Federal Judge Dismisses Excessive Force Lawsuit from Dallas Security Guard Mistaken for Suspect, Sparking Calls for Accountability
Dallas, Texas — A federal judge recently dismissed a lawsuit filed by a former security guard, who claimed that Dallas police officers used excessive force when they mistakenly identified him as a family violence suspect in 2021. U.S. District Judge Karen Gren Scholer ruled that the officers involved were protected by qualified immunity, which shields public officials from legal accountability under certain circumstances. In her 20-page ruling, Scholer determined that officers had probable cause to detain Silvester Hayes, 29, citing his failure to use a turn signal and his alleged resistance to arrest as justifications … Read more