Hudson v. McMillian is a U.S. Supreme court case involving the excessive force resulting in a claim of cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment. The court’s decision resulted in the five-pronged Hudson test, also known as PANAM:
(P)erceived threat by correctional officers;
(A)ny and all efforts to de-escalate;
(N)eed for the application of force;
(A)mount of force that was used and;
(M)edical issues, and extent of any injuries, that are used to evaluate cases involving any use of force before trial and after conviction.
The test helps the courts determine whether correctional officers’ actions were reasonable, necessary, and conducted in good faith.
Watch the video scenario and take notes as you watch: CJ in Practice Constitutional Issue: Deprivation of Inmates’ Rights
Write a 1–2 page paper in which you:
Summarize the events of this scenario and the persons involved.
Examine the constitutional amendments related to this situation and whether the rights of the inmates in this scenario were violated. Support your opinion.
Determine whether the incidents pass the five-pronged Hudson test discussed above.
Recommend how the sergeant should respond to the officer’s behavior. Support your response.