August 3, 2016
by Margaret L. Huang, Interim Executive Director, Amnesty International USA
Re “Is Fatal Shooting by Police a Crime? It Depends on the Officer’s Point of View” (news article, July 29):
"The
international standard for the use of lethal force by law enforcement
is clear enough: Lethal force should be used only as a last resort in
the face of imminent death or serious injury. And yet according to a study we at Amnesty International did last year, not one state in the United States has laws that meet this simple criterion.
The
patchwork of laws allows for officers to use deadly force even in the
absence of any physical threat, like stopping a fleeing burglar, killing
a nonviolent offender escaping from prison, or firing at protesters.
This,
combined with the lack of official data of killings by the police, all
but ensures that convictions, or even indictments, will remain elusive.
All United States laws must be brought in line with international
standards if the police are to be held accountable for their actions."
Click here for ENTIRE article.
