Cheryl Wenzel, et al. v. Estate of James Franklin Perry, et al.

The Seventh Circuit reversed a grant of qualified immunity to two Milwaukee County jail nurses on a claim that they violated the constitutional rights of a City of Milwaukee arrestee. In determining whether the right was “clearly established,” the court of appeals thought it sufficient that the Fourth Amendment has been held to require officials to respond reasonably to an arrestee’s serious medical needs. This case, one of a series from that court, presents the following question: Whether the court of appeals defined the constitutional right in question at too high a level of generality, directly contrary to this Court’s teachings on qualified immunity? (i)