Deadly Force Attorney in California

Shootings are often the first form of deadly force by a police officer that people often think of and unfortunately, they are all too common. However, deadly force can take other forms, as well, and they include:

• The use of firearms: Police officers can only use their firearm in limited situations. They include when a police officer is defending themselves or another person from serious injury, or when an armed and dangerous suspect is trying to flee. Any use of firearms outside of these situations is considered excessive force.
• The use of batons: Police officers are given specific instructions about when they can and cannot use their baton. Law enforcement is not allowed to use deadly force with these weapons, such as striking a suspect in the head, or continuing to strike them once the suspect has been subdued.
• The use of tasers: Tasers are considered non-lethal devices, but that is not always the case. A person with a heart condition, for example, can suffer great harm including a fatal heart attack after being tased.
• The use of chokeholds: Recent stories have shown just how dangerous chokeholds can be for a victim. Chokeholds are so likely to cause a fatality that many police departments have banned them.