On March 6, 2014, Officer Phillip Hancock shot unarmed Airman Michael Davidson during a traffic stop on I-85 North. Davidson was holding a black wallet, which Hancock mistook for a gun. Davidson filed a lawsuit alleging excessive force and civil rights violations. In 2017, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Hancock’s use of force was objectively reasonable, and the lawsuit was dismissed. ([caselaw.findlaw.com](https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/us-11th-circuit/1765865.html?utm_source=openai))
[Return to blog post](https://watchaudits.com/phillip-hancock-opelika-police-department/)
.
