Acre v. Chambers

129 F. Supp. 3d 1295, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 118971, 2015 WL 5234712
CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Alabama
DecidedSeptember 8, 2015
DocketCivil Act. No. 2:14cv211-CSC (WO)
StatusPublished

This text of 129 F. Supp. 3d 1295 (Acre v. Chambers) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. Alabama primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Acre v. Chambers, 129 F. Supp. 3d 1295, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 118971, 2015 WL 5234712 (M.D. Ala. 2015).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION and ORDER

CHARLES S. COODY, United States Magistrate Judge.

I. INTRODUCTION

Plaintiffs Lindsay Acre (“Lindsay”) and Robert Morris, as the personal representative of the ^Estate of Jeremy Acre (“Jeremy”), allege that defendant police officers, Jason Chambers (“Chambers”) and Al Cox (“Cox”), used excessive force when they entered the Acre home without legal justification on March 19, 2013, and shot and killed Lindsay’s husband, Jeremy. Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(c)(1) and M.D.Ala. LR 73.1, the parties have consented to a [1298]*1298United States Magistrate Judge conducting all proceedings in this case and ordering the entry of final judgment.

This case is now pending before the court on the parties’ motions for summary judgment. See Docs. #70 & 84. The court heard oral argument on the motions on June 9, 2015. After careful consideration of the motions, evidence and arguments in support of and in opposition to the motions for summary judgment, the court concludes that the plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment (doc. # 70) is due to be denied, and the defendants’ motion (doc. # 84) is due to be granted.

II. THE SUMMARY JUDGMENT STANDARD

“Summary judgment is appropriate ‘if the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show there is no genuine [dispute]1 as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.’ ” Greenberg v. BellSouth Telecomm., Inc., 498 F.3d 1258, 1263 (11th Cir.2007) (per curiam) (citation omitted); Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c) (Summary judgment “should be rendered if the pleadings, the discovery and disclosure materials on file, and any affidavits show that there is no genuine [dispute] as to any material fact and that the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.”). The parties moving for summary judgment “always bear[] the initial responsibility of informing the district court of the basis for [their] motion, and identifying those portions of the [record, including pleadings, discovery materials and affidavits], which it believes demonstrate the absence of a genuine [dispute] of material fact.” Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 323, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986). The movants may meet this burden by presenting evidence which would be admissible at trial indicating there is no dispute of material fact or by showing that the nonmoving parties have failed to present evidence in support of some element of their case on which they bear the ultimate burden of proof. Id. at 322-324, 106 S.Ct. 2548.

Once the defendants meet their evidentiary burden and demonstrate the absence of á genuine dispute of material fact, the burden shifts to the plaintiffs to establish, with appropriate evidence beyond the pleadings, that a genuine dispute material to their case exists. Clark v. Coats & Clark, Inc., 929 F.2d 604, 608 (11th Cir.1991); Celotex, 477 U.S. at 324, 106 S.Ct. 2548; Fed.R.CivP. 56(e)(2) (“When a motion for summary judgment is properly made and supported, an opposing party may not rely merely on allegations or denials in its own pleading; rather, its response must ... set out specific facts showing a genuine [dispute] for trial.”). A genuine dispute of material fact exists when the nonmoving parties produce evidence that would allow a reasonable fact-finder to return a verdict in their favor. Greenberg, 498 F.3d at 1263.

To survive the defendants’ properly supported motion for summary judgment, the plaintiffs are required to produce “sufficient [favorable] evidence” establishing a violation of law. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 249, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). “If the evidence [on which the nonmovihg parties rely] is merely colorable ...' or is not significantly probative ... summary judgment may be granted.” Id. at 249-250, 106 S.Ct. 2505. “A mere ‘scintilla’ of evidence supporting the opposing party’s position will not suf[1299]*1299fice; there must be enough of a showing that the [trier of fact] could reasonably find for that party.” Walker v. Darby, 911 F.2d 1573, 1576-1577 (11th Cir.1990) quoting Anderson, supra. Hence, when the plaintiffs fail, to set forth specific facts supported by appropriate evidence sufficient to establish the existence of an element essential to their case and on which the plaintiffs will bear the burden of proof at trial, summary judgment is due to be granted in favor of the moving party. Celotex, 477 U.S. at 322, 106 S.Ct. 2548 (“[F]ailure of proof concerning an essential element of the nonmoving party’s case necessarily renders all other facts immaterial.”).

