Washington et al v. City of Reform et al

On March 25, 2026, in Reform, Alabama, 23-year-old Jamal Washington died following an encounter with Officer David Brenner during a traffic stop. Police alleged Washington reached for a weapon; body camera footage later revealed he was unarmed and compliant. The Washington family filed a federal civil rights lawsuit under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against Officer Brenner, Police Chief Linda Morrison, and the City of Reform, alleging excessive force, wrongful death, and a municipal custom of tolerating police violence. The case drew national attention amid ongoing debates over police accountability and qualified immunity reform.

In a landmark verdict delivered November 2026, a federal jury found Officer Brenner liable for excessive force and wrongful death, awarding $14 million in compensatory and punitive damages. The court denied qualified immunity. The City of Reform settled the municipal liability claims for an additional $4.5 million and agreed to implement court-monitored police reforms.

Whether Officer Brenner used excessive force in violation of the Fourth Amendment; whether the City of Reform maintained a policy or custom of inadequate training and supervision that caused the constitutional violation; and whether qualified immunity shields Officer Brenner from liability.

The case intensified national discourse on qualified immunity and police accountability. Body camera footage galvanized public protests and legislative hearings. Reform, Alabama, became a symbolic flashpoint, leading to the adoption of "Jamal's Law" in Alabama, mandating de-escalation training and independent investigations of police deadly force incidents. The verdict influenced similar litigation strategies nationwide.