Results for: Deadly force

The authorization of deadly force in the felony search warrant executed at former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in August 2022 has raised concerns about the weaponization of the criminal justice system. Former federal prosecutor Brett Tolman argues that the use of such language was inappropriate and unnecessary, given that Trump was not present at the property and had active legal counsel and Secret Service protection. The Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation could have exercised discretion to conduct the search without using raid tactics that dictated the use of deadly force. Tolman emphasizes the potential for violence when law enforcement agencies are given excessive power, especially in politically charged cases like this one.

Newly unveiled court documents from the August 2022 FBI raid on former President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida have revealed that the FBI authorized the use of deadly force during the operation. According to the documents, the FBI believed its objective for the raid was to seize classified information and US government records. The “Operations Order” produced during discovery also contained a “Policy Statement” regarding “Use of Deadly Force,” which stated that law enforcement officers of the Department of Justice may use deadly force when necessary. The FBI has stated that it followed standard protocol when executing the search warrant at Mar-a-Lago, which includes a standard policy statement limiting the use of deadly force. However, the authorization for deadly force has sparked outrage and concern from conservative groups and individuals, including the Heritage Foundation and former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has alleged that the Justice Department under President Joe Biden authorized the FBI to use deadly force during its raid on former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, claiming it was an assassination attempt. The FBI, however, asserts that the term ‘deadly force’ is standard in search operations and no departures were made in this case.

Prosecutors in Colorado are seeking a murder conviction for former sheriff’s deputy Andrew Buen, who shot and killed Christian Glass, a 22-year-old man experiencing a mental health crisis, in 2022. The prosecution argues that Buen escalated the confrontation unnecessarily and lacked legal justification for using deadly force. The defense maintains that Buen fired to protect another officer from Glass’s knife. The case has highlighted the need for police reforms focused on crisis intervention and has raised questions about the appropriate use of force by law enforcement.

The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office announced that no criminal charges will be filed against the officer who shot and killed 22-year-old Bernard Placide Jr. in Englewood on September 3, 2022. The decision was reached after a grand jury review determined that the officer was justified in using deadly force during an encounter with Placide, who was armed with a knife and had allegedly assaulted multiple family members.