The family of 53-year-old Frank Tyson has taken its fight over his death into federal court, filing a $13 million lawsuit in Akron on April 16, 2026. The complaint accuses Canton police of using excessive force that it says turned a late-night encounter into a fatal one, alleging Tyson was handcuffed, pinned face-down and held with a knee on his neck even as he repeatedly told officers he could not breathe.
What the lawsuit alleges
According to Cleveland.com, the federal complaint names Canton officers Camden Burch and Beau Schoenegge and says both knelt on Tyson’s neck and back while he was already restrained at an AMVETS post. The suit contends officers waited several minutes to check for a pulse and did not promptly call for an ambulance, and it further accuses responding paramedics of failing to properly resuscitate him.
The filing says Tyson told officers at least seven times that he could not breathe and notes that bystanders recorded portions of the encounter on video. Those clips, the suit argues, back up the family’s claim that officers ignored clear distress signals until it was too late.
Criminal charges and coroner ruling
Two Canton officers were indicted on third-degree reckless homicide charges in November 2024 and have pleaded not guilty, reporting from the AP shows. The criminal case put the officers’ tactics under a microscope well before the civil lawsuit landed in federal court.
The Stark County coroner later ruled Tyson’s death a homicide and listed several contributing factors, including ischemic cardiovascular disease and acute intoxication by cocaine and ethanol, according to earlier local coverage that ruled Tyson’s death a homicide.
Family reaction and legal team
Tyson’s relatives have turned to high-profile civil-rights attorneys, who have been pushing publicly for accountability and highlighting body-camera footage of the encounter, Ideastream reported. At an earlier news conference, attorney Ben Crump sharply criticized how the arrest was handled and echoed Tyson’s recorded pleas, saying, “Don't put your knee on my neck,” according to that reporting.
Where the cases stand
The new civil complaint adds a federal layer to the case and seeks $13 million in damages. Cleveland.com reports the officers also have a criminal trial set for Aug. 10, 2026, in Stark County Common Pleas Court.
With both a federal lawsuit and a local criminal case now in motion, the parties face overlapping discovery, court hearings and tight calendars. Community leaders and civil-rights groups continue to call for transparency as the cases move forward, while Canton officials say investigations remain ongoing. Upcoming filings and hearings will determine whether the civil dispute heads to trial or is resolved through a settlement before it ever reaches a jury.
