"Qualified immunity" has been used to protect public officials, including law enforcement agents from being held legally accountable for their on-the-job actions. Damaso Reyes of the NY Amsterdam News on how this judge-created doctrine turns the law it is based on, on its head. Who qualifies for immunity and how has been reinterpreted to take away the citizen's right to sue officials.  The state of NM has just done away with it.