Marshall v. Alabama, State of et al

On September 7, 2023, in Montgomery, Alabama, Terrence Marshall, an African American man, was stopped for a minor traffic violation. The interaction escalated, and officers David Miller and James Carter allegedly used a taser and physical force, causing severe injuries. Marshall filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the State of Alabama, the City of Montgomery, and the officers, claiming excessive force, racial profiling, and violation of his Fourth Amendment rights. Represented by renowned civil rights attorney Fred D. Gray, the case drew significant attention. The Alabama Attorney General, Steve Marshall, led the defense for the state entities. The incident was captured on partial body camera footage, fueling public outcry and debates over police accountability.

In early 2024, the district court denied the state's motion to dismiss on qualified immunity grounds for the individual officers, allowing the excessive force and racial profiling claims to proceed. Claims against the State of Alabama were partially dismissed under sovereign immunity, while the municipal liability claims against the City of Montgomery survived. The case remains in discovery.

Whether the officers' use of force was objectively unreasonable and racially motivated, constituting excessive force under the Fourth Amendment, and whether the state and city failed to properly train and supervise the officers involved.

The case intensified national debate on police reform and racial injustice, particularly in the Deep South. Community protests followed the release of the body camera footage. Civil rights organizations cited it as another example of systemic bias in traffic stops, and it became a focal point for legislative discussions on use-of-force standards and qualified immunity in Alabama.