Public attention on the application of excessive force by police officers in the United States has surged in recent years. This follows numerous high-profile cases involving assaults and killings of unarmed civilians by police officers. According to Dallas (2022), law enforcement’s use of excessive force consists of applying force beyond the level of force considered justifiable by the law. This phenomenon can take various shapes and manifestations. It involves torture, beatings, and even, at times, killings. Through contextual evidence, the essay will discuss multiple incidences where police have exercised excessive force against individuals, resulting in imprisonment.
Among the recent cases where a police officer was imprisoned involves murder. According to the source, Amber Guyger, an ex-Dallas police officer, murdered Botham Jeans, who she mistook for an intruder in her home. Upon her trial in 2019, Guger testified that she had found Botham in what she thought was her apartment, and due to fear of being hearted by the perceived intruder, she shot twice.
The second case involves Everett Maynard, a police officer who was found guilty and sentenced to ten years. According to The United (2021), Maynard arrested a civilian using excessive force. During the arrest, the police officer attacked the arrestee in his bathroom and dragged him to the adjoining room. These events took place at the Logan police department. Also, the police hauled the arrestee and rammed his head which led to unconsciousness, breaking his shoulder, nose, and a cut on his head. Maynard’s act was against the constitutional human rights law prohibiting unlawful abuse of citizens by police officers. The police had also abandoned their authority and deceived the public’s trust by violating and arresting civil rights. By doing so, the police officer violated the community’s trust and the oath he took during his appointment. This led to him facing a 10-year imprisonment penalty.
Another case consists of Ryan Mclnerney, a former Michigan Police Officer imprisoned for three years. Ryan had applied unreasonable excess force to arrest a civilian. According to the jury, he violated civil rights by breaking the arrestee’s face. In addition, the police officer had pistol-whipped two arrestees on two different occasions, an act against the law. The Attorney General states, “The defendant abused the trust given to him as a law enforcement officer when he pistol-whipped two arrestees on two separate occasions.” (The United States, 2021). The police accused admitted that on June 22, 2014, he approached D.M’s car and ordered him to put his hands up. The assaulted complied, and without justifications, the accused pistol-whipped him severally in the face through the window, causing injuries and a broken face. According to the law, there was no justification for pistol-whipping hence the arrest of the accused for excessive use of force even when no wrong D.M. committed.
To sum up, the cases involving Amber Guyger, Everett Maynard, and Ryan Mclnerney involve the application of lethal force against unarmed civilians, resulting in their imprisonment. Based on this evidence, it seems that this is a recurring phenomenon in the U.S. In my opinion, the Federal government should be more cautious with such cases. More severe penalties should be introduced to the laws regulating the use of excessive force by law enforcement. This will aid in minimizing or preventing such cases.
References
Dallas police officer who shot her unarmed, black neighbor found guilty. PBS NewsHour. (2022). Retrieved October 11 2022, from https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/dallas-police-officer-who-shot-her-unarmed-black-neighbor-found-guilty.
Former Michigan police officer sentenced to three years for using unreasonable excessive force during an arrest. The United States Department of Justice. (2021, September 9). Retrieved October 12, 2022, from https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/former-michigan-police-officer-sentenced-three-years-using-unreasonable-excessive-force
Former West Virginia police officer sentenced for using excessive force. The United States Department of Justice. (2022, March 17). Retrieved October 12, 2022, from https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/former-west-virginia-police-officer-sentenced-using-excessive-force
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