Criminal Justice Reform National Series | Part 2 – Qualified Immunity

In the wake of the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers, there have been calls to change or end the legal doctrine known as qualified immunity, which shields government officials from being held personally liable for discretionary actions performed within their official capacity. Rep. Justin Amash, L-Mich., has submitted legislation in the U.S. House to end qualified immunity that now has tri-partisan support.

How did qualified immunity come to be? What would happen if it was ended? Would it make it easier to hold police officers like those in the George Floyd case accountable for their actions? Are there any possible drawbacks?

Join us and special guest Clark Neily, vice president for criminal justice at the Cato Institute, for a conversation on the impact of qualified immunity and the current efforts to change it.

This event is the second of a multi-chapter criminal justice reform series, presented by AF-Phoenix, AF-Chicago, AF-Grand Rapids, AF-Milwaukee, and AF-Nashville, and will feature expert-led discussions on criminal justice reform issues of importance to all Americans, such as civil asset forfeiture, qualified immunity, and more.