WBUR’s On Point is hosted by Meghna Chakrabarti with producer Anna Baum. The episode on QI is called “How Refroming Qualified Immunity Could Transform Policing in America.” The guests are Joanna Schwartz, Professor of Law at UCLA, and Colorado State Rep. Leslie Herod. In June 2020, Colorado became the first state to end qualified immunity. Rep. Herod was instrumental in making that happen.
The qualified immunity (QI) defense has been invoked by prison guards in the Ulises Valladares case. The family of the late Valladares is appealing this QI decision. Specifically, an appeal court’s decision to grant QI to the agent who killed Ulises Valladares. Despite the decision, his family refuses to back down.
Rutgers Law Center recently released a study on qualified immunity (QI). Rutgers Law Center is affiliated with Rutgers University in New Jersey. The study is called Brutality By Design: Understanding Police Misconduct as Structural Inequality. It was spearheaded by David D. Troutt. He is a law professor at Rutgers and founder of the Center on Law, Inequality and Metropolitan Equity (CLiME).
Limiting or ending QI “could fundamentally change policing,” Velshi states. The doctrine is very controversial. QI’s supporters defend it because they feel police need special protections when making split-second decisions. However, those who oppose QI feel differently. They believe that QI shields bad cops from accountability when they act unlawfully.
Ben Cohen weighs in on corporate activism and ending qualified immunity (QI). Ben is the co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream and co-chair of the Campaign to End Qualified Immunity. He recently spoke to The Hill about corporate activism. Specifically, about the ways in which businesses can use their power to solve social problems.
Qualified immunity is in the hot seat in Maine. This week, the Maine Legislature held a public hearing on a bill that would abolish the court-created loophole. The bill is called LD 214. It’s also known as An Act to Eliminate Qualified Immunity for Police Officers.
Ben Cohen is the co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream. He’s co-chair of the Campaign to End Qualified Immunity (CTEQI). And he’s the author of a new book on qualified immunity (QI). In The Santa Cruz Sentinel, Ben discusses his new book on QI. Published by O/R Books, the book is called Above the Law: How “Qualified immunity” Protects Violent Police.
The Police Benevolent Association (PBA) is the world’s largest municipal police union. The PBA serves New York City. And in a recently released memo, the PBA admits that limiting qualified immunity (QI) for bad cops in New York City was the right thing to do.
Progressive lawmakers refuse to compromise on qualified immunity (QI), CNN reports. Repealing the doctrine is a key provision in the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. Progressives are very much in favor of ending QI. However, this has been a sticking point for Republicans in the ongoing debate over police reform.
Ben & Jerry stopped by the Pitchfork Economics podcast to discuss qualified immunity. Particularly, how they’re fighting to repeal the doctrine that shields bad cops from liability. On the podcast, the duo talk about how, as business leaders, they use their resources to call for meaningful change.