Three Houses Away: FBI Raids the Wrong Home, and the Eleventh Circuit Reverses Qualified Immunity
Martin v. United States, No. 23-10062 (11th Cir. Oct. 7, 2026) TL;DR An FBI SWAT team conducting an early-morning operation against a suspected gang member mistakenly raided an innocent family's home, three houses away from the intended target and on an entirely different street. Agents forced entry, detonated a flashbang grenade, and handcuffed an occupant before realizing they had entered the wrong residence. The SWAT team leader blamed his personal GPS device for directing
11 min read
When Pretext Matters: Seventh Circuit Suppresses 15 Kilograms of Cocaine After Sham Commercial-Vehicle Inspection
United States v. Martinez, No. 24-1890 (7th Cir. July 7, 2026) TL;DR An Illinois State Police K-9 trooper received information from another law-enforcement agency that a specific semitruck was transporting a large quantity of narcotics. The trooper was not on routine patrol. He called another K-9 trooper, and the two waited along the interstate for at least 30 minutes for the truck to arrive. When it appeared, the trooper stopped it—not based on a traffic violation or reasona
9 min read
One Taser Deployment, a Fatal Fall, and Qualified Immunity: The Fifth Circuit Draws the Line Between Passive and Active Resistance
Navejas v. City of El Paso, No. 25-51061 (5th Cir. Oct. 8, 2026) United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit Affirmed — Summary judgment in favor of the officer and municipality. TL;DR The Fifth Circuit upheld qualified immunity for an El Paso police officer who deployed his Taser once against a 70-year-old man suffering from dementia and Alzheimer's disease during a domestic violence investigation. Although the man died after falling following the deployment, the co
9 min read