"The majority today gives officers license to inflict gratuitous pain on a nonviolent protestor even where there is no threat to officer safety or any other reason to do so."
"The Supreme Court's decision concerned a state officer, and it could still impact police interactions with peaceful protesters."
The Supreme Court shielded Sgt. Jacob Zorn from a legal claim of excessive force against protester Shela Linton during a 2015 sit-in. The court found Zorn entitled to qualified immunity, despite Linton being unarmed and nonthreatening. The decision drew dissent from three liberal justices, who argued it permits unnecessary force against nonviolent protesters. This case is part of a broader discussion on qualified immunity, which protects police from lawsuits, and may influence future police interactions with peaceful demonstrators.
Read at The Washington Post
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]