Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton today issued the following statement after the Office of the Solicitor General of Texas and Law Enforcement Defense Division obtained a rare summary reversal from the U.S. Supreme Court in Mullenix v. Luna, in which the court decided the case without hearing oral argument or full merits briefing:
“This is a victory for the men and women who risk their lives to protect and serve the people of Texas. Officer Mullenix acted reasonably to protect his fellow officers in a rapidly-developing car chase involving a fugitive threatening to kill law enforcement in his path. The Court properly determined that Mullenix had qualified immunity from a trial second-guessing his actions to protect other officers and the public. Today's decision recognizes that in the face of dangerous, life-threatening situations, our law enforcement officers must have the necessary latitude to make critical decisions in an instant to protect themselves and the public from harm.”
To view the opinion, please visit: https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/files/epress/Mullenix_v._Luna_supreme_court_opinion.pdf