Case Name: COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ET AL., PETITIONERS v. ANGEL MENDEZ, ET AL. No. 16-369 (2017)
Factual History: In October 2010, 2 deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department were searching for Ronnie O’Dell who had a warrant out for his arrest and considered, but not proved to be armed and dangerous. Upon receiving insight from a reliable source that O’Dell was last seen on a bicycle at a home in Lancaster, California. Before arriving on scene, the task force planned how they would be capturing O’ Dell, which concluded that some officers would approach the front door while deputies Conley and Pederson would search the back and cover the back door. When officers arrived on the scene, they approached the door and Hughes (the owner of the home O’Dell was apparently last seen at) asked if the officers has a warrant. The sergeant on scene responded “no” that they did not, but had a warrant for O’Dell and were searching for him. At this time one officer said he heard sounds of someone running coming from out back. Officers then prepared to open the door by force, after Hughes tried informing officers O’Dell was not in the house. After not finding O’Dell in the house deputies Conley and Pederson, with guns drawn, continued to look out back for O’Dell. Conley and Pederson approached a shack in …show more content…
North Dakota, The Fourth Amendment prohibits “unreasonable searches and seizures.” “[R]easonableness is always the touchstone of Fourth Amendment analysis”. Deputies used excessive force under Graham v. Connor. The court held that, under Graham, the deputies’ use of force was reasonable “given their belief that a man was holding a firearm rifle threatening their