Which Supreme Court case determined that intent affects reasonableness in use of force?

The case that established the principle that intent affects reasonableness in the use of force is Graham vs. Connor. This landmark decision by the Supreme Court set the standard for evaluating whether a law enforcement officer's use of force in making an arrest is reasonable under the Fourth Amendment.

In Graham vs. Connor, the Court held that the reasonableness of a use of force must be judged from the perspective of a reasonable officer on the scene, rather than with the 20/20 vision of hindsight. The ruling emphasized that factors including the severity of the crime at issue, whether the suspect posed an immediate threat to the safety of the officers or others, and whether the suspect was actively resisting arrest or attempting to evade arrest by flight, are all relevant to determining the reasonableness of an officer's actions.

This decision has been fundamental in shaping policies and training around the use of force in law enforcement, clarifying that an officer's intentions and the context of the situation must be taken into account to gauge the appropriateness of force used in any given encounter.

In contrast, while Hudson vs. McMillan does address the use of excessive force within prisons, it does not specifically frame the question of intent's role in reasonableness like Graham vs.