Qualified Immunity Is Not Limited to Police Brutality. It Protects a Wide Variety of Abusive Officials.
An analysis of appeals involving the doctrine finds that less than a quarter "fit the popular conception of police accused of excessive force."
Criminal Justice
Buffalo Cops Denied Qualified Immunity for Arresting Man Who Called Officer an 'Asshole'
R. Anthony Rupp III was cited and detained after he called a police officer an "asshole" after the cop nearly drove into two pedestrians.
Biden's Cognitive Shrinkflation
Plus: A listener asks if the state of Oregon’s policy on drug decriminalization should be viewed as a success.
Trump's Alleged Defiance and Deceit Distinguish His Handling of Secrets From Biden's
Unlike Biden's conduct, Special Counsel Robert Hur notes, the document-related charges against Trump feature "serious aggravating facts."
Wisconsin Police Held a Man and 3 Kids at Gunpoint During Routine Traffic Stop
Luke Weiland has filed a lawsuit alleging that police used "excessive" force.
Writer's Suspended Death Sentence Is a Reminder of China's Awful Record on Human Rights
Yang Hengjun's punishment will be commuted to life in prison if he passes a probationary period. But the espionage accusations against him are highly spurious.
Georgia Bill Would Hobble Bail Funds Even as It Expands Cash Bail
By definition, people assigned bail have been judged safe to release into the general population. Requiring them to post cash bail is needlessly punitive.
An Alabama Couple's Lives Were Upended by an Unconstitutional Police Raid. A Jury Awarded Them $1 Million.
Greg and Teresa Almond lost their house and livelihood over a misdemeanor drug crime. Sheriff's deputies never got a warrant to search their house.
Cops Arrested Him for a Fictitious Traffic Violation Because He Flipped Them Off
A federal judge allowed a lawsuit against the officers to proceed, finding evidence of several constitutional violations.
Alabama Cops 'Violently' Arrested Two Elderly Women For Taking Care of Feral Cats
The pair were then taken to a local jail, where they were mistreated further.
AI Versus Age-Verification Laws
AI tools churning out images of fake IDs could help people get around online age-check laws.
Based on Loose Reasoning, a Federal Judge Rejects a Challenge to the Gun-Free School Zones Act
The decision likens the federal law to Reconstruction era restrictions on firearms near polling places.
Northwestern Students Face Obscure Criminal Charges for Mock Anti-Israel Newspaper
After placing a pro-Palestinian front page over Northwestern's student newspaper, two students face "theft of advertising services" charges.
Mom's Manslaughter Conviction for Her Son's School Shooting Sets a Dangerous Precedent
In some sense, the case seemed to hinge on what prosecutors wished the law said, not on what it actually says.
The D.C. Circuit Unanimously Rejects Trump's Audacious Presidential Immunity Claim
The appeals court says it "cannot accept that the office of the Presidency places its former occupants above the law for all time thereafter."
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt Says Civil Asset Forfeiture 'Isn't Fair' and Calls for Reforms
"It's crazy to me that somebody can be pulled over and have their cash and truck taken for an alleged crime, get acquitted of that crime, but they still never get their property back," Stitt said.
Jennifer Crumbley Case Hinges On Whether She 'Willfully' Ignored Her Son's Inclination To Commit Mass Murder
Michigan jurors are considering whether Crumbley's carelessness amounted to involuntary manslaughter.
It's Time to Retire Super Bowl 'Sex Trafficking' Stings and Myths
For sex workers and their clients, Super Bowl season can mean a higher chance of getting nabbed by cops.
Texas Cops Held a Terrified Couple at Gunpoint After Raiding the Wrong House
Tyler Harrington has filed a lawsuit after four police officers burst into his home in the middle of the night.
He Was Arrested for Making a Joke on Facebook. A Jury Just Awarded Him $205,000 in Damages.
The verdict vindicates the constitutional rights that Louisiana sheriff's deputies flagrantly violated when they hauled Waylon Bailey off to jail.
Bipartisan Tax Credit Bonanza
Plus: California reparations bills drop, the Biden administration continues the war on gas stoves, and D.C.'s rising crime rate.
He Was Charged With Human Trafficking for Driving His Wife to Work
"The sole basis for targeting Joe was the race/ethnicity of his wife and her occupation" at an Asian massage parlor, the lawsuit claims.
Argentina, Once One of the Richest Countries, Is Now One of the Poorest. Javier Milei Could Help Fix That.
The new libertarian president believes in free markets and the rule of law. When people have those things, prosperity happens.
The 5th Circuit Says Criminalizing Journalism Is Not Obviously Unconstitutional
The appeals court dismissed a civil rights lawsuit by a Laredo gadfly who was arrested for asking questions.
Alabama Killed an Inmate With an Experimental Execution Method. Ohio Could Be Next.
Following the nitrogen hypoxia execution of Kenneth Eugene Smith last week, Ohio lawmakers introduced a bill to bring the execution method to their state.
She Was Arrested for Her Journalism. A Federal Court Says She Can't Sue.
Priscilla Villarreal, also known as "Lagordiloca," has sparked a debate about free speech and who, exactly, is a journalist.
A Constitutionally Dubious California Bill Would Ban Possession of AI-Generated Child Pornography
The proposal seems to conflict with a Supreme Court ruling against laws that criminalize mere possession of obscene material.
'The Most Horrible Thing I've Ever Seen': Alabama Executes Inmate With Experimental Method
Kenneth Eugene Smith was likely the first person in the world to be executed by nitrogen hypoxia.
Florida Bills Would Hide the Names of Police Officers Who Kill People
The bills would classify police and correctional officers who kill people on the job as crime victims.
Review: Exposing a Broken Juvenile Court System
Kids were jailed for minor offenses, as detailed in The Kids of Rutherford County podcast.
5 Years After a Deadly Drug Raid, Houston's Former Police Chief Might Finally Be Held Accountable
Since leaving Houston, Art Acevedo has bounced from job to job, continuing a spotty career marred by scandal.
Florida Legislation Would Ban Civilian Police Oversight Boards
Florida Republicans and police unions insist that toothless civilian oversight boards are still more scrutiny than police deserve.
Amazon's Ring Will Stop Giving Police Your Doorbell Footage Without a Warrant
While not perfect, the move is a step in the right direction for civil liberties.
Tennessee Says Residents Can't Vote If They Have Lost Their Gun Rights
People who were disenfranchised based on felony convictions face a new obstacle to recovering their voting rights.
Jon Ronson: Why We Went So Crazy During COVID Lockdowns
The Things Fell Apart host explains how a 1988 quack medical concept inspired George Floyd's death in 2020 and how Plandemic rewrote Star Wars.
Man Sues Sunglass Hut After Faulty AI Facial Recognition Tech Led to Wrongful Arrest
Harvey Murphy was wrongfully arrested for robbing a Sunglasses Hut after facial recognition tech identified him as the robber. The 61-year-old says he was brutally sexually assaulted in jail.
Feds Will Try Backpage Co-Founder Michael Lacey for a Third Time
It's a frightening reminder of how far the government will go to get their way—and to warn tech companies against platforming speech it doesn't like.
Accused of Dictatorial Ambitions, Trump Doubles Down on Authoritarianism
His understanding of effective leadership and policing should repel anyone who cares about civil liberties and the rule of law.
Donald Trump's Demand for Absolute Immunity for Crimes Committed While President Goes Far Beyond the Qualified Immunity Police Officers Get
Qualified immunity is a badly flawed doctrine the Supreme Court should abolish. But Trump's demands are much more extreme.
