Handcuffing Kids
The opinion of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals handed down on Monday begins in the in the following way: “"This is the second appeal involving the detention and handcuffing of a nine-year-old student, Laquarius Gray, during her physical education class..”
The three judge panel went on to write that since the sheriff’s deputy who handcuffed young Laquarius was not afraid she would harm him or anybody else, his idea of slapping metal handcuffs (then tightening them, no less) on an elementary school student “to help persuade her to rid herself of her disrespectful attitude..” didn’t really wash legally at all. So, yes, the court affirmed, it was a violation of the girl’s fourth amendment rights, and no, the cop didn’t get partial immunity.