The police in the United States kill approximately 1,100 individuals per year, about three per day. These numbers have not changed even after national protests following the police killing of George Floyd. (Tim Arango and Giulia Heyward, Despite Protests, Number of Police Encounters is Unchanged, N.Y. Times, Dec. 25, 2021 p. A15, col. 1). Although few police killings result in criminal prosecutions, many are the subject of §1983 Fourth Amendment claims filed in the federal courts.

Whether police use of deadly force violates the Fourth Amendment depends on its objective reasonableness. This reasonableness determination is based on the facts and circumstances facing the officer. But which facts and circumstances are relevant, and how much weight should they be accorded? The Tenth Circuit’s recent decision in Estate of Taylor v. Salt Lake City, 16 F.4th 744 (10th Cir. 2021) carefully analyzes these critical issues.

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