Muhammad v. Rice et al

On October 18, 2018, in Brookfield, Illinois, police responded to a domestic disturbance call. Officer John Rice encountered Malik Muhammad, a 22-year-old unarmed African American man, in a dimly lit hallway. Allegedly mistaking a cellphone for a weapon, Officer Rice fired six shots, killing Muhammad at the scene. No weapon was found. The victim's mother, Aisha Muhammad, acting as the administrator of his estate, filed a federal civil rights lawsuit under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against Officer Rice and the City of Brookfield, alleging excessive force, wrongful death, and municipal liability for inadequate training. The case sparked local protests and national attention amid ongoing debates over police use of force.

After discovery, the parties reached a settlement in early 2021. The City of Brookfield agreed to pay $4.9 million to the Muhammad family and committed to implementing de-escalation training and body-worn camera policies. The officer was not criminally charged.

Whether Officer Rice's use of deadly force was objectively unreasonable under the Fourth Amendment; whether the officer was entitled to qualified immunity; and whether the city's training policies demonstrated deliberate indifference to constitutional rights.

The case intensified scrutiny on police reform in Illinois suburbs, contributing to the passage of statewide mandates for crisis intervention training. It also added to the national discourse on qualified immunity and the use of force against unarmed Black men, often cited by advocacy groups alongside other high-profile incidents.