McDole v. Fielding et al

On March 21, 2023, in Brookhaven, Georgia, Tyrone McDole was stopped by Officer Kevin Fielding for a minor traffic infraction. Fielding claimed McDole was non-compliant and deployed a taser, causing McDole to fall and suffer a skull fracture. McDole sued Fielding and the city in federal court, alleging excessive force under the Fourth Amendment. The incident was partially recorded on body-worn camera. In 2025, a jury trial concluded that the use of the taser was objectively unreasonable. The officer was denied qualified immunity, and the city faced municipal liability for inadequate training. The jury awarded substantial compensatory damages.

In 2025, a federal jury returned a verdict for plaintiff Tyrone McDole, awarding $1.2 million in compensatory damages. The court ruled that Officer Fielding was not protected by qualified immunity. The city settled the municipal liability claim for an undisclosed amount prior to the verdict.

Whether Officer Fielding's use of a taser constituted excessive force prohibited by the Fourth Amendment, whether he was entitled to qualified immunity, and whether the City of Brookhaven maintained a policy or custom of deficient training that caused the constitutional violation.

The verdict intensified national debate over police use of tasers and qualified immunity reform. Advocacy groups cited the case in calls for stricter use-of-force standards. The outcome influenced legislative proposals in Georgia aimed at increasing accountability for law enforcement agencies.