In 1996 The Supreme Courts of The Unite states made a decision in the Jaffee Vs. Redmond case. The issue was rather or not psychotherapist-patient privilege was recognized under Rule 501 of the Federal Rules of Evidence for police officers and licensed social workers and rather they were protected from compelled disclosure. The facts of the case were the defendant who was a police officer (Mary Lu Redmond) shot and killed a subject in self defense of another person. The subject at the time was attempting to stab another person. The subject was killed and the subject’s family (Jaffee) brought a suit against the officer. The officer sought counseling from a licensed clinical social worker after the shooting (Karen Beyer). The plaintiff’s sought to obtain any information and contents of the counseling. The defendant refused to give the information or content of his counseling citing psychotherapies-patient privilege. The first jury found in favor of the plaintiff but the Seventh Circuit reversed the finding. The plaintiff then sought review from The Supreme Court.…show more content… Beyer and the police officer were withholding information because this information may reflect poorly on the officers. The federal judge went so far as to instruct the jury that they should assume that this information was withheld in order to conceal information that could reflect poorly on the officer. The jury found for Jaffees’s family and against the officer. What Justice Scalia’s and the federal judge did not take into consideration was the officer was a private person and did not want her private details of her life released publically so everyone could read about them. They also did not take in consideration on what psychological issues this may create for the officer if this information was released to the public (Beyer, 2000). Justice Scalia’s did not have any concerns on what psychological issues this would create for the police
