The death of George Floyd by a police officer in May 2020 really got the ball rolling on this whole “qualified immunity” thing. Basically, this legal defense can save cops’ butts even when they’ve totally violated the Constitution. Like, what even is that?
So, after Floyd’s death, Congress was all like, “Let’s get rid of this defense,” and they introduced bills to abolish it. The Supreme Court had a bunch of cases thrown at them, begging for some action. But guess what? Nothing really happened. And now, as we’re about to hit the fifth anniversary of Floyd’s passing, Congress hasn’t done squat to change or scrap qualified immunity. The Supreme Court keeps shutting down cases left and right, too. It’s like hitting a brick wall, over and over again.
Karen Blum, a law school professor, is feeling super bummed about the whole situation. She thought maybe, just maybe, something would actually change after Floyd’s death. But nah, it’s been crickets. This whole qualified immunity thing has been around since 1967, giving government officials a free pass when they mess up big time. It’s like a get-out-of-jail-free card, but for breaking the law. And it’s not just cops; anyone in a government role can use it to dodge accountability.
The law enforcement crew is all about defending qualified immunity, saying it’s crucial for officers to act without hesitation in dangerous situations. But come on, we’ve seen some pretty outrageous cases where this defense let some serious misconduct slide. Like in Fresno, California, where cops basically suffocated a guy to death. Or in Pineville, North Carolina, where they shot a dude who was actually doing what they asked. It’s wild out there.
Despite a few baby steps towards change, like some judges calling out the nonsense behind qualified immunity, we’re still stuck in the same old rut. The Supreme Court had a glimmer of hope in a ruling that favored a Texas inmate in 2020, but that’s about it. And let’s not forget about Trump and his pro-police agenda, making it even harder to hold officers accountable. It’s like taking one step forward and two steps back.
As much as Blum wants to see a major shift in how qualified immunity works, she’s not holding her breath. It seems like we’re stuck with this broken system for the long haul. Who knows if we’ll ever see a real change in our lifetime? It’s a waiting game, and the clock is ticking.
