immunity, a legal doctrine that can shield government officials from civil liability under certain circumstances.
With the appeals court denying that protection, the case can now continue toward a civil rights trial.
Hux is seeking $3 million in damages.
The Knox County Attorney’s Office had not responded to requests for comment or requests for body camera footage regarding the incident.
The latest ruling does not determine whether Williams violated Hux’s rights, but it does mean a jury could ultimately decide the facts surrounding the encounter and whether damages are warranted.
