Legal
The Legal topic page on Police1 is a must-read for any officer, at any agency, who wants to stay up-to-date on the latest news. Every trial, verdict and court decision that has to do with cops will be covered on this page.
These decisions could redefine police procedures, training and community interactions nationwide
“Joanna’s Law” would help identify staged suicides that could otherwise deceive investigators and let killers walk free
Each president and Congress can make life a little easier or more difficult for cops, and sometimes it’s a guessing game as to which way the new guys will lean
Colleagues, friends and family members have questioned why the suspect wasn’t behind bars under the state’s “three strikes” law
Spokane County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Jeff Thurman and his wife sued Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich in 2019 for wrongful termination and defamation
“This officer resorted to using pepper spray during a confrontation with a civilian in a manner that was unnecessary and contrary to his training,” AG Matthew Platkin said
Police ran DNA left at the scene through a public database, then used genetic genealogy techniques to connect the DNA to Bryan Kohberger through his family members
The judge has not made a final determination on the constitutionality of any of Measure 114’s provisions
Many swatting calls were reported across the state during 2022, including a false report of an active shooter that sent hundreds of students into lockdown
The court order gives authorities 10 days to extradite, and he is currently being held at a jail in Pa. until transport
The order came after a Kankakee County judge said the provisions were unconstitutional
Bryan Christopher Kohberger is being held for extradition to Idaho on a warrant for first degree murder
Some of the cases encompassed face-to-face “person crimes,” where defendants were charged with beating, assaulting or threatening the safety of victims
The court held that “a reasonable person would distinguish between a spotlight and red and blue emergency lights in considering whether the person was free to leave or otherwise terminate the encounter”
“In eliminating monetary bail, the discretion constitutionally vested to the courts to protect victims and their families by this method is gone,” said Judge Cunnington
“Landmark case [could] change the landscape of public safety for future generations.”
“The tragedy of this is that one of this community’s best, most heroic, and most decorated law enforcement officers was removed from our community’s law enforcement team.”
The suspect was shooting into an occupied dwelling before aiming his gun at officers and threatening to shoot them, forcing police to open fire
“I have video of you drinking and getting into your county car. We are watching you closely,” said one message sent to the investigator
Aaron Dean’s guilty verdict was a rare conviction of an officer for killing someone who was also armed with a gun
We live in a society that is more mobile and diverse than ever. Officers should learn what language resources are available before the need arises
An initial ruling stated Jerome Lannon was not killed in the line of duty, so his widow would not be awarded his death benefits
A death report did reveal “concerning issues with the culture” of the training facility, including “hazing” and a “lack of helpful cooperation in the investigation”
The issue has been placed on hold until questions about its constitutionality can be decided
Aaron Dean had fatally shot a woman through a rear window of her home in 2019 while responding to a call about an open front door
There were several noteworthy cases from the past term pertaining to law enforcement officer liability for alleged constitutional violations
The judge, who has until Friday to issue a ruling, didn’t rule on a motion to freeze a ban on gun magazines containing more than 10 rounds
Randy Halprin was part of a gang of prisoners who fatally shot a police officer in 2000 after they escaped from prison
“The fact that an individual who shot an NYPD detective is walking the streets of our city is a slap in the face to every dedicated member of law enforcement,” a police union rep said
“I was looking right down the barrel of the gun and when I saw the barrel of that gun pointed at me, I fired a single shot from my duty weapon,” Aaron Dean said
Experts review common issues that can cause problems not only for a patrol officer but all the way up the chain of command in an agency
J. Alexander Kueng is already serving a federal sentence for violating Floyd’s civil rights
DNA from a bullet casing recovered from a homicide scene matched a DNA profile that had been mistakenly entered into the database
