Among all the incidents of civil rights violations at the hands of law enforcement personnel, wrongful police shootings are possibly the most tragic ones. Increasing numbers of wrongful shootings are claiming the lives of hundreds of innocents and leaving many more with life-long disabilities. However, with the guidance of experienced police shooting attorneys, families of victims are coming forward to fight the system which was meant to protect their loved ones.
What constitutes wrongful shooting?
The use of lethal force by law enforcement, more than reasonably necessary, is termed as wrongful shooting. The police force can justify using firearms only if:
- There is an imminent risk to their life or the safety of others;
- The suspect is a former convict and is posing a threat;
- The suspect in question opened fire on being asked to surrender.
Apart from these situations, all shootings constitute misconduct by the police force and a violation of the citizen’s civil rights and the Constitution.
National cases like Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, and Philando Castile opened the problem of police shootings to the worldview. A survey conducted to study similar wrongful deaths reported that African-Americans are more likely to get fatally shot, although they were statistically less likely to be carrying illegal items.
Know your rights.
As a citizen of the U.S., you enjoy equal civil rights irrespective of your race, color, gender, or religion. And if your rights were violated on unjustified grounds, you are entitled to compensation. Furthermore, in case of death after shooting, the victims’ families are eligible to file a lawsuit.
The unfortunate reality of the issue is very grim. Research conducted by BGSU reported that in the cases where an officer has been convicted, it is often for a lesser offense. Only four officers have been convicted of murder (there were four officers whose murder convictions were overturned, but the officers were later convicted of federal crimes arising out of the same incident).
However, wrongful police shooting lawyers in NYC like Cohen & Fitch LLP can represent your case to the state, contesting your violated rights and demand compensation. In such cases, your attorneys will prove that the officers in question knew they were dealing with someone who did not pose a threat to themselves and others, but the officers opened fire anyway. If and when proven, you will be compensated for damages, lost companionship, pain, and suffering.
So, schedule an appointment with Cohen & Fitch to get proper guidance for your case.
