#^He Criticized the Mayor. They Arrested Him. He WON.



A federal judge in Iowa ruled that the city of Newton, Iowa, violated Noah Petersen’s constitutional rights when city leaders arrested him for critiquing the police and calling them “fascists” during a city council meeting. The decision is a clear warning to government officials nationwide: in America, you don’t get to call the cops on your critics. If you do, not even qualified immunity can save you.

“Today’s ruling is a major win for government accountability,” said Institute for Justice (IJ) Attorney James Knight. “From small towns to federal agents, government officials don’t get to use the power of arrest to punish protected speech. The First Amendment doesn’t allow public meetings to become praise-only zones—and it certainly doesn’t allow officials to weaponize the police against dissent.”
#video #IJ #free_speech #qualified_immunity

#^About - Americans Against Qualified Immunity



Americans Against Qualified Immunity is a grassroots initiative of the Institute for Justice’s Project on Immunity and Accountability, devoted to a simple idea:  If we the people must follow the law, our government must follow the Constitution.

The Institute for Justice is a national public interest, civil liberties law firm, dedicated to instilling accountability in government officials and vindicating the rights of all Americans.

A web of legal doctrines effectively places government workers above the law by making it nearly impossible for individuals to hold them accountable for violations of constitutional rights. Outside of narrow exceptions, these doctrines give all those employed by the government—police, mayors, school officials, IRS agents, you name it—immunity from lawsuits, even if they act in bad faith.

Since the only way to enforce the Constitution is through courts, these doctrines make the Constitution an empty promise by firmly shutting the courthouse doors. But the Constitution is a promise meant to be kept. Those who take an oath to uphold it should be required to keep it. If they don’t, they should be held accountable for their actions.

To that end, IJ is dedicated to knocking down barriers to the enforcement of our nation’s most fundamental law.

We do this through litigation, public education, legislative advocacy, and grassroots activism.
#qualified_immunity #IJ

#^Introducing Immunity™: The Legal Drug That Erases Consequences



Learn more at #^https://www.ij.org/pia
#video #IJ #qualified_immunity

#^Immunity for Arresting the Wrong Woman? Court Says NO!



Jennifer Heath Box was arrested on Christmas Eve 2022 after stepping off a cruise ship in Broward County. Deputies ignored obvious differences between her and the actual suspect — including age, height, eye color, and even social security number — and threw her in jail for three days.

Recently, a federal judge ruled that her lawsuit can move forward, and the officers are not protected by qualified immunity.
#video #IJ #qualified_immunity

Anyone surprised by the SCOTUS ruling with regard to Presidential immunity hasn't been paying attention to the parade of #qualified_immunity dismissals over the years.

Qualified Immunity's Flawed Foundation
(2022) : Alexander A. Reinert
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4179628
#USA #civil_rights #clerical_error #common_law #law #police_violence #qualified_immunity #section_1983
#my_bibtex