How do courts assess claims of excessive force in police actions?

Courts assess claims of excessive force by determining the objective reasonableness of the force used. This standard comes from the Fourth Amendment's protection against unreasonable seizures, as established in the Supreme Court case Graham v. Connor. The objective reasonableness standard evaluates whether a reasonable officer on the scene, considering the circumstances surrounding the incident, would have perceived the force used as appropriate.

The assessment takes into account various factors, such as the severity of the crime, whether the suspect posed an immediate threat to the safety of officers or others, and whether the suspect was actively resisting arrest or attempting to flee. This objective analysis is crucial because it focuses on the reasonableness of the actions taken by the officer at the moment, rather than hindsight or the personal feelings of those involved, ensuring that officers are held to a standard that accounts for the realities of their challenging and often split-second decision-making situations.