By The Vanguard Staff
SACRAMENTO, CA – A decision announced late last Thursday by the California State Supreme Court declared police can be sued in civil court for misconduct during crime investigations, which overrules previous legal precedent that protected law enforcement for decades.
Civil rights attorney John Burris, who has represented more than 1,000 victims of police misconduct across the country, lauded the decision in an ABC7 News story this weekend.
“This should have a positive impact on police reform, because now the law has spoken,” Burris said. “Police should be trained and be better informed as to what their obligations are.”
In a unanimous decision, the State Supreme Court rejected Riverside County’s argument that its sheriff’s deputies “couldn’t be sued for leaving a man’s naked body lying in plain sight for eight hours while officers investigated his killing,” said the ABC7 story.
“California law protects police from being sued for any harm that happens during a prosecution process—even if the officer acted ‘maliciously and without probable cause.’ Now, the Supreme Court says police can be sued for misconduct during investigations,” said ABC7.
“The potential for factual overlap between investigations and prosecutions does not justify treating them as one and the same,” Justice Leondra Kruger wrote in the ruling.
Kruger added the court issued a similar ruling in 1974, but a state appeals court in 1994 “adopted a broader interpretation to shield police from lawsuits stemming from conduct during investigations, and lower courts have been relying on that ruling to dismiss misconduct lawsuits against law enforcement that did not involve prosecutions.”
Riverside County sheriff’s deputies said they shot and killed a wanted felon when he opened fire at the end of a pursuit.
Jose Leon, who was shot and killed by a neighbor, was dragged (Leon’s body) behind a police vehicle, causing his pants to fall down and exposing his genitals, according to the lawsuit.
His wife, Dora Leon, sued the county, according to news accounts, for negligence and emotional distress, charging police had left her husband’s naked body in plain view for hours.
Lower courts dismissed the suit, ruling state law provides immunity to law enforcement officers and agencies for police conduct during investigations. But the Supreme Court reinstated Dora Leon’s lawsuit, with Kruger writing the lower courts’ decision was wrong, saying police investigations cannot be interpreted as part of the prosecution process.
Many local police departments have routinely argued that they are immune from damage claims “the moment a police officer arrives on the scene of a crime,” said Richard Antognini, a lawyer representing Leon, in an Associated Press story.
If the Supreme Court had ruled in favor of the county, “it would have essentially immunized them for almost anything,” he added, noting the new ruling helps remove an obstacle for victims seeking damages from police misconduct. California laws still provide immunity to certain aspects of police investigations.
Who in their right mind would ever want to become a cop these days.
As opposed to in 1973?
For one thing, police are well paid now, they have full benefits and pensions and can retire at age 55 and received 90 percent of their final salary or so for the rest of their lives.
Also consider this… it’s much safer to be a cop than it was in 1970
In 1974 there were 138 gunshot deaths for police, in 2022, it was 60. That’s less than half and doesn’t even account for the per capita rate.
It’s far better to be a police officer now than it was in 1973.
Until recently the police used to be treated better by the public. Now, due to democrats and their demonization of cops being a policeman is no longer considered a respected position. Add to that they can now be sued in civil court. Who want to be a cop anymore.
That’s a good article, you ought to read the entire thing, not just the few lines you quoted.
“You hear old-school cops say, ‘It’s not my job to be a social worker,’” Chief Tchida said. “Bro, that is the vast majority of your job. You’re definitely a social worker.”
That about sums it up.
You like Pytel, ask him, he’ll tell you the same thing. Policing has to change and change is difficult.
And now add to that a cop can be personally sued in civil court while doing his job. Disgruntled criminals will be looking for any opportunity to open cases whether they’re legit or not. The system will break if it’s not already broken.
Just look at San Francisco and what progressive justice has done to that city.
S.F. is in a ‘doom loop’.