TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Nov 2, 2020

The U.S. Supreme Court today sided with Black Lives Matter activist DeRay McKesson in his effort to avoid a lawsuit filed by a police officer who was injured during a 2016 protest in Louisiana. The justices threw out a lower court ruling that had allowed the lawsuit to proceed, saying more analysis was needed on whether state law allows for such a claim. The officer sustained serious injuries after being struck in the face by a rock or piece of concrete during a protest triggered by police killing of a Black man. The identity of the perpetrator is not known. McKesson argued his rights to freedom of speech and assembly shielded him from the suit. The court did not consider that issue. Litigation will now continue in lower courts, Reuters reports.