Correll Thomas v. C. Dillard

I concur in my colleagues’ determination that Officer Dillard was entitled to qualified immunity on Correll Thomas’' claims for unlawful seizure and excessive force under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, and that the district court’s grant of partial summary judgment to Thomas must accordingly be reversed. I write separately, however, because we have repeatedly (and correctly) recognized the unique dangers law enforcement officers face when responding to domestic violence calls — including the inherent volatility of a domestic violence scene, the unique dynamics of battered victims seeking to protect the…