Candidate Profile: Irene Shin For VA House Of Delegates - Herndon, VA - Voters in the 86th District will vote in the June 8 Democratic Primary to determine who will be the party's candidate on the Nov. 2 ballot.
File photo of Postdam police. Photo: Julia Ritchey, NCPR
Jun 02, 2021
Supporters of a measure that would end some legal immunity for police officers who injure or kill a citizen during an arrest rallied at the State Capitol Wednesday. They say the practice, known as Qualified Immunity, gives bad cops too much protection .
Qualified immunity is a legal principle that gives government officials, like police, personal immunity from civil lawsuits when something goes wrong, unless a plaintiff in a case can prove that the officer deliberately violated their constitutional rights.
Opponents say that puts the burden of proof on a person, or their surviving relatives, when someone is injured or killed during an encounter with police or while in police custody.
2 Jun 2021
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) blasted Democrats on Tuesday during an event in Owensboro, Kentucky, calling their far-left idea of defunding the police “one of the dumbest ideas.”
During the federal anti-drug program gathering, he thanked the law enforcement officers who were present for their hard work. He started by saying, “it’s been a tougher for law enforcement,” which is why he wanted to make it very clear he is “a strong supporter of law enforcement across America.”
“I think the abuse that’s been heaped on law enforcement over the last year is unfortunate,” McConnell explained.
Hear the story from Capital Correspondent Karen Dewitt.
Qualified immunity is a legal principle that gives government officials, like police, personal immunity from civil lawsuits when something goes wrong, unless a plaintiff in a case can prove that the officer deliberately violated their constitutional rights.
Opponents say that puts the burden of proof on a person, or their surviving relatives, when someone is injured or killed during an encounter with police or while in police custody.
Akeem Browder, is the brother of Kalief Browder, who committed suicide after being held in solitary confinement at Riker’s Island for two years for a crime he did not commit. Kalief Browder said he was assaulted by prison guards several times while he was in custody. Akeem Browder says because of qualified immunity, those guards cannot be held accountable.