What was the issue in case 424 US 409?

Answer 1

Imbler v. Pachtman, 424 US 409 (1976)

Imbler, a convicted murderer, unsuccessfully petitioned the State of California for a writ of habeas corpus seeking release from prison on the grounds that Pachtman, the state prosecuting attorney, had "knowingly used false testimony and suppressed material evidence at [the] petitioner's [criminal] trial."

Failing in the State courts, the petitioner filed a writ of habeas corpus in federal court and was granted release. He then brought suit against Pachtman, personally, under federal code 42 USC § 1983 seeking damages for loss of liberty and deprivation of his constitutional rights.

The Court held that the federal code should be read "in harmony with general principles of tort immunities and defenses, rather than in derogation of them," giving the a State prosecuting attorney who acts within the scope of his duties in initiating and pursuing criminal prosecution against a defendant "[absolute immunity] from a civil suit for damages under § 1983 for alleged deprivations of the accused's constitutional rights."

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