Specializing in Shootings, Deadly or Excessive Force, and Misconduct
California residents know that police relations throughout the state have been tenuous at best for decades. Since the 1991 Rodney King beating that later sparked widespread riots and protests in Los Angeles as the four responsible officers were acquitted, the Golden State has braced for the next case of brutality and misconduct to break. In 2020, protests swept across California on account of the exposure of numerous acts of police violence and deadly force used primarily against Black people nationwide. Now, stories continue to surface of corrupt and cruel misconduct from police officers in California.
BD&J’s police brutality attorneys in California stand ready to fight for the rights of individuals who have been beaten, shot, assaulted, and harassed by police officers who have failed in their oath to protect and serve.
If you’ve been hurt in an encounter with a police officer, you deserve a lawyer who will not rest until you’ve seen justice. Contact our California police brutality lawyers today to find out if you have a case.
Key Takeaways
- About 1 million people experience or are threatened with police violence every year.
- Roughly 250,000 people per year experience nonfatal injuries that require hospitalization due to police brutality, including shootings and excessive force.
- Black men comprise only 6% of the nation’s population but account for a quarter of all people killed in police shootings and by deadly force.
- Police brutality lawsuits and claims seek to compensate police brutality victims for injuries by paying for medical bills, property damage, income loss, and pain and suffering brought on by excessive or deadly force and police shootings.
- Because of the egregious and cruel nature of police assaults, shootings, and other brutality incidents, police brutality attorneys in California are often able to claim millions for victims against individual police officers or the police department as a whole.
What is Police Brutality?
Police brutality describes excessive, unfair, or unlawful force and misconduct perpetrated by police officers and departments. Typically, police brutality in California is characterized by uncalled-for beatings, shootings, stunning, harassing, and even killings that are not in line with the severity of suspicion or crimes committed. Police brutality is a constant fear for many people belonging to marginalized groups such as People of Color, LGBTQIA+ people, women, immigrants, and those of differing religious beliefs. BD&J’s California police brutality attorneys aim to help victims of cruel police shootings, beatings, or other brutal acts demand justice and compensation for their pain and injuries through civil rights and personal injury cases. By publicly demanding compensation for injuries caused by corrupt police officers, our team seeks to hold police departments and bad actors accountable.
Hurt in an encounter with a police officer?
Speak with an expert at (855) 906-3699 today!
How Do I Know if I’ve Been a Victim of Police Misconduct or Brutality in California?
Many people, especially those for whom corrupt and cruel police interactions are normalized in their communities, aren’t sure how to tell if they are a victim of police brutality in California. This problem is only made worse by the immunity police officers enjoy when it comes to lying or providing false information to civilians. In general, police actions must abide by the concepts of legality, necessity, and proportionality, according to Amnesty International.
- Legality informs what your civil rights are and which actions are protected from police or governmental actions. These include your right to free speech, free expression, freedom of religion, freedom of peaceful assembly, and other rights outlined in the Constitution. Legality also dictates that police officers and departments may never arrest or harm people on the basis of color, immigration status, ethnicity, language spoken, religion, sex, or gender expression.
- Necessity dictates that police officers must only use force as a last resort after nonviolent attempts to achieve a goal, such as negotiation and communication. When force is needed (if nonviolent methods fail), the most nonlethal force must be attempted first, and forceful methods must immediately stop once the goal has been achieved. Police can only use as much force as is needed for the situation.
- Proportionality refers to balancing the damage done by a civilian against the damage a police officer does to the civilian. The damage done by a police officer must never outweigh the damage done by a person or their alleged actions. For example, shooting a person for shoplifting is an egregiously disproportional reaction for the crime committed.
If you were injured by a police officer in a way that infringes on your civil rights or was unnecessary and disproportional to the reason for the encounter, you may have a police brutality case. Complete the form to speak with our California police brutality lawyers and determine if you have a case for police misconduct.
How Can a Police Brutality Lawyer Help Me Hold the Police Accountable?
