Anderson v. City of Hopkins

805 F. Supp. 2d 712, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 32483, 2011 WL 1188915
CourtDistrict Court, D. Minnesota
DecidedMarch 28, 2011
DocketCivil No. 09-1912 (JRT/JJK)
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 805 F. Supp. 2d 712 (Anderson v. City of Hopkins) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Minnesota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Anderson v. City of Hopkins, 805 F. Supp. 2d 712, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 32483, 2011 WL 1188915 (mnd 2011).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER ON DEFENDANTS’ MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

JOHN R. TUNHEIM, District Judge.

Plaintiff Ronald Anderson brought a claim against the Hopkins Police Department, the City of Hopkins, and various Hopkins police officers (collectively, “defendants”), for injuries allegedly sustained during the officers’ intervention and prevention of Anderson’s attempted suicide. Anderson claims that he was injured both when he was “tackled,” and after he was handcuffed and pulled to his feet. Defendants move for summary judgment arguing the officers’ actions were reasonable, did not constitute excessive force, and did not violate Anderson’s constitutional rights. Because the Court finds that qualified and official immunity do not apply to Officer Kreiling, the Court grants in part, and denies in part the motion, and dismisses the Hopkins Police Department, Officers Pilón, Hill, Jane Doe, and Richard Roe as defendants.

BACKGROUND

On July 23, 2008, Anderson called 911 and said a “suicide [is] in progress.” (Tr. of Recorded Proceedings 2:2, Aff. of Andrea B. Wing Ex. A, dep. ex. 3, Docket No. 15.) During the call, Anderson said:

[I]’m going to slit my throat here in a minute.... They don’t fucking believe what I’m going to do to myself, and before the guy gets in the fucking door, he’s going to see one bleeding son-of-a-bitch.... I’m cutting my throat.... I know how to do it.... I’m dying tonight, all right?.... The only reason I’m making this fucking phone call is so my fucking daughter don’t find me with my throat cut.... I don’t want her to find me with my fucking throat cut.... Before you boys get here, I’m going to be dead. Good-bye....

[717]*717(Id. at 2-8.) Nichole L. Fernandez was the Public Safety Dispatcher who answered Anderson’s call. On July 9, two weeks prior to the July 23 call, Fernandez spoke to Anderson when he called 911 complaining of pain. Anderson told Fernandez that he needed additional treatment for pain, and was afraid he might hurt himself, but did not have a plan. Fernandez says “it was clear that the purpose of the [July 9] call was much more focused around complaining about and getting treatment for his pain.” (Aff. of Nichole L. Fernandez ¶ 3, Docket No. 19.) Fernandez noted that the “July 23, 2008 call was very different. Mr. Anderson immediately declared a suicide was in progress ... he seemed genuinely concerned about the possibility of his daughter finding him dead.” (Id. ¶ 4.) Fernandez testified that Anderson sounded convicted about committing suicide, had a plan for how to do it and the manner, which was unusual and more violent than other threats she had heard from him. Anderson stayed on the phone with the dispatcher until the police officers arrived. The 911 call transcript recorded the following exchange between Anderson and Officer Kreiling:

Anderson: [SJomebody is knocking at the door. You guys — fuckers are going to knock.... Come on in
Kreiling: Step out of the kitchen Ron. Do it now. Step out of the kitchen.
Anderson: I’m going to cut my fucking throat....
Kreiling: No you’re not.
Anderson: Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow ... do you know how bad you just hurt me?
Kreiling: Where do you hurt, Ron?
Anderson: Oh, my shoulder
Kreiling: Okay. Next time you’re going to (inaudible).

(Tr. of Recorded Proceedings 8:16-9:9.) Kreiling testified in his deposition that he said “Next time you are going to listen to a police officer.” (Dep. of Craig Kreiling (“Kreiling Dep.”) 52:1-14., Wing Aff. Ex. A.) Kreiling was also carrying a Taser gun, which he drew prior to entering Anderson’s apartment. The Taser has a video camera on the handgrip that is activated when turned on. A transcript of the recording made from the video camera records more of the dialogue between Kreiling and Anderson:

Kreiling: Ron, it’s the police department. I need you to come to the door right now. Ron. Step out of the kitchen, Ron. Do it now. Step out of the kitchen.
Anderson: I’m going to cut my fucking throat....

(Tr. of Recorded Proceedings 10:20-25.)

Kreiling testified that “he did not want Mr. Anderson in the kitchen area due to the report he was going to slit his throat and knives are present in most kitchens.” (Kreiling Aff. ¶ 4, Docket No. 18.) Kreiling stated that Anderson ignored his commands and continued to walk into the kitchen where Kreiling could not see him. Kreiling “decided not to use [his] Taser due to the possibility it may not have enough of an effect to prevent Mr. Anderson from reaching the kitchen table.” (Id. ¶ 5.) He describes his “take down” of Anderson as follows:

With my Taser still in my right hand, I grabbed Mr. Anderson’s left wrist with my left hand and put pressure on his upper left arm with my right forearm and forced him to the ground. During the maneuver Mr. Anderson struck his head and right side of his body on the north countertop of the galley kitchen.... While handcuffing Mr. Anderson, I smelled a strong odor of alcohol coming from his breath and person .... I believe he was intoxicated.... I never put a knee on Mr. Anderson’s back.

[718]*718(Id. ¶ 5-6.) In his deposition, Kreiling described his comment that “next time” Anderson would listen to a police officer as “sarcastic.” (Kreiling Dep. 52:15-19.)

Kreiling testified that after he checked Anderson for weapons, “I rolled Anderson on to his side and sat him up on the kitchen floor. I had Mr. Anderson bend his left leg at the knee and Officer Pilón and I rolled him to his feet.” (Id. ¶ 10.) A Hennepin County Medical Center (“HCMC”) ambulance crew arrived and assessed Anderson, determining that he did not need emergency medical treatment. Kreiling stated that “at no time during our entire interaction was Mr. Anderson lifted by his arms.” (Id. ¶ 16.)

At HCMC, Anderson was diagnosed with a fracture through the humerical surgical neck and impaction of the shaft into the femoral head. A doctor found degenerative changes present at the acromion and at the biceps tendon insertion, and a fracture of the femoral head. (Radiology Report, Aff. of Gregory S. Bachmeier Ex. D, Docket No. 24.) Anderson’s discharge summary noted that he had “Left 6th-9th ribs fracture in struggle with police” and that he was in alcohol withdrawal after being intoxicated. (Discharge Summary, Bachmeier Aff. Ex. E.)

On September 8, 2008, Anderson underwent surgery for his right arm. In a letter, Anderson’s surgeon, Dr. Robert Wengler, said that of the two possible causes of the arm fracture, he found it plausible that the fracture occurred from a situation like the one Anderson described, where he was jerked up from the floor with his hands cuffed behind his back.1 (Letter from Dr. Robert Wengler, Bachmeier Aff. Ex. H.)

Defendants’ medical expert, Dr. Gary Wyard, reviewed Anderson’s extensive medical history, and stated that the records revealed Anderson had pre-existing neck pain and a torn, unrepaired right rotator cuff, which injury occurred in 2005. (Wyard Expert Report (“Wyard Rep.”) at 11, Wing Aff. Ex.

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Bluebook (online)
805 F. Supp. 2d 712, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 32483, 2011 WL 1188915, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/anderson-v-city-of-hopkins-mnd-2011.