Stanley v. City of Sanford

On June 20, 2025, Michael Stanley, a 27-year-old African American motorist, was fatally shot by Sanford Police Officer David Miller during a traffic stop. Miller claimed Stanley reached for a weapon, but no firearm was found. Patricia Stanley, the victim’s mother, filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Sanford and Officer Miller, alleging excessive force, racial profiling, and municipal liability for tolerating unconstitutional policing. The release of body-camera footage sparked widespread protests and intensified national calls for police accountability. The case quickly became a focal point in the ongoing debate over law enforcement reform and racial justice.

In May 2026, the City of Sanford agreed to a $5.2 million settlement with the Stanley family and committed to implementing mandatory de-escalation training, revised use-of-force policies, and enhanced body-camera transparency. Officer Miller was terminated and faced pending criminal charges for manslaughter.

Whether Officer Miller’s use of deadly force was objectively unreasonable, and whether the City of Sanford maintained a policy or custom of condoning excessive force, thereby incurring municipal liability under Section 1983.

The shooting and subsequent settlement reignited national discourse on police reform. It prompted the U.S. Department of Justice to open a pattern-or-practice investigation into the Sanford Police Department and accelerated the passage of statewide body-camera transparency legislation in Florida. The case is widely cited as a catalyst for municipal policy changes across the country.