Case Summary
In 2017, SCSJ represented the NAACP and Policy Council on Law Enforcement and the Mentally Ill as amici in County of Los Angeles v. Mendez. The "friend of the court" brief sought to defend a civil verdict against officers who shot a pregnant woman and her husband following a warrantless raid into the wrong house, violating their Fourth Amendment rights.
Why it's Important
This case addressed the legal principles surrounding police liability in use-of-force incidents. The U.S. Supreme Court's ultimate decision clarified the application of the "provocation rule," which held officers liable for use of deadly force if they intentionally or recklessly provoked a violent confrontation through a Fourth Amendment violation.
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