Victims of police brutality generally need to show some kind of actions that are outside of standard police practices such as protecting the public and making arrests.
Wichita, KS – Victims of police misconduct have the option of taking formal legal action against an officer and their employer. This is because various civil rights laws have been enacted which allow citizens to hold the government accountable for illegal actions and abuses of authority. Unnecessary violence from police officers is one of the main ways that the public is directly affected by illegal government actions. There are attorneys in Wichita and other cities who focus their practice on these kinds of cases, and their services can be crucial to success in a police brutality lawsuit.
The person who suffered from the injury has standing
In order for anyone to file a civil lawsuit, they must have standing to bring a case because they suffered from a particular injury. In issues related to police brutality, this creates a few different possibilities. A person who was a victim of police violence, false arrest, and other forms of brutality will have standing to try to bring a case and present evidence of their losses for compensation. Another situation where someone is eligible to bring a lawsuit against a police department or municipality is if a family member was killed due to police violence and misconduct. Kansas has a wrongful death statute that allows certain family members to bring a case on a deceased person’s behalf. Government entities such as police departments can be named as a defendant in a wrongful death case.
What kind of evidence is necessary to bring a case?
Victims of police brutality generally need to show some kind of actions that are outside of standard police practices such as protecting the public and making arrests. Most cases of police brutality involve excessive use of force. This means that the officer violated their use of force protocols by beating, hitting, or shooting someone in an unnecessary manner or while they were defenseless. It is helpful if there are video recordings, witnesses, or pictures to help prove that the unnecessary violence actually took place. Many police departments now require officers to wear body cameras that will record this kind of footage. An attorney for the victim can request the footage to help build a case. It is also possible that the officer in question engaged in other kinds of illegal behavior such as making a false arrest when no crime was committed or planting contraband on a suspect to justify the arrest.
More information about lawsuits against the police
USAttorneys.com is a website that helps people find police brutality lawyers in Kansas and other states. Anyone who is looking for a local attorney can choose their state and a relevant practice area to get connected with legal help.
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