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Bloomberg Businessweek, and 99% Invisible. You can find more of her work at stephjoyce.com.
Travis isn’t finished looking for answers. Last fall, both a New Mexico district attorney and a U.S. attorney declined to pursue any criminal charges in the case. In December, Travis and Kimberly Beck, Gage’s mother, filed a civil suit in federal court against Mitchell and the National Park Service. The suit alleges that Mitchell’s actions violated Gage’s constitutional rights, including his Fourth Amendment right to be protected against the use of excessive force. It points out that when Mitchell decided to use a Taser, he had pulled Gage over for a misdemeanor traffic violation and that Gage had only passively resisted the ranger’s commands. Gage’s parents are seeking a jury trial and unspecified damages. (The case is ongoing; no trial date has been set.)