A Better Standard for the Use of Deadly Force
But racial bias can affect what seems reasonable. Individuals of all races in America perceive black people as more aggressive and dangerous than white people. Studies show that black people are seen as being physically stronger and less prone to feeling pain than people of other races, and black children are often perceived to be older than they are. When faced with an armed black target, shooters are both more likely to shoot and quicker to shoot than they are when faced with an armed white target.
.. To quote the Seventh Circuit, the federal appeals court that covers Chicago, “we do not believe that the Constitution requires the use of the least or even a less deadly alternative so long as the use of deadly force is reasonable.”
.. If a necessity standard were rigorously pursued by courts and legislatures, we would develop better nonlethal weaponry, with better training and stronger punishments for misuse.