‘Qualified immunity’: How US police are shielded from lawsuits

US courts have developed a legal doctrine that protects police from lawsuits for civil rights abuses, wrongful deaths.

Muhammad Muhaymin called out for “Allah” as six Phoenix police officers pinned him to the street, a knee on his neck, his arms twisted and handcuffed. “Allah can’t help you now,” one officer said as they roughly tried to hog-tie him. Muhaymin, who was homeless and unarmed, called out he could not breathe. Minutes later he died, a brown pool of vomit spreading out under his face.