A federal judge has dismissed part of a lawsuit that accused police in New Mexico of violating constitutional protections against unreasonable searches and seizures when they fatally shot a man after showing up at the wrong address.

cross-posted from: https://sh.itjust.works/post/38426659

The shooting of Robert Dotson, 52, in the northwestern New Mexico city of Farmington prompted a civil lawsuit by his family members, though public prosecutors found there was no basis to pursue criminal charges against officers after a review of events. The suit alleged that the family was deprived of its civil rights and officers acted unreasonably.

Hearing a knock at the door late on April 5, 2023, Dotson put on a robe, went downstairs and grabbed a handgun before answering. Police outside shined a flashlight as Dotson appeared and raised the firearm before three police officers opened fire, killing him. Dotson did not shoot.

“Ultimately, given the significant threat Dotson posed when he pointed his firearm at officers … the immediacy of that threat, the proximity between Dotson and the defendant officers, and considering that the events unfolded in only a few seconds, the court finds that the defendant officers reasonably applied deadly force,” U.S. District Court Judge Matthew Garcia said in a written court opinion.

  • some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org
    17·
    9 hours ago

    Fuck you. I bought The End of Policing (a book advocating socialism) for multiple family members. Using critical thinking is what distinguishes intelligent arguments from outright dogma.

    • Doomsider@lemmy.world
      5·
      8 hours ago

      Please read up on military rules of engagement. You don’t start shooting until they do. Our police force are ridiculous cowards who shoot before thinking all the time.

      Why can our soldiers wait but our policemen can’t. This is just one thought experiment of many that will lead you away from your current mentality. Police are trained so wrong on so many levels.

      https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9517827/Michigan-police-cancel-training-session-speaker-says-cops-best-sex-killing.html

      So pardon me when I call bullshit on your “they saw him raise his gun.” We have more guns than American citizens in the US. They unfortunately can’t start shooting until there is a real threat and holding or even pointing a gun is not a credible threat when you are conducting a sanctioned home invasion, which I might add are almost always unnecessary.