Supreme Court rules in “excessive force” case
Barnes vs. Felix has its roots in a traffic stop
WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - The U.S. Supreme Court issued a rare unanimous ruling in Barnes versus Felix. Barnes versus Felix concerned the use of excessive force during a traffic stop.
In the ruling, Justice Elena Kagan honed in on one point, quote
“The question presented to us was one of timing alone: whether to look only at the encounter’s final two seconds, or also to consider earlier events serving to put those seconds in context.”
The case of Barnes versus Felix hung on whether the officer Roberto Felix felt threatened enough to use force and whether Ashtian Barnes Fourth Amendment rights were violated..
Central to the argument is that the inquiry into whether it was reasonable for the police to use force; is analysis of the totality of the circumstances.
She and the other 8 justices vacated and remanded Barnes versus Felix back to a lower court, writing that in this specific case, and all excessive force cases, the court must look at any relevant events coming before the two seconds or moment when force was used.
The Supreme Court holds that the there is no time limit for the totality of the circumstances. However, Justice Brent Kavanaugh added that a key point to this particular case is that it’s a traffic stop involving a vehicle, which can pose a danger to the officer and also the community.
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