White v. Miller et al

On November 27, 2018, in Montgomery, Alabama, Officer David Miller fatally shot 22-year-old Michael White during a traffic stop. Officer Miller claimed White reached for a weapon, but subsequent investigation revealed White was unarmed. Mary White, Michael's mother, filed a federal civil rights lawsuit under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against Officer Miller and the City of Montgomery, alleging excessive force, wrongful death, and violations of the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments. The case drew significant attention to police accountability and the use of deadly force against unarmed civilians.

In 2020, the City of Montgomery agreed to a $2.75 million settlement with the White family without admitting liability. Officer Miller resigned from the police department, and no criminal charges were filed against him.

Whether Officer Miller's use of deadly force was objectively reasonable under the circumstances, and whether the City of Montgomery maintained policies or customs that demonstrated deliberate indifference to constitutional rights.

The case intensified local and national debates over police reform, leading the Montgomery Police Department to revise its use-of-force policies and implement mandatory de-escalation training. It also fueled advocacy for independent investigations of police shootings in Alabama.