Estevis v. Cantu: Officer Immunity in High-Speed Pursuit Shooting

This episode discusses an appellate court opinion from the Fifth Circuit, specifically the case of Estevis v. Cantu, filed on April 16, 2025. It details an appeal regarding qualified immunity for police officers who fired shots at a suspect, Alejandro Estevis, after a high-speed pursuit. The court examines whether the officers' actions, particularly shots 4-9, violated clearly established law regarding excessive force. Ultimately, the Fifth Circuit reversed the district court's decision, granting qualified immunity to the officers for all shots fired, finding that existing precedent did not clearly establish their conduct was unlawful under the dangerous circumstances.