High Court Weighs Landmark Excessive Force Ruling

The U.S. Supreme Court is considering reviving a lawsuit by Janice Hughes against a Houston police officer who fatally shot her son, Ashtian Barnes, during a 2016 traffic stop. The case could redefine how courts assess police officers' use of excessive force under the Fourth Amendment.

The U.S. Supreme Court appeared poised on Wednesday to potentially revive a civil rights lawsuit filed by a Texas woman against a Houston police officer who shot her son dead during a traffic stop. The justices deliberated whether to facilitate a clearer path for plaintiffs to demonstrate instances of unlawful police force.

The case involves Janice Hughes, whose appeal followed the dismissal of her lawsuit alleging Fourth Amendment violations by officer Roberto Felix Jr. Hughes contended that Felix wrongfully used deadly force in the 2016 incident that resulted in the death of her 24-year-old son, Ashtian Barnes.

Concerned over the lower courts' analysis, several justices debated the applicability of the "moment of threat" doctrine. Attorney Nathaniel Zelinsky argued for a "totality of the circumstances" assessment, challenging the notion that courts should only focus on isolated moments of perceived threat to officers.

(With inputs from agencies.)