Federal Judge Makes Insane Ruling, Say Cops ‘Reasonably’ Killed An Innocent Man At The Wrong House

A federal judge has ruled that police officers who mistakenly arrived at the wrong address and killed a homeowner within seconds did not violate the Constitution. Despite recognizing sloppy policework, the court concluded the deadly force was legally justified.

Key Facts:

  • Three Farmington, New Mexico police officers mistakenly went to 5305 Valley View Avenue instead of the intended 5308 address in April 2023.
  • Robert Dotson, 52, was shot dead by police after answering his door with a firearm in hand, not knowing who was outside.
  • U.S. District Judge Matthew Garcia ruled that the officers’ actions were reasonable under the circumstances and did not violate Dotson’s Fourth Amendment rights.
  • The officers laughed and discussed the address error before the shooting but did not disclose the mistake to investigators.
  • Dotson’s wife was also shot at and later detained without being informed her husband had been killed.

The Rest of The Story:

Just before midnight, three Farmington police officers responded to a domestic violence call.

They were supposed to go to 5308 Valley View Avenue. Instead, they arrived at 5305—Robert Dotson’s home.

Officer Wasson used his patrol car’s computer to find the house but chose the wrong side of the street.

Officer Goodluck correctly identified the address using Google Maps but remained silent, deferring to Wasson’s seniority.

When they reached Dotson’s home, Wasson knocked three times.

Goodluck finally questioned the location, realizing they were likely at the wrong address.

Still, the officers continued, and Wasson called dispatch to confirm the address, joking about being wrong. The officers laughed about the confusion.

Dotson and his wife, upstairs at the time, heard faint knocking.

Unaware of who was outside and unable to hear the police identify themselves, Dotson retrieved his firearm.

He opened the door, was hit with bright flashlights, and was shot 12 times by the officers.

His wife, Kimberly, ran downstairs, fired outside in panic, and was met with 19 more shots.

She wasn’t hit.

The officers then finally announced they were police.

Kimberly, still unaware of who shot her husband, asked for help.

She only learned her husband was dead after eight hours in custody.

The officers didn’t initially report they went to the wrong house.

Other officers discovered the address error later.

Judge Garcia acknowledged poor policework but defended the officers’ belief that Dotson was a threat.

He said they had just two seconds to react once the door opened.

Garcia ruled the error didn’t affect the legality of the deadly force used.

Commentary:

This ruling is a disgrace.

A man is dead because of lazy, reckless police behavior.

The officers had the correct address in hand but ignored it.

They made jokes and deferred to one another rather than verify critical information.

This wasn’t a split-second mistake—it was a cascading failure from beginning to end.

They knew they were at the wrong address and kept going.

Dotson was in his own home, trying to protect his family.

And within two seconds of opening the door, he was gunned down.

What happened to announcing themselves properly?

What happened to backing off when you realize you’re wrong?

These men had no business being in law enforcement.

Their casual attitude cost an innocent man his life.

Their cover-up attempt—failing to admit they were at the wrong house—makes it worse.

And the judge’s ruling only enables more of this behavior.

We hope Dotson’s family sues the city into the ground.

The officers should be fired and jailed.

They deserve to live with the consequences of their callous incompetence.

The Bottom Line:

Police mistakenly went to the wrong house and killed an innocent man within seconds.

Despite clear negligence, a judge ruled the shooting was justified under the Fourth Amendment.

Dotson’s widow was also shot at and detained without explanation.

The family is pursuing additional claims under New Mexico state law.

Sign Up For The TFPP Wire Newsletter

By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. You may opt out at any time.

Read Next

Trump Administration Slams Judge Who Blocked Deportation of Convicted Felons, Including Sexual Assault of Disabled Woman

RFK Jr’s Highly Anticipated MAHA Report Drops And What They Found Is Even Worse Than We Expected

Proposed New Law Would Block Foreign Adversaries Trying to Buy US Real Estate

Tariffs Trigger Reshoring Boom: 90% of U.S. Companies Shifting Production Back Home

Jill Biden Accused of Elder Abuse By Washington Post Columnist