According to the U.S. Supreme Court in Garner v. Tennessee, 471 U.S. 1 (1985), a private citizen has broader authority to use deadly force under the common law than law enforcement officers.
Interesting. I'll make note of it to give it a look.
Thanks to everyone for the comments.
And thanks for this SCOTUS ruling. It makes sense - more training should mean more non-lethal alternative are available. Less training should mean less non-lethal alternatives are available.
In actual fact, this is true. It's too bad that's it's not also true in actual law, versus theoretical law.
This is true in Florida. The officer would have been put before a grand jury. That is what should have happened in Zimmerman’s case.
“According to the U.S. Supreme Court in Garner v. Tennessee, 471 U.S. 1 (1985), a private citizen has broader authority to use deadly force under the common law than law enforcement officers.”
Thanks - I new that was the case in Washington State, but didn’t realize it was a national thing. And if Washington State one doesn’t need to be in fear for their life or in physical danger to shoot someone.
Although we’ll see how the case in Spokane works out, where the guy is being charged with shooting the car thief. Legal, as he was stopping a felony, and the police did not press charges. But the DA brought him in - similar to this Zimmerman fiasco.