Supreme Court must remind law enforcement that not even the police are above the law.👮 The killing of George Floyd has sparked protests and discussions of race, police abuse, and criminal justice reform across the country. George Floyd’s killing has also sparked discussions of a legal doctrine called “qualified immunity” that government bureaucrats and regulatory officers have used as a legal defense to violate people’s rights.
For decades, qualified immunity has enabled government officers ranging from irresponsible tax collectors to violent police officers to violate people’s rights, many times with little to no consequences. Coincidentally, there are multiple cases the Supreme Court is currently considering that—if taken—have the power to reform and hopefully eliminate qualified immunity altogether. Ending qualified immunity would ensure that government employees who violate people’s rights answer for their misconduct before a jury.
