No. 25-6224

Latoya K. Benton, Administrator of the Estate of Xzavier D. Hill, Deceased v. Seth W. Layton, Individually and in His Official Capacity as a State Trooper for the State of Virginia, et al.

Lower Court: Fourth Circuit
Docketed: 2025-11-24
Status: Denied
Type: IFP
Response WaivedIFP
Tags: excessive-force fourth-amendment police-conduct qualified-immunity racial-bias summary-judgment
Latest Conference: 2026-01-09
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether the Fourth Amendment requires courts to apply a holistic analysis to excessive force claims, including all police conduct leading up to the use of deadly force, as reaffirmed by this Court in Barnes v. Felix, 602 U.S. (2025), rather than focusing narrowly on the instantaneous moment of firing

Question Presented (OCR Extract)

1. Whether the Fourth Amendment requires courts to apply a holistic, analysis to excessive force claims, including all police conduct leading up to the use of deadly force, as reaffirmed by this Court in Barnes v. Felix, 602 U.S. (2025), rather than focusing narrowly on the instantaneous moment of firing. 2. Whether summary judgment is proper in excessive force cases where material facts including conflicting police commands, disputed video interpretations, and officer testimony —are contested, in light of Scott v. Harris, 550 U.S. 372 (2007), and Tolan v. Cotton, 572 U.S. 650 (2014). 3. Whether officers who issue contradictory commands that render compliance impossible can claim qualified immunity when their conduct escalates the situation and results in the use of deadly force. 4. Whether courts must consider systemic racial bias and its influence on police encounters in Fourth Amendment excessive force analyses to ensure constitutional protections for marginalized communities.

Docket Entries

2026-01-12
Petition DENIED.
2025-12-11
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/9/2026.
2025-12-10
Waiver of right of respondent Seth Layton, et al. to respond filed.
2025-09-23
Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due December 24, 2025)

Attorneys

Latoya Benton
Latoya K. Benton — Petitioner
Latoya K. Benton — Petitioner
Seth Layton, et al.
Kevin Michael GallagherVirginia Office of the Attorney General, Respondent
Kevin Michael GallagherVirginia Office of the Attorney General, Respondent