Thorpe v. Weaver: Qualified Immunity in Detainee Medical Emergency

In this legal opinion, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit reviews a lawsuit regarding the death of Darren Boykin while in police custody. The court details how Boykin suffered a fatal medical emergency triggered by a physical pursuit, which officers initially mistook for simple exhaustion. Although his family sued the involved officers for deliberate indifference, the court ultimately affirmed a ruling of qualified immunity for the defendants. The judges concluded that the officers either lacked subjective knowledge of the life-threatening risk or were not acting against clearly established law as it existed in 2019. Consequently, the appellate court upheld the dismissal of the claims, ending the legal challenge against the individual officers.