Amaral v. City of San Diego

District Court, S.D. California·Decided March 31, 2021·No. 3:17-cv-02409·Unknown

Opinion

MARCO AMARAL, an individual, Case No.: 3:17-cv-2409-L-LL

Plaintiff,

v. ORDER ON DEFENDANTS’ MOTION FOR SUMMARY CITY OF SAN DIEGO, et al., JUDGMENT (DOC. NO. 42) Defendants. Pending before the Court in this civil rights and tort lawsuit is Defendants City of San Diego and Jeffrey Williams’ (collectively, “Defendants”) motion for summary judgment. (Doc. No. 42). Plaintiff filed an opposition and Defendants responded. (Doc. Nos. 43 and 45). The parties also filed a joint statement of undisputed material facts. (Doc. No. 44). The Court decides the matter on the papers submitted and without oral argument. See Civ. L. R. 7.1. For the reasons stated below, the Court grants the motion as to the federal claims. The remaining state law claims are dismissed without prejudice. This case relates to a protest. On the evening of November 9, 2016, protesters marched in downtown San Diego. (Doc. No. 44, Joint Statement of Undisputed Facts (“Stat.”) at ¶ 1). Plaintiff attended the protest. (Id. at ¶ 2). Police officers from the City of San Diego, including Williams, were at the protest to provide for the protesters’ safety. (Id. at ¶ 3). Williams was on a bike team in the area. (Id. at ¶ 4). Around 8:20 p.m. – after protesters started to set fires near the federal buildings downtown – an order for an unlawful assembly was given. (Id. at ¶ 5). Around 8:38 p.m., about 20 minutes after the dispersal order, Williams received a radio transmission that there was a disturbance around 11th Avenue and C Street. (Id. at ¶ 7). The transmission also stated individuals might attempt to go onto the highway. (Id.) As Williams approached the area, Plaintiff was in a parking lot at the intersection at 11th Avenue and C Street. (Id. at ¶ 9). Plaintiff was approaching police officers who were arresting individuals in the parking lot. (Id. at ¶ 10). Williams used a maneuver to take Plaintiff to the ground. (Id. at ¶ 13). Williams testified that he threw his forearms into Plaintiff’s mid-back and then wrapped his arms around Plaintiff’s waist. (Id.) Williams did not fall to the ground. (Id. at ¶ 15). He moved his hands to the back of Plaintiff’s head and commanded him to stop resisting. (Id. at ¶ 17). After he was handcuffed and placed on his right side, Williams and another officer helped Plaintiff get up and walk to a police car. (Id. at ¶¶ 21 and 23). Plaintiff did not request medical attention or paramedics while in Williams’ presence. (Id. at ¶ 26). Eventually, after Williams was back at the police line, Plaintiff asked the other officer for a paramedic. (Id. at ¶¶ 27 and 35). Williams – once informed of that request – instructed the officer to release Plaintiff to the paramedics. (Id. at ¶ 35). Plaintiff’s time in custody – from the contact with Williams to the release – lasted about 37 minutes. (Id. at ¶ 37). On November 30, 2017, Plaintiff filed his lawsuit against Defendants. He asserts nine claims against them: (1) Fourth Amendment violation under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for an unlawful stop and detention against Williams; (2) Fourth Amendment violation under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for excessive force against Williams; (3) Fourth Amendment violation under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for an unlawful arrest against Williams; (4) Fourth Amendment violation under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for false imprisonment against Williams; (5) assault against Williams; (6) battery against Williams; (7) intentional infliction of emotional distress against Williams; (8) negligence against Williams; and (9) violations of the Bane Act against Defendants. (See Doc. No. 26, First Amended Complaint). Defendants now move for summary judgment on all nine claims. (See Doc. No. 42, Motion for Summary Judgment (“MSJ”)). Summary judgment is appropriate where the record, taken in the light most favorable to the opposing party, indicates “that there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(a); see Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 247-48 (1986) (explaining the standard); Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322-324 (1986). To meet their burden, the moving party must present evidence that negates an essential element of the opposing party's case or show that the opposing party does not have evidence necessary to support its case. See Celotex, 477 U.S. at 322-23; Nissan Fire & Marine Ins. Co., Ltd. v. Fritz Companies, Inc., 210 F.3d 1099, 1105-06 (9th Cir. 2000). If the moving party meets this burden, the opposing party must support its opposition by producing evidence in support its claim. Celotex Corp., 477 U.S. at 324; Nissan Fire & Marine Ins., 210 F.3d at 1103. The opposing party cannot defeat summary judgment merely by demonstrating “that there is some metaphysical doubt as to the material facts.” Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co. v. Zenith Radio Corp., 475 U.S. 574, 586 (1986); see also Triton Energy Corp. v. Square D Co., 68 F.3d 1216, 1221 (9th Cir. 1995) (“The mere existence of a scintilla of evidence in support of the nonmoving party's position is not sufficient.”) (internal citation omitted). A fact is material when, under the substantive law, it could affect the outcome of the case. Anderson, 477 U.S. at 248. A dispute about a material fact is genuine if “the evidence is such that a reasonable jury could return a verdict for the nonmoving party.” Id. When ruling on a motion for summary judgment, courts must view all inferences from the underlying facts in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party. See Matsushita, 475 U.S. at 587. And courts must not make credibility determinations or weigh evidence. Anderson, 477 U.S. at 255. “The district court may limit its review to the documents submitted for the purpose of summary judgment and those parts of the record specifically referenced therein.” Carmen v. San Francisco Unified Sch. Dist., 237 F.3d 1026, 1030 (9th Cir. 2001). Therefore, courts are not obligated “to scour the record in search of a genuine issue of triable fact.” Keenan v. Allen, 91 F.3d 1275, 1279 (9th Cir. 1996). “When opposing parties tell two different stories, one of which is blatantly contradicted by the record, so that no reasonable jury could believe it, a court should not adopt that version of the facts for purposes of ruling on a motion for summary judgment.” Scott v. Harris, 550 U.S. 372, 380 (2007) (court “should have viewed the facts in the light depicted by the videotape.”) “The mere existence of video footage of the incident does not foreclose a genuine factual dispute as to the reasonable inferences that can be drawn from that footage.” Vos v. City of Newport Beach, 892 F.3d 1024, 1028 (9th Cir. 2018). Unlawful Arrest Claim Plaintiff asserts a Fourth Amendment claim under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against Williams for an unlawful arrest. Williams argues he is entitled to summary judgment on the claim because prob

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