Police officers can be held liable for injuries inflicted during investigations, the California Supreme Court ruled June 22.
The decision overrules appellate precedent that had granted qualified immunity to police officers.
Dora Leon had sued Riverside County for negligently inflicting emotional distress after sheriff’s deputies exposed her dead husband’s naked body in a public location.
Exposed for hours
The ruling lays out the facts of the case. County sheriff’s deputies had arrived at the scene of her husband’s death, at a mobile home park by the Leons’ house.
José Leon had been fatally shot. The deputies heard additional shots, and dragged José’s body
