Subject was not in custody when he voluntarily revealed that he had drugs in his pants
Facts In the early morning hours of November 19, 2019, three Forrest County police officers were investigating a missing person case near Eagle Drive in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The officers had determined that the missing person had been seen with Amondo Stewart, who went by the name Detroit and who was living in a tent in […]
Consensual encounter leads to valid consent where gun is found on defendant
Facts In 2021, Midland Police Department (MPD) Officer Jeremy Renforth was dispatched to follow up on a suspicious person call at the Candlewood Suites motel. The anonymous call had come to the Midland Police Department Communications Center, relaying a description of the subjects —a black male with a blue shirt as well as another black […]
a police officer is justified in using deadly force against a car accelerating towards him
Facts (If you are new to §1983 actions, click here for help) In March 2019, members of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office (JPSO) Special Investigations Bureau used a cooperating individual to organize a heroin transaction with Chris Joseph. Joseph and the individual agreed to meet at an IHOP Restaurant in Gretna, Louisiana. The JPSO unit […]
Tasing an unarmed subject who is surrounded by police for misdemeanor and passively resisting is excessive force
Facts (If you are new to §1983 actions, click here for help) In 2020, Kevin Cobbins was driving to his home in Hammond, Louisiana, following a work shift in New Orleans. Cobbins was approaching an exit on Interstate 55 when a Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office (“TPSO”) unit activated its lights and siren behind him. Cobbins […]
Police denied qualified immunity in neighborly dispute based on factual discrepancies
Facts (If you are new to §1983 actions, click here for help) Prior to the events giving rise to this case, Jacob Gorsky and Olesya Gorsky lived next door to the Koczman family for six years. Over these six years, the two families placed at least 19 complaint calls about one another to the local […]
Qualified immunity denied after fraudulent search warrant leads to death of homeowner
Note: The 5th segregated Lt. Todd’s appeal from the rest of this case. To see how the 5th decided this matter against Lt. Todd, please click here. Facts (If you are new to §1983 actions, click here for help) Patricia Garcia called the police department, claiming that the residents in 7815 Harding Street were involved […]