Police Abuse
The Minnesota Supreme Court Rejects the Legal Theory Underlying a Murder Charge Against Derek Chauvin
The ruling won't help him much, because he also was convicted of a more serious charge, based on a "particularly weird" form of the felony murder doctrine.
In a New Survey, Victims of Philadelphia's Forfeiture Racket Highlight the Hazards of Giving Cops a License To Steal
"What they're doing is like robbery," observed one property owner.
The Supreme Court Deals a Major Blow to Qualified Immunity Reform
In two opinions issued Monday, the Court gave qualified immunity to several police officers accused of violating the Constitution.
Top Cop Who Presided Over Deadly Corruption in Houston Loses His New Job in Miami 6 Months After He Was Hired
Art Acevedo provoked many complaints, but they paled in comparison to his prior record of negligence and obliviousness.
A Cop Killed an Innocent Man After a 'Swatting' Prank Call. The City Can't Be Sued.
"It gives cities a protection that ordinary citizens never have."
A Pending Pardon for George Floyd Shows How the Drug War Gives Cops a License To Lie
Floyd was arrested for selling crack by a crooked Houston narcotics cop who repeatedly lied to implicate people in drug crimes.
A Cop Killed a Suicidal Man and Got Qualified Immunity. Justice Sotomayor Isn't Happy About It.
Qualified immunity "does not protect an officer who inflicts deadly force on a person who is only a threat to himself."
Victims of Rights-Violating California Cops May Finally Get Justice in Court
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed S.B. 2 into law, despite some objections from police unions.
55 Percent of Police Killings Are Misclassified as Other Causes of Death
Plus: Christian flag case coming to SCOTUS, Merck pill could treat COVID-19, a reversal on migrant expulsions, and more...
Cops Get Qualified Immunity After Jailing Florida Man for 'I Eat Ass' Bumper Sticker
Dillon Shane Webb will thus not be able to sue for the alleged violation of his free speech rights.
When the 'Native Son' Became 'The Man Who Lived Underground'
One of Richard Wright's best books went unpublished in his lifetime, due to "unbearable" scenes of police brutality. Now at last it is in print.
The DHS Agent Who Tried To Kill Kevin Byrd Can't Be Sued—Because He Works for the Federal Government
It's almost impossible to hold federal officers to account.
A New Report on the Aurora, Colorado, Police Department Documents a Pattern of Excessive Force and Racial Disparities
The report from the attorney general's office also found that Aurora paramedics used ketamine illegally to treat "excited delirium."
Arkansas Deputy Charged With Manslaughter for Fatally Shooting Teen Who Was Fixing a Truck
The Lonoke County sergeant was already fired for not turning on his body camera during the encounter.
Florida Anti-Riot Law 'Violates the First Amendment,' Says Court in Scathing Rebuke of Gov. Ron DeSantis
The law's "vagueness permits those in power to weaponize its enforcement against any group who wishes to express any message that the government disapproves of," Judge Mark Eaton Walker warns.
Police Shot a Man Driving Away, Can't Keep Their Stories Straight, Get Qualified Immunity Anyway
A federal court admitted the officers violated the man's rights. It doesn't matter.
Police Broke This 73-Year-Old Woman's Arm During a Brutal Arrest. The City Will Pay Her $3 Million.
Whether or not this constitutes meaningful accountability is up for debate.
The Good and the Bad in the 666 Bills That Took Effect This Week in Texas
While libertarians will be inclined to applaud some of the new laws, others exemplify familiar conservative excesses.
An Indictment Accuses Three Cops and Two Paramedics of Killing Elijah McClain With a Cascade of Legal, Tactical, and Medical Errors
The 32 charges include manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, and second-degree assault.
Lawsuit Challenging Houston Asset Forfeiture Program Says Police Use Stock Language To Seize Cash Without Probable Cause
A couple claims the Harris County Sheriff's Office in Texas seized their life savings two years ago on suspicion of drug trafficking. A new lawsuit says they're not the only ones.
If You Care About Police Accountability on January 6, You Should Care About It Every Day
Supporting the cause because your "side" went down is not a principled position.
Colorado Police Officer Sued for 'Recklessly' Shooting Family Dog
The police department is the same one where an officer injured a 73-year-old woman with dementia last year.
Cops Are Dressing Up Like FedEx Guys and Arresting People for Drugs
A little-known agreement allows police officers to seize packages at FedEx sorting centers.
Body Camera Footage Shows Louisiana Trooper Beating Man with a Flashlight Over a Traffic Violation
The Justice Department is investigating whether top brass were part of a cover-up.
Candyman Is a Sharp Deconstruction of Political Horror Movies
Horror filmmaking has always been political, but the new Candyman takes it to a different level.
A Houston Man Framed on Drug Charges Is Suing the Lethally Corrupt Cop Who Sent Him to Prison
Otis Mallet's ordeal, like the deaths of Dennis Tuttle and Rhogena Nicholas, involved a fictional drug purchase.
Police Reform Without Qualified Immunity Reform Is Worthless
Lawmakers have reportedly taken any changes to qualified immunity off the table.
This Innocent Man Spent 23 Years Behind Bars. He's Suing the Police Who Put Him There.
Ricky Kidd wants accountability.
A Federal Cop Devised a Bogus Sex Trafficking Ring and Jailed This Teen for 2 Years. The Cop Can't Be Sued.
The most powerful officers are held to the lowest standard of accountability.
Why Do the Media Keep Uncritically Repeating Implausible Police Fentanyl Overdose Stories?
Recycling a government press release is not good journalism.
Pasco County Cops Harassed Them and Searched Their Homes Without Warrants. A Judge Says They Can Sue.
The sheriff's predictive policing program has caused more problems than it's solved.
Lawsuit Says Chicago Cops Pointed Guns at Young Girls During Warrantless Search
The latest in a long string of allegations that Chicago police terrorized families during botched raids
Nassau County Passes Bill That Could Make Criticizing a Cop Punishable by $50,000
Yet under qualified immunity, it's incredibly difficult for the public to sue police.
Texas Cops Realized They Raided the Wrong House. They Kept Searching Anyway.
Three of the officers were denied qualified immunity, but accountability is a long way off.
A New Florida Bill Could Criminalize Filming Cops on the Job
"If the police don't want to be filmed or observed, they should get out of the public service field."
Police Reforms Make Progress Against Entrenched Opposition
Every time cops denounce reform efforts it is evidence of a win.
The FBI Destroyed This Man's Life With Bogus Spying Accusations
The law enforcement agency has a disturbing record of drumming up the very conspiracies they're investigating.
A Qualified Immunity Compromise Is Crumbling. You Can Thank the Law Enforcement Lobby.
Police unions so often protect their own—at the expense of the public.