Supreme Court leans toward reviving excessive claim against cop who killed a Black man in a traffic stop

Main Idea: The Supreme Court appeared likely to revive a civil rights claim over a Houston police officer’s fatal shooting of Ashtian Barnes during a traffic stop, sending the case back for more review.

Key Points:

• Justices from across the court seemed to agree that lower courts used too narrow a view of the facts.
• The key issue is whether judges should consider only the seconds before the shooting or the full lead-up to the use of force.
• Janice Hughes, Barnes’ mother, says the officer used excessive force and violated the Constitution.
• Any ruling is likely to be narrow and would not decide the final outcome of the case or remove the officer’s qualified immunity defense.