The Supreme Court case that established the standard of objective reasonableness in determining the appropriate use of deadly force by a police officer is

• A. Graham v. Connor
• B. Terry v. Ohio
• C. Mapp v. Ohio
• D. Miranda v. Arizona

Answer: (A)

The key idea is how courts measure police use of force. Graham v. Connor established that claims of excessive force are judged under the Fourth Amendment's objective reasonableness standard. This means evaluating whether the officer’s conduct was reasonable from the perspective of a reasonable officer on the scene, given the totality of the circumstances at the time, rather than judging with the benefit of hindsight. It emphasizes real-time conditions: the threat level, the seriousness of the suspected offense, whether the suspect posed an imminent danger, and whether there were feasible, less-lethal options available. Deadly force is permissible only when necessary to protect the officer or others from serious, imminent harm.

For context, Terry v. Ohio deals with reasonable suspicion for stops and frisks, Mapp v. Ohio addresses the exclusionary rule and state incorporation, and Miranda v. Arizona concerns interrogation rights.