The standard use of force is established by which case?

• A. Graham v. Connor
• B. Miranda v. Arizona
• C. Brown v. Board of Education
• D. Tennessee v. Garner

Answer: (A)

Evaluating police use of force relies on an objective standard under the Fourth Amendment. The key ruling sets that the reasonableness of any force used must be judged from the perspective of a reasonable officer on the scene, given the totality of the circumstances at the moment the force occurred. This means factors like the severity of the crime, the immediacy of the threat, and whether the person is actively resisting or attempting to evade arrest all inform what is considered reasonable. The idea is to balance the necessity of taking control of a situation with the risk of harm to officers and others, without judging with the benefit of hindsight or based on the officer’s intentions alone. Miranda v. Arizona deals with suspects’ rights during interrogation, Brown v. Board addresses school desegregation, and Tennessee v. Garner specifically limits deadly force against fleeing suspects unless there is a reasonable belief of a serious threat. Therefore, the general standard for use of force is established by the Graham v. Connor decision.