Post by Deleted on Nov 28, 2014 21:00:07 GMT -6
Hey, this is great news in my opinion. This comes out of a story many of us may recall from coverage when it happened.
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That was original reporting from 2008. She did survive the incident and sued. This next is covering from 2011, and a point where the lawsuit looked to be near dismissal.
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Here is the most recent story, and it is off to the Supreme Court! The issues being looked at are straight foward on the face of it, and should be a landmark case in my personal opinion. This is a very sensitive issue with Justices on the court right now that don't shrink from making far reaching decisions toward limiting or curtailing authority where appropriate.
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So this will be one to watch and see if new guidelines come from it in how police have to handle those known to be suffering mental illness and especially where that is core to the nature of a call they go out on. SCOTUS can and does rule in both broad ways and in ways so narrow as to impact only the case they are deciding on. That too will be interesting to see for how it turns out.
Stay Tuned! I'll update when I catch it in relation to new developments!
During the Aug. 7 incident, she was shot in the face, shoulders, chest and groin, family members said. The shooting followed a complaint from a social worker who said Sheehan had threatened to kill him, according to police.
The worker called police for assistance at Sheehan’s 1941 15th St. home around 11:10 a.m., said SFPD police Sgt. Wilfred Williams.
When police arrived and entered the patient’s room, she picked up a knife and said she would kill anyone who came near, according to authorities. Police used pepper spray, but it was ineffective at subduing her, Williams said. Police opened fire after Sheehan lunged at the officers with the knife, police said.
The worker called police for assistance at Sheehan’s 1941 15th St. home around 11:10 a.m., said SFPD police Sgt. Wilfred Williams.
When police arrived and entered the patient’s room, she picked up a knife and said she would kill anyone who came near, according to authorities. Police used pepper spray, but it was ineffective at subduing her, Williams said. Police opened fire after Sheehan lunged at the officers with the knife, police said.
That was original reporting from 2008. She did survive the incident and sued. This next is covering from 2011, and a point where the lawsuit looked to be near dismissal.
After the incident, the District Attorney’s Office filed five charges against Sheehan. The jury in the case later acquitted her on a charge of making criminal threats against the officers, but hung on four assault charges. Prosecutors declined to retry the case.
After the charges were dropped, Sheehan and her family filed a lawsuit in federal court against The City and the officers. Sheehan’s attorney alleged the officers violated her constitutional rights by unlawfully entering her room and using excessive force.
After the charges were dropped, Sheehan and her family filed a lawsuit in federal court against The City and the officers. Sheehan’s attorney alleged the officers violated her constitutional rights by unlawfully entering her room and using excessive force.
Here is the most recent story, and it is off to the Supreme Court! The issues being looked at are straight foward on the face of it, and should be a landmark case in my personal opinion. This is a very sensitive issue with Justices on the court right now that don't shrink from making far reaching decisions toward limiting or curtailing authority where appropriate.
When police officers arrived and entered Sheehan’s room, she grabbed a knife and threatened them, according to the cert petition. Police initially retreated, but then they kicked down the door. They used pepper spray and one officer fired a gun when Sheehan charged them while holding a knife. Sheehan was struck by bullets, but survived.
A second issue in the case is whether clearly established precedent in cases of armed and violent subjects required the officers to stay out of the room if they didn’t have a warrant and had no “immediate need” to enter.
A second issue in the case is whether clearly established precedent in cases of armed and violent subjects required the officers to stay out of the room if they didn’t have a warrant and had no “immediate need” to enter.
So this will be one to watch and see if new guidelines come from it in how police have to handle those known to be suffering mental illness and especially where that is core to the nature of a call they go out on. SCOTUS can and does rule in both broad ways and in ways so narrow as to impact only the case they are deciding on. That too will be interesting to see for how it turns out.
Stay Tuned! I'll update when I catch it in relation to new developments!
