Police in California are not immune from civil lawsuits for misconduct that happens while they investigate crimes, the state Supreme Court ruled.
Police in California are not immune from civil lawsuits for misconduct that happens while they investigate crimes, the state Supreme Court ruled this week, overruling a precedent made by lower courts that had helped protect law enforcement from litigation for decades.
The ruling cites previous case law that defined investigatory actions as those before charges are filed. A lawyer representing Riverside County in the case did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.This particular case centered on Jose Leon, who was shot and killed by a neighbor in 2017 southeast of Los Angeles in Riverside County. Shortly after sheriff's deputies arrived at the shooting, they heard several gunshots nearby and dragged Leon's body behind a police vehicle, causing his pants to fall down and exposing his genitals, according to the lawsuit.
If the Supreme Court had ruled in favor of the county, "it would have essentially immunized them for almost anything," he said.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
California Supreme Court: Police aren't immune from certain misconduct lawsuitsThe Supreme Court of California has ruled that police are not immune from civil lawsuits for misconduct that happens while they investigate crimes.
Read more »
Police in California aren't immune from certain misconduct lawsuits, high court rulesPolice in California are not immune from civil lawsuits for misconduct that happens while they investigate crimes, the state Supreme Court ruled this week, overruling a precedent made by lower courts that had helped protect law enforcement from litigation for decades. The justices on Thursday unanimously rejected an argument by Riverside County that its sheriff's deputies couldn't be sued for leaving a man's naked body lying in plain sight for eight hours while officers investigated his killing. California law protects police from being sued for any harm that happens during a prosecution process — even if the officer acted “maliciously and without probable cause.”
Read more »
Police in California aren't immune from certain misconduct lawsuits, high court rulesPolice in California are not immune from civil lawsuits for misconduct that happens while they investigate crimes, the state Supreme Court ruled this week.
Read more »
Supreme Court rules against Navajo Nation in Colorado River water rights caseThe Supreme Court has ruled against the Navajo Nation in a dispute involving water from the drought-stricken Colorado River.
Read more »
Supreme Court rules against Navajo Nation in Colorado River water rights caseThe Supreme Court has ruled against the Navajo Nation in a dispute involving water from the drought-stricken Colorado River. States that draw water from the river — Arizona, Nevada and Colorado — and water districts in California had urged the court to decide for them, and that's what the justices did in a 5-4 ruling. Colorado had argued that siding with the Navajo Nation would undermine existing agreements and disrupt the management of the river. The Biden administration said that if the court were to come down in favor of the Navajo Nation, the federal government could face lawsuits from many other tribes.
Read more »
Supreme Court rules against Navajo Nation in Colorado River water rights caseThe facts of the case go back to treaties that the tribe and the federal government signed in 1849 and 1868.
Read more »