Ashtian Barnes was murdered during a traffic stop for unpaid toll fees. The officer that killed him was granted qualified immunity, which was upheld by the Fifth Circuit Court. Seeking accountability in the death of Ashtian Barnes, Cato Institute, the Law Enforcement Action Partnership, and CPE filed an amicus brief to the Supreme Court:
Cato, the Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP), and the Center for Policing Equity filed an amicus brief asking the Supreme Court to reverse the Fifth Circuit’s decision. The common law the Fourth Amendment is based on protected human life by limiting when officers could use deadly force. They couldn’t kill someone just for fleeing from being arrested for petty charges. Officers could only use deadly force to defend themselves if someone forcefully resisted them.
Read the article on Cato’s website.