Hills v. Pickens County, Alabama

On June 22, 2023, Marcus Hills, a 34-year-old Black man, was fatally shot by a Pickens County sheriff's deputy during a traffic stop in Carrollton, Alabama. The deputy claimed Hills reached for a weapon, but body camera footage allegedly showed he was unarmed. His family filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Pickens County and the deputy, alleging excessive force, wrongful death, and racial bias. The case sparked protests and calls for greater police transparency in rural Alabama.

In 2024, Pickens County agreed to a $4.5 million settlement with the Hills family without admitting liability. The involved deputy resigned and was not criminally charged.

Whether the deputy used excessive force in violation of the Fourth Amendment; whether the county failed to properly train and supervise its officers; and whether the shooting was racially motivated.

The case intensified scrutiny on policing practices in small Alabama counties, leading to a new county policy mandating the use of body-worn cameras and de-escalation training.