The rule that allowed deadly force to prevent the escape of a suspected felon, even when there was no immediate threat to the public, is known as the Fleeing Felon Rule.

• A. Stop and Frisk
• B. Terry Stop
• C. Fleeing Felon Rule
• D. Reasonable Suspicion Standard

Answer: (C)

This tests knowledge of a historical rule that allowed police to use deadly force to prevent the escape of a suspected felon, even when there was no immediate threat to anyone. That doctrine is the Fleeing Felon Rule. It reflected a time when stopping an escape was considered a priority strong enough to justify lethal force regardless of the suspect’s current danger to others. In contrast, the other terms describe ways of detaining or stopping people for investigation (stop-and-frisk, Terry stop) or the threshold used to justify stops (reasonable suspicion), none of which center on using deadly force to prevent escape. Modern law narrows this idea: in Tennessee v. Garner, the Supreme Court held that deadly force against a fleeing non-threatening suspect is unconstitutional and that such force is permissible only if the suspect poses an imminent threat of death or serious physical injury.