Qualified immunity is one of those things that, if altered or removed, could fundamentally change policing. Qualified immunity protects law enforcement officers as well as state and local officials from frivolous litigation unless the accused violated a clearly established constitutional right. And establishing that violation is not easy, especially if there is no prior pattern of such behavior - so over the years, qualified immunity has become a kind of “shield” in thousands of lawsuits seeking to hold police officers accountable when accused of using excessive force. Proponents of qualified immunity say it’s essential because police need latitude to make split-second decisions in scenarios that could put lives, including their own, at risk. Opponents described qualified immunity as a, “shoot first, think later” approach to policing.» Subscribe to MSNBC:
MSNBC delivers breaking news, in-depth analysis of politics headlines, as well as commentary and informed perspectives. Find video clips and segments from The Rachel Maddow Show, Morning Joe, Meet the Press Daily, The Beat with Ari Melber, Deadline: White House with Nicolle Wallace, Hardball, All In, Last Word, 11th Hour, and more.
Connect with MSNBC Online Visit msnbc.com: Subscribe to MSNBC Newsletter: Find MSNBC on Facebook: Follow MSNBC on Twitter: Follow MSNBC on Instagram:
