Plakas v. Drinski (1994) (feb 2, 1991 – mar 24, 1994)

Description:

In this case, Konstantino Plakas was shot and killed by Deputy Sheriff Jeffrey Drinski, who claimed self-defense. Plakas, initially involved in a car accident, had a confrontation with officers, fled to a private home, and armed himself with a fireplace poker. Drinski, along with other officers, attempted to resolve the situation non-lethally but eventually shot Plakas when he charged at Drinski with the poker raised. Plakas's administrator argued that Drinski should have used alternative methods before resorting to deadly force. The court ruled in favor of Drinski, stating that under the circumstances, the use of deadly force was reasonable and constitutional. The court rejected arguments suggesting a duty for law enforcement to exhaust all non-deadly alternatives, emphasizing the split-second nature of such decisions and the absence of a constitutional requirement for specific equipment or training.

Resources: https://casetext.com/case/plakas-v-drinski

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