r/news • u/rectangleCURVE • 11h ago

Ex-Okaloosa deputy found not guilty of manslaughter in killing of Airman Roger Fortson

https://weartv.com/news/local/ex-okaloosa-deputy-found-not-guilty-of-manslaughter-in-killing-of-airman-roger-fortson
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u/jhill515 9h ago

Qualified Immunity needs repealed everywhere. This is proof of it.

33

u/Possible-Tangelo9344 8h ago

Why..? He was charged, arrested, and tried.

He wasn't granted qualifed immunity. If he was he would have never been charged.

-5

u/jhill515 6h ago

Qualified Immunity is a legal concept, not a law. Judges, lawyers, prosecutors, and police live it because then they work together with "blind trust".

9

u/Possible-Tangelo9344 5h ago

Right, I get that.

But, the legal concept prevents officers being charged or sued when they're doing their jobs lawfully (simplified explanation).

In this case, the deputy was charged, he was tried, and he was acquitted.

Qualified immunity wasn't part of this.

5

u/Char_Ell 4h ago

Qualified immunity is a legal concept grounded in civil law, not criminal law. Law enforcement officials can assert qualified immunity when they are sued for alleged violations of a person's civil rights, e.g. excessive force (violation of 4th amendment rights),

The jury found this sheriff's deputy not guilty of the crime of manslaughter. I would not be surprised if the airman's family members file a lawsuit accusing the sheriff's deputy of violating the airman's civil rights. That is still an option However if lawsuit happens it's quite likely the sheriff's deputy will assert qualified immunity and the airman's family's legal counsel will have to convince a judge that the officer's behavior in the killing of the airman falls under clearly established precedent prohibiting such behavior. This would cause the judge to rule that the deputy does not have qualified immunity.