DES MOINES, IOWA (December 23, 2024) — Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird has urged the US Supreme Court to uphold qualified immunity protections for law-enforcement heroes.
The nation’s 650,000 law-enforcement officers are responsible for protecting 335 million people. These officers are regularly faced with unpredictable, dangerous, and high-pressure situations. In those high-stakes situations, officers are forced to make split-second decisions in the heat of the moment to protect themselves and keep people safe.
In 2016, Sergeant Roberto Felix, a twenty-year veteran officer, pulled over Ashtian Barnes for a traffic violation. During the stop, Barnes, who smelled of marijuana, refused to provide the officer with proper documentation or follow instructions, including to stop digging around the floorboard. He, then, drove away while Sgt Felix was caught between the car frame and door. Sgt Felix jumped on the car to avoid getting dangerously pinned or run over by the vehicle. After Barnes refused commands to stop and accelerated the car as Sgt Felix hung on for his life, the officer fatally shot Barnes. A federal court cleared Sgt Felix of any wrongdoing and declared that his actions were legally justified. A lawsuit against Sgt Felix is now at the US Supreme Court, which threatens protections for all officers forced to make split-second decisions in threatening situations.
“Our law enforcement heroes put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe,” said AG Bird. “And when they are faced with dangerous, unpredictable situations, they have to make split-second decisions in order to make it home to their families that night. Law enforcement shouldn’t have to worry about getting sued for doing their job. I am urging the US Supreme Court to uphold qualified immunity protections for law enforcement heroes.”
The States make the case that the US Supreme Court should uphold the lower court’s ruling and protections for the nation’s law-enforcement heroes.
Iowa joined the Texas-led amicus brief, along with Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Virginia.
Read the full amicus brief here.
