A federal appeals court ruled that the Oakland Police Department can be held liable for the death of Lolo Soakai, a bystander killed during an unauthorized police pursuit in 2022. This ruling allows the wrongful death lawsuit from Soakaiâs family to move forward and represents a challenge to qualified immunity, which often protects police officers from civil liability. Officers failed to follow procedures, resulting in a dangerous pursuit that ended in tragedy, prompting the court to hold them accountable under the Fourteenth Amendment's due process clause.
A federal appeals court found the Oakland police can be held liable for the 2022 death of Lolo Soakai, allowing the familyâs lawsuit to proceed.
The ruling challenges qualified immunity in reckless pursuit cases, indicating officers may be accountable under the Fourteenth Amendment's due process clause.
The court observed the officers had 'affirmatively created danger' and questioned their intentions, citing troubling body camera footage.
This ruling sets a significant precedent in parameters for police pursuits, emphasizing limits on reckless behavior during such actions.
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