For summary judgment purposes, oniy disputes involving material facts are relevant. United States v. One Piece of Real Prop. Located at 5800 SW 74th Ave., Miami, Fla., 363 F.3d 1099, 1101 (11th Cir.2004): What is material is determined by the substantive law applicable to the case. Anderson, 477 U.S. at 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505; Lofton v. Sec’y of Dep’t of Children & Family Servs., 358 F.3d 804, 809 (11th Cir.2004) (“Only factual disputes that are material under the substantive law governing the case will preclude entry of summary judgment.”). “The mere existence of some factual dispute will not defeat summary judgment unless that factual dispute is material to an issue affecting the outcome of the case.” McCormick v. City of Fort Lauderdale, 333 F.3d 1234, 1243 (11th Cir.2003) (citation omitted). To demonstrate a genuine dispute of material fact, the party opposing summary judgment “must do more than, simply show that there is some metaphysical doubt as to the material facts.Where the record taken as a whole could not lead a rational trier of fact to find for the nonmoving party, there is no ‘genuine [dispute] for trial.’ ” Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co, Ltd. v. Zenith Radio Corp., 475 U.S. 574, 587, 106 S.Ct. 1348, 89 L.Ed.2d 538 (1986).

III. FACTS2

Lindsay and Jeremy were high school and college sweethearts who subsequently married and had two children. (Doc. # 70, Ex. E & Doc. #86, Ex. Al at 18-19).3 Prior to 2013, the marriage was stressed at times due to finances and Lindsay’s relationship with her parents. (Id. at 20-21, 23-25, 27, 30, 35-36).

The tragic events that culminated in Jeremy’s death on March 19, 2013 began much earlier. On February 17, 2013, Jeremy discovered that Lindsay had engaged in an extra-marital affair. When Lindsay confessed to having the affair, Jeremy became angry, and they argued. (Id. at 66).

[1300]*1300A.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Kim D. Lee v. Luis Ferraro
284 F.3d 1188 (Eleventh Circuit, 2002)
United States v. Robert Dale Holloway
290 F.3d 1331 (Eleventh Circuit, 2002)
Terri Vinyard v. Steve Wilson
311 F.3d 1340 (Eleventh Circuit, 2002)
William J. Crosby v. Monroe County
394 F.3d 1328 (Eleventh Circuit, 2004)
Greenberg v. BellSouth Telecommunications, Inc.
498 F.3d 1258 (Eleventh Circuit, 2007)
Johnson v. United States
333 U.S. 10 (Supreme Court, 1948)
Silverman v. United States
365 U.S. 505 (Supreme Court, 1961)
Warden, Maryland Penitentiary v. Hayden
387 U.S. 294 (Supreme Court, 1967)
Katz v. United States
389 U.S. 347 (Supreme Court, 1967)
Terry v. Ohio
392 U.S. 1 (Supreme Court, 1968)
Mincey v. Arizona
437 U.S. 385 (Supreme Court, 1978)
Payton v. New York
445 U.S. 573 (Supreme Court, 1980)
United States v. Mendenhall
446 U.S. 544 (Supreme Court, 1980)
Harlow v. Fitzgerald
457 U.S. 800 (Supreme Court, 1982)
Welsh v. Wisconsin
466 U.S. 740 (Supreme Court, 1984)
Tennessee v. Garner
471 U.S. 1 (Supreme Court, 1985)
Malley v. Briggs
475 U.S. 335 (Supreme Court, 1986)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
129 F. Supp. 3d 1295, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 118971, 2015 WL 5234712, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/acre-v-chambers-almd-2015.