Abstract
“Suicide by Police” in Section 1983 Suits: Relevance of Police Tactics
Flynn T P~~Homant R J
This article first examines the evolution of the term “suicide by police”. Next, the law of the federal circuits relating to a determination of “objective reasonableness” under the Fourth Amendment is summarized. The few “true” suicide-by-police cases are examined with an emphasis as to how the specific evidence of suicide-by-police/death wish was handled by the various trial & reviewing courts. The relevance & general admissibility of police tactics in various excessive force police shooting cases is surveyed. Differences in the treatment of this evidence by various courts is examined, culminating in a close discussion & analysis of 2 recent suicide-by-police cases, one from California & the other from Michigan. (169 notes)