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Washington, D.C. – In a landmark decision on police abuse, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling that makes it easier to bring civil lawsuits against law enforcement officers for unreasonable force. By a vote of 6 to 3, the high court ruled that judges must consider the specific circumstances in which an officer claims to have feared for his or her safety before deciding whether he or she can be prosecuted.
The ruling seeks to establish a more balanced standard in
cases alleging police brutality, limiting the protection previously offered by
“qualified immunity,” which has prevented numerous lawsuits from reaching
trial.
The ruling stems from a 2016 case in Texas, in which Ashtian
Barnes, a 24-year-old African American man, was killed during a routine traffic
stop. According to official reports, Barnes was driving a vehicle rented by his
girlfriend—who had outstanding toll violations—when he was stopped by Officer
Roberto Felix Jr. During the encounter, a series of confusing actions ended
with the officer fatally shooting him.
Barnes's family filed a lawsuit alleging excessive use of
force, but lower courts dismissed the case, finding that Felix had acted under
a reasonable perception of threat. With the new decision, the Supreme Court
orders the case to be reopened and a broader evaluation of the contextual
factors that influenced the police action.
Civil and human rights organizations welcomed the ruling as
a step toward greater accountability in police forces, while officers'
associations expressed concern about a potential increase in litigation.