What key legal doctrine was established by Tennessee vs. Garner?

The key legal doctrine established by Tennessee vs. Garner is that law enforcement officers cannot use deadly force against a fleeing suspect unless it is necessary to prevent the escape and the officer has probable cause to believe that the suspect poses a significant threat of death or serious physical injury to the officer or others. This case effectively altered the interpretation of the Fleeing Felon Doctrine, which previously allowed for deadly force to be used against any felon fleeing from arrest, regardless of the circumstances.

The ruling emphasized the importance of balancing the need for law enforcement to apprehend suspects with the protection of individual rights, leading to the doctrine of reasonableness surrounding the use of force in officer-involved incidents. Tennessee vs. Garner reaffirmed that the immediate threat posed by a suspect must be evaluated before resorting to lethal force, thereby grounding the use of force in a reasonableness standard based on the totality of circumstances present at the moment.

By clarifying that deadly force is not justified simply because the individual is fleeing, this case marked a significant shift towards a more protective stance regarding the rights of individuals in conjunction with law enforcement practices.