Police Brutality
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The Law Firm of
Hill & Moin received a $1.2 million verdict for their client who
suffered a fractured leg due to police brutality.
Police brutality is a
term used to describe unnecessary and excessive
force, assault, or verbal abuse used by law enforcement
when dealing with the general public. Everyone
has rights, protected by the constitution and
reinforced by law, that protect from them police brutality.
The Fifth Amendment states “No person shall be deprived
of life, liberty, or property without due process of
law.” Therefore, constitutional rights
prohibit excessive force, false arrest, and unlawful
imprisonments.
Remember, though
officers are entrusted with enforcing the law, they must
still abide by the constitutional, civil, and human
rights of the people they are arresting and charging
with crime, regardless of the guilt of the arrested.
However, police brutality is still prevalent in today’s
society. Police commit many types of misconduct and
injustices on the general public. The types of police
brutality that are commonly reported include use of
excessive force and false or otherwise unlawful arrest.
A law enforcement
officer may only use as much force as needed to maintain
control of the situation. Excessive use of force would
include the use of weapons or unnecessary beatings.
Other examples of excessive force are: shooting an
unarmed suspect, deaths while in custody, rape, physical
assault, verbal or other harassment, use of racial
profiling, and overall discourtesy. If a law enforcement
officer uses force beyond the necessary amount to
maintain control, the officer is committing police
brutality.
A law enforcement
officer may only make an arrest if probable cause for
suspecting a crime is being committed or has been
committed. Probable cause
is defined as “a reasonable belief by an officer that a
crime has been committed.” Probable cause exists if the
circumstances known to the officer at the time warrant
the belief that a crime has or is being committed. If a
law enforcement officer makes an arrest without having
sufficient probable cause, the officer is committing
police brutality.
In court, the accused
law enforcement officials will have attorneys that will
try to refute and devalue your case. Having
an attorney on your side that is knowledgeable about
police brutality will help fight for your rights and
counter the testimony given by the law enforcement
officials. You have the right to receive proper compensation
for the injuries sustained as a result of police brutality!
Don't wonder
about your rights!
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