Janice Hughes Barners, et al. v. Roberto Felix, Jr., et al.

Houston, Texas, personal injury lawyers represented the Plaintiff who sued on a excessive force wrongful death civil rights violation theory under 42 U.S.C. 1983.



Ashtian Barners was shot and killed by Officer Roberto Felix, Jr. during a traffic stop.



Barnes's parents sued Felix and Harris County under 42 U.S.C. § 1983.5 The district court granted summary judgment on the

plaintiffs' excessive- and deadly-force claims against Felix and their Monell claims against Harris County.



From a unanimous Supreme Court came pretextual stops, enabling police officers to stop an automobile upon probable cause that any traffic violation has occurred, even if the stop is in search of another violation.1 Even before that, the Court, aware of the "inordinate risk confronting an officer as he approaches a person seated in a vehicle,” had granted officers the right to order the driver out of the vehicle.2 The import of these decisions cannot be understated, as traffic stops are among the most common interactions the public has with police.

Motion for summary judgement granted.



Affirmed