Gaddis v. Kilgore et al

On January 2, 2025, in Birmingham, Alabama, Darnell Gaddis, an African American motorist, was stopped on Interstate 65 for a broken taillight. Officer Tyler Kilgore and backup officers allegedly escalated the encounter, forcibly pulling Gaddis from his vehicle, punching him, and deploying a taser multiple times while he was handcuffed. Gaddis sustained a fractured orbital bone, bruises, and emotional distress. He filed a federal civil rights lawsuit under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against Kilgore and other John Doe officers, claiming excessive force, false arrest, and racial profiling. The City of Birmingham is also named for failure to train and supervise. Body camera and witness footage contradicted the officers’ report that Gaddis resisted. The city has denied wrongdoing. The case quickly drew national attention, spotlighting police use of force and qualified immunity.

As of June 2026, the case remains in pre-trial discovery. The defendant officers have asserted qualified immunity and filed a motion to dismiss, which is pending before the federal district court. No trial date has been set, and no criminal charges have been filed against the officers.

Whether Officer Kilgore and the other defendants employed unreasonable force and conducted an unlawful detention; whether the officers are entitled to qualified immunity; and whether the City of Birmingham bears municipal liability for inadequate training and supervision.

The incident and subsequent body camera footage sparked local protests in Birmingham and fueled national debates on police reform, racial profiling, and qualified immunity. Advocacy groups have cited the case as a critical example of systemic issues in law enforcement accountability.