Justin Lewis Pegues died in Rusk, Texas, at 26 years of age on January 14, 2021, following a pre-custodial encounter with law enforcement officers in Cherokee County, Texas. The manner of death listed on the custodial death report is homicide (includes justifiable homicide).

A study was done on the use of force both by police and against law enforcement personnel, and the use of excessive force was explored. It is a complex issue to tackle judgments that lead to excessive force, and many considerations are involved, per a report about the study.

Even the matter of judging what constitutes excessive force is complicated. The viewpoint of the person making a call about what excessive force is affects the definition. For example, judges apply legal standards, police administrators apply professional standards, and citizens use standards of common sense.

The following are questions that come into play when making judgments on the issue of excessive force and how to evaluate related actions:

• What role should the characteristics and actions of the suspect play?
• By what standards are the characteristics and actions of the law enforcement officer weighed?
• How do situational factors influence judgments – namely, location, time of day, and the number of bystanders?
• What are the opinions of the general public regarding professional and legal criteria for determining excessive force?

Learn more in this continuing series.

Implying that any person or institution has been involved in wrongdoing is never intended on this website. Posts are added to benefit inmates currently or formerly held in county jails in Texas.

–Guest Contributor