Knoxville, Tennessee Police Brutality Attorney

Knoxville Lawyer for Clients that Faced Excessive Force in Knoxville, TN

There are a variety of situations where people may need to address violations of their civil rights. Some of the most egregious of these violations involve the use of excessive force by police officers or other law enforcement officials. While officers are allowed to use force when necessary, there are some situations where they may exceed their authority and commit acts of violence against suspects, detainees, or inmates in prison without having valid reasons to do so. In some cases, officers may act inappropriately and cause harm to innocent bystanders or people who did not commit any crimes.

People or families who have suffered harm due to police misconduct may struggle to address this issue. They may worry that they have no way to hold officers accountable for their wrongful actions and prevent these types of conduct from affecting other people. Fortunately, the law provides people with the ability to hold officers and law enforcement agencies responsible for committing civil rights violations. At The Baker Law Firm, we have extensive experience representing clients in civil rights cases, and we can help victims of police brutality take legal action to ensure that the laws will be followed correctly.

Legal Protections Against Excessive Force

The Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects against the use of excessive force by law enforcement or any other actions that deprive people of life, liberty, or property without the due process of law. Excessive force may include any objectively unreasonable conduct that, given the facts and circumstances, would "shock the conscience" and amount to an arbitrary exercise of governmental power. The Fourth Amendment also provides citizens with the right to be free from the unlawful and excessive use of force when police officers engage in searches and seizures, and the Eighth Amendment provides protection against cruel and unusual punishment.

Courts have recognized that when police officers perform arrests or investigatory stops, they have the right to use some degree of physical coercion or threats of force to ensure that they can carry out their duties. However, they are required to act reasonably, and they should not use excessive force or engage in actions that put people at risk of harm without a good reason for doing so. Some factors that may be applied to determine whether an officer acted reasonably include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The circumstances surrounding an alleged crime
• The perceived threat a suspect may have posed to the safety of a police officer, bystanders, or others involved in a case
• Any active resistance by a suspect to a police officer's requests or orders

The Baker Law Firm Takes the Fight to the Opposition

A common misconception of some victims of police brutality is that an internal investigation by law enforcement that clears an officer from wrongdoing prevents a civil rights lawsuit for excessive force from being filed and brought to court. This is not the case. At The Baker Law Firm, we can perform our own investigation into the circumstances of a case and take steps to demonstrate that officers acted inappropriately and violated our clients' civil rights. We can address issues related to police shootings, unnecessary use of force, inappropriate methods of questioning, or injuries or deaths while people were held in detention or incarcerated in prison.

Contact Our Knoxville, Tennessee Police Brutality Attorney for Help

At The Baker Law Firm, we employ our own independent team of investigators, doctors, use-of-force experts, and mental health professionals. We often consult with current and former FBI agents to address the issues surrounding an incident and determine whether police officers engaged in excessive force. We will fight to ensure that you receive the justice and compensation you or your family deserve. Do not wait any longer – contact us now or call 865-200-4117 to set up a free case review and consultation.