Well, it's more likely to come up the context of excessive force rather than self-defense, since the cops are almost never criminally prosecuted for killing suspects. Ina civil context the question is whether the guy's due process rights were violated. If the guy was "wielding" a knife, then the force probably was not excessive as a matter of law. If he was handcuffed behind his back, the question is trickier. Should cops be trained in nonlethal ways of dealing with hard to control suspects? Sure. Can it be done? The bobbies do it, mostly they still don't carry guns.
jks
--- Wojtek Sokolowski <sokol at jhu.edu> wrote:
> Kevin quoted:
> > LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- A man who was shot and killed
> Thursday
> > by police in Louisville, Ky., was handcuffed
> before an
> > officer fired his gun 12 times, Louisville
> television
> > station WLKY reported.
> >
>
http://www.thekansascitychannel.com/news/1824818/detail.html
>
> This is a bit misleading. The story says the guy
> was wielding a 3"
> knife and even a person who is handcuffed can use
> *both* hands to quiete
> efficiently stab someone (unless his hands are
> hancuffed behind him).
> Shooting someone who is chasing a cop while wielding
> a knife may reflect
> unfavorably on the cop's professional skills, but
> otherwise looks like a
> justifiable self-defense, no?
>
> Justin?
>
> Wojtek
>
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