A SWAT team blew up this innocent family's home while in pursuit of a shoplifting suspect. A federal court ruled that the city doesn't owe them a thing.

Buried in this morning's SCOTUS announcements is that they will not hear the case.

My latest @reason: https://reason.com/2020/06/29/swat-team-police-leo-lech-supreme-court-5th-amendment/

More people should be talking about this case. It's a microcosm for the current discussion around police reform.

There was an intensely militarized presence with flash bang grenades & armored vehicles. There was a plain constitutional violation. And there is no accountability.

First things first: Why on earth would cops need grenades, 40 mm rounds, tear gas, breaching rams, and TWO armored vehicles to apprehend....a petty thief?

Someone? Anyone?

The resulting mayhem was so bad it necessitated that the home be demolished. It was worth $580,000.

The city threw them a cool $5,000.

Attorneys at @IJ argued that failing to pay the homeowners violated the Takings Clause of the 5th Amendment, which supposedly protects you from having your property taken & destroyed by the gov't w/o compensation.

The 10th Circuit ruled it was within their "police power." Okay.

That decision will stand now that SCOTUS has punted, leaving the family no hope of rectification.

Do we need 5th Amendment activists now? If my home is blown up by police through no fault of my own, I'd like to not end up homeless and hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt.