Ben Cohen’s new book was the topic of discussion on the Cato Daily Podcast. Cohen’s book is titled Above the Law: How ‘Qualified Immunity’ Protects Violent Police.
As host Caleb O. Brown notes, Ben Cohen has been doing some heavy lifting speaking out against qualified immunity (QI). As well as being the co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, Ben is the co-chair of the Campaign to End Qualified Immunity (CTEQI). And, as Brown says, he’s now written a book on the topic. On the Cato Daily Podcast, Ben talks about Above the Law, his new book.
“Qualified immunity is an insult to Americans whose rights have been violated by public officials,” states the episode’s show note. Standing up for people’s rights and fighting QI motivated Ben to write this book. On the program, Ben shares some of the stories featured in Above the Law.
Published by OR Books, Above the Law recounts 17 cases in which justice was denied because of QI. These stories “create a concise and compelling indictment of an outrageously unjust legal principle that must be changed.”
On the podcast, Ben is joined by Clark Neily, Senior Vice President of the Cato Institute, and Jay Schweikert, Research Fellow. They, along with Caleb O. Brown, discuss the legal issues surrounding the court-created rule. The foursome also examine the future of police accountability following Derek Chauvin’s conviction in the murder of George Floyd.
The Cato Institute, which produces the Cato Daily Podcast, is one of CTEQI’s coalition partners.
Learn more about Ben Cohen’s new book on the Cato Daily Podcast here