Three years ago, the Fifth Circuit Appeals Court somehow arrived at the conclusion that tasing someone soaked in gasoline — an act of escalation that not only killed the suicidal person officers were supposed to rescuing but also burned the entire residence to the ground — was not excessive force. It was supposedly justified by the gasoline-soaked man’s threats that he would burn himself and the house down if officers kept advancing on him.

“Stay back, or I’ll burn myself and the building!”

“Nuh-uh! I’M going to do that!!!”