Judge Rules Police Justified in Fatal Shooting at Wrong Address
A federal judge dismissed portions of a lawsuit against Farmington police officers who fatally shot Robert Dotson during a mistaken raid. The judge ruled the officers’ use of deadly force was reasonable given Dotson’s actions of pointing a firearm at them, granting them qualified immunity. While acknowledging the officers’ error in going to the wrong address, the court found the threat posed by Dotson justified their response. The lawsuit will proceed on remaining claims under state tort law and the New Mexico Civil Rights Act.
John Q. Hosedrinker