Supreme Court Debates Prison Guards' Use Of Excessive Force

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is struggling over when jail officials should be held accountable for using excessive force against inmates who are accused — but not yet convicted — of crimes.

The argument Monday comes amid a national debate over how police use force in arresting unarmed suspects.

The case involves a Wisconsin man in jail pending trial on drug charges. Michael Kingsley claims officers used excessive force while they transferred him to another cell.

Kingsley sued for civil rights violations, but a jury sided with the officers. A federal appeals court rejected Kingsley's argument that he only needed to show the conduct was unreasonable.

The justices considered whether people awaiting trial who sue prison guards for misconduct must show the use of force was intentional instead of simply unreasonable.

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