Seattle Cops Bring Lawsuit Claiming They Have A Constitutional Right To Use Excessive Force

[Skidmore]

This is nuts. Just nuts.

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2014/10/22/3582939/seattle-cops-sued-claiming-they-have-a-constitutional-right-to-use-excessive-force/

Over the past year, the Seattle police department has revised its policies on when police can use force, as part of a settlement with the Justice Department over findings that officers used frequent excessive, unconstitutional force on suspects.

But some 125 Seattle police officers responded by filing a lawsuit challenging the new laws. In their view, the new policies infringe on their rights to use as much force as they deem necessary in self-protection. They represent about ten percent of the Seattle Police Officers’ Guild membership. The police union itself declined to endorse the lawsuit.

This week, a federal judge summarily rejected all of their claims, finding that they were without constitutional merit, and that she would have been surprised if such allegations of excessive force by officers did not lead to stricter standards.

The officers claimed the policies infringed on their rights under their Second Amendment and under the Fourth, claiming a self-defense right to use force. Chief U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman pointed out that the Second Amendment protects the right to bear arms — not the right to use them — and that the officers “grossly misconstrued” the Fourth Amendment when they claimed that it protects them, and not individuals who would be the subjects of police force or seizures.

more..

[pscot]

1. Awesomely stupid

[Dawson Leery]

2. Brad Ashford received the best endorsement

for congress (NE-2). Lee Terry(R) has the support of the police unions. What a better endorsement for a Democratic opponent than to have these hideous organizations that promote corruption within the ranks of law enforcement to be against you.

[hifiguy]

3. "We have a constitutial right to beat and kill anyone we want to, goddamn it!!!" = Cops

"You are out of your ever-loving, tiny little minds" - Federal Judge Marsha Pechman

[blkmusclmachine]

4. Police suck

[malthaussen]

5. What's their problem? They have the de facto right.

How often do police go down for excessive force? Deminding the right de jure as well as de facto is overkill, IMO.

-- Mal