Police officers may seem to many like an untouchable class, but the police brutality attorneys at BD&J have proven time and again that no one is untouchable. As soon as you enlist the help of a lawyer for police misconduct, you’ll be taken under the protection of your legal team. Police departments often try to protect their own in situations alleging brutality and misconduct, even going so far as to harass and intimidate the victim. With a California police brutality lawyer, all communications will go through your legal team to defend your dignity and peace. Attorneys can investigate the incident independent of the biased police department and also push for maximum civil compensation to help pay for your lost wages, pain and suffering, medical bills, and more. At BD&J, our California police brutality lawyers leave nothing on the table. We negotiate aggressively for our clients and demand justice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does BD&J handle racial profiling and racism-fueled misconduct cases?
Yes, BD&J police misconduct attorneys stand with victims of racial profiling and racism. We can help those injured while encountering police who have demonstrated discriminatory or racist targeting.
My loved one was murdered by a police officer. Can you help?
Yes, we can help you bring justice for your lost loved one. We are so sorry for your loss, and want to help you fight for your loved one’s dignity and the year’s unjustly taken from them. Our California team of police brutality and wrongful death lawyers have spent decades aggressively pursuing justice for family members who have lost loved ones.
What if there’s no bodycam footage to prove my case?
Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Bodycam footage is beneficial but is not the only source of evidence for building a civil rights case against a police officer or department. We can track down witness testimony, security footage, and more to prove you were the victim of excessive force or brutality.
Can I win against a California police department?
Yes! Police departments may have the backing of an aggressive legal team, but with help from a police brutality attorney in California, you can fight back and hold them accountable. Thousands of civilians nationwide have secured compensation from police departments, despite their resources.
Do police brutality civil rights lawsuits change anything?
Yes! Police brutality civil rights lawsuits publicize the misconduct in a given California police department and identify specific unsafe officers or departments. In addition, by pursuing the maximum compensation possible with a California police brutality lawyer, you can potentially demand punitive damages that significantly financially burden departments for their allowance of police misconduct.
How much can I get for a police brutality lawsuit in California?
Settlements and verdicts for police brutality civil rights claims in California can vary based on several factors, including severity of injuries, number of officers involved, attempts to cover up the misconduct by the department, and more. Generally, police brutality settlements range from hundreds of thousands of dollars to millions.
How do police brutality lawyers in California help?
Police brutality attorneys can help victims in California by investigating the encounter thoroughly with an unbiased eye. At BD&J, our team collects extensive evidence to support your claims of misconduct and will negotiate aggressively on your behalf to ensure your pain is never downplayed or denied. If the police officer or department refuses to play fairly, we aren’t afraid to take them to court to publicly reveal their wrongdoing.
How to Stay Safe if an Officer is Aggressive
If you find yourself in a situation where a California police officer is getting increasingly more aggressive, follow these tips to keep yourself and your loved ones safe. It could save your life.
- Stay calm and cooperative. It’s hard, we know. But arguing, insulting, or yelling at police officers can result in escalation of a dangerous situation.
- State your rights calmly. You have the right to say nothing. You have the right to demand an attorney if you are being detained. You have the right to refuse a search and seizure if the officer does not have a warrant. Simply say, “I’m exercising my right to remain silent,” “I would like to speak to an attorney,” or “I do not give you consent to search by belongings.”
- Keep your hands visible at all times. Never reach into pockets, bags, or other areas that officers cannot see. If you need to reach for something, inform the officer calmly what you are doing and why.
- Follow the officer’s commands. It’s unfair, but to protect yourself from violence, you may need to follow unlawful demands as well.
- Record the interaction openly, if possible. You have a right to record police activities as long as it doesn’t interfere with their actions.
- Ask if you are free to go. If you aren’t under arrest, ask the officer calmly if you can leave. They cannot keep you without an arrest.
The most important thing in the moment of a police encounter is to keep yourself safe. Once you’ve been cleared to leave, back up any recordings of the encounter and contact a police brutality attorney in California to secure justice.
BD&J – Representing Your Civil Rights Against Corruption and Cruelty
The California police brutality lawyers at BD&J understand how violating and frightening becoming the victim of police misconduct can be. We will never let you face the recovery and trauma alone. Our team has secured billions* in compensation for clients across California. If you were injured during a police encounter, contact our team today to schedule a free consultation. Complete the form to get started.
