Police Chases
The Constitutionality of Using Lethal Force to Stop a Fleeing Suspect
Buy Full Issue$19.95Excerpt
(Excerpted from Supreme Court Debates, April 2007)
High-speed police chases make for exciting scenes in movies and on
television. But every time law enforcement engages a fleeing suspect,
there is the potential for the chase to end in tragedy for police,
innocent bystanders, and suspects, and to ignite legal issues that can
persist long after the original pursuit concludes.
Such is
the case with a chase that began on the night of March 29, 2001, in
Coweta County, Georgia, when a deputy serving as backup to an impending
drug sting clocked Victor Harris’s car at 73 miles per hour (mph) in a
55 mph zone. The o…
In This Issue
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Foreword
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Acceptable Use of Force by Police Officers
Overview of Recent Supreme Court Decisions
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Lower Court Holding
Decision of the Eleventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals
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Opinion of the Court
Police Can Use Force to Stop a Vehicle During a High-Speed Chase
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Before the Court
The Justices Weigh in During Oral Arguments
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Pro & Con
Is a Police Officer’s Use of Force to End a High-Speed Pursuit Reasonable?
