Supreme Court Orders Judgment Against Texas Officer for Fatal Shooting of Unarmed Black Man in Car

On April 28, 2016, Harris County Constable Roberto Felix Jr. fatally shot Ashtian Barnes, a 24-year-old Black man, during a traffic stop for unpaid tolls. Dashcam footage reveals Felix's reckless actions, jumping onto the car’s doorsill as Barnes attempted to flee. A Texas grand jury later cleared Felix of criminal wrongdoing, and subsequent lawsuits filed by Barnes' family were dismissed by two lower courts focused solely on the few seconds before the shooting. However, the U.S. Supreme Court recently overturned these lower court rulings, emphasizing the importance of evaluating the “totality of the circumstances” leading up to the event. In a unanimous decision, Justice Elena Kagan criticized the narrow focus that excluded essential context of the encounter, guiding all circuits towards a more comprehensive analysis of excessive force claims.