Supreme Court Backs Police in Chase Case
Rules Against Teen Paralyzed After Car Was Run Off Road
By MARK SHERMAN AP WASHINGTON (May 1)
- Police may use tactics that put fleeing suspects at risk of death to end high-speed car chases, the Supreme Court said Monday in ruling against a Georgia teenager who was paralyzed after his car was run off the road by a squad car. The Court said it is reasonable for law enforcement officers to stop a fleeing motorist to prevent harm to bystanders or other drivers. "A police officer's attempt to terminate a dangerous high-speed car chase that threatens the lives of innocent bystanders does not violate the Fourth Amendment, even when it places the fleeing motorist at risk of serious injury or death."
The 19-year-old driver of the Cadillac, lost control and was rendered a quadriplegic. Harris was wanted only for speeding.
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13 comments:
Blonde Bombshell said:
This is over the top! The cops should have backed off and eventually the kid would have stopped. The poor kid was scared and fled. But he was only a speeder! So you give the death penalty (or life in a wheel chair)for an infraction? Come on, The constitution bans cruel and unusual punishment.
Iron Mike said:
Shell, you are a bleeding heart liberal. Yup, it is too bad da kid got hurt. But cops need to be able to stop these bozo's who think they can interrupt our t.v. shows with live up dates on the local car chase.
Iron Mike
I gotta say da cops are a bit of a problem. In N.Y., there is a fine line between the crooks and the criminals. I say, exercise better judgment. If the kid did not commit a big crime, it is a little much to expect to end up dead or in a chair.
Tony
I think this gives police too much discretion. It is a license to kill.
Brenda
Follow the law. If you do, no problems. If this kid had not fled the cops, it never would have happened.
J.D. Mills
Unbelievable opinions out there, this kind of case is clear....when a police car has its lights on PULL OVER! Otherwise, the driver is breaking the law in a serious manner. Anyone who tries to speed away is risking the lives of many people. Anyone who disagrees with this needs to go to driver's education class or something.
Not sure what Shell is thinking, but most liberals would agree with something as basic as this.
Nope! Ron, I don't agree and most informed folks wouldn't either. The constitution requires that the crime fit the punishment. It is an infraction to speed. The kid was scared. Psycologist will testify that a human has a flight or fight natural response.
He was a kid. He panicked. He chose flight. If the cops had pulled an O.J. Simpson (slow controlled chase) he would have eventually surrendered or ran out of gas.
Shell
You all commenting negatively about the judge don't have all of the facts. The fact that the judge is African American and the defendants are Korean is important. This is not the first time the judge has had to dispute a claim with these folks.
I suspect the judge will be able to show how these so called cleaners had been losing his stuff and over charging him.
Let's let the court decide before we rush to judgment.
Robert J.
Robert, race should have nothing to do with it. In general, we should not rush to judgment before we hear all of the evidence. But I must admit that as a lawyer, I find this insulting to the profession. The Judge should be investigated if this suit turns out to be frivoulous or intended as a means to harrass.
Nothing wrong with the Judge trying to supplement his retirement. It is the great american dream to sue for what you can get.
Jim
You silly boys are on the wrong thread. This is the poor boy that got paralyzed because of an over zealous cop.
Shell
There needs to be checks and balances for both criminals and police.
Ralph
I sure hope this is not a license to kill
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