Anderson v. City of New York

657 F. Supp. 1571, 1987 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3256
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedApril 24, 1987
Docket84 CIV. 3214 (PKL)
StatusPublished
Cited by28 cases

This text of 657 F. Supp. 1571 (Anderson v. City of New York) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. New York 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 New York, 657 F. Supp. 1571, 1987 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3256 (S.D.N.Y. 1987).

Opinion

LEISURE, District Judge:

This case arises out of an incident which occurred during the 1982 strike of the Center for Problems of Living (the “Center”) by employees who were members of Union Local 1199. Plaintiff Allen Anderson, a nurse clinician at the Center, was arrested by officers of the New York Police Department (the “NYPD”) and charged with several criminal violations, which were subsequently dropped. Anderson brings this action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. §§ 1981, 1983, 1985, and 1988 for alleged deprivations of his civil rights secured by the First, Fourth, Fifth, Eighth, and 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution, and for pendent state claims. Specifically, plaintiff, a black male, claims that the physical violence, allegedly accompanying his arrest, as well as the arrest and prosecution itself, were manifestations of a policy of civil rights deprivations against racial minorities and those in minority neighborhoods. Plaintiff claims that the alleged policy was promulgated, implemented and enforced by the defendants: the officers involved in the arrest, other officers, superior officers, the former and current Police Commissioner, the Mayor of New York, the members of the Civilian Complaint Review Board (the “CCRB”), and the City of New York (the “City”). 1

*1573 The action is now before the Court on a motion for summary judgment and dismissal, advanced on behalf of all defendants, with the exception of the arresting officer, Officer Appel. For the reasons set forth below, defendants’ motion is granted with regard to all defendants, except those actually present at the scene of the incident.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

The following facts are developed from the virtually identical Local Rule 3(g) statements submitted by the parties to this motion. Plaintiff—a black male—was a nurse clinician at the Center. In or around September, 1982, employees of the Center, including plaintiff, went on strike; the work stoppage lasted several months. NYPD officers were assigned to strike detail to oversee the pickets. Prior to the incident of October 13, 1982, which forms the basis of this action, there were no arrests of strikers or violent incidents at the Center, within the time frame involved herein.

At approximately 5:30 p.m. on October 13, 1982, plaintiff was arrested by Officer Appel, who was assisted by Officer Miller and others. Plaintiff had never been arrested before. During the arrest, plaintiff sustained injuries which caused him to be transported from the 30th Precinct to Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, where he was treated and released back into police custody. Plaintiff was charged with Assault in the Second Degree, Riot in the First Degree, Resisting Arrest and Reckless Endangerment in the Second Degree. He was later released on bond. On February 10, 1983 all criminal charges against plaintiff were dropped.

A complaint was filed with the CCRB on behalf of Anderson, alleging police misconduct during the arrest. Although plaintiff was contacted by CCRB representatives twice, he declined to speak with CCRB investigators pending the conclusion of the criminal case against him. The CCRB investigation was closed, due to lack of victim cooperation, prior to the dismissal of charges, and was never reopened. No complaint was brought with the Internal Affairs Division of the NYPD.

The major area of disagreement between the parties concerns the actual events surrounding the arrest, which are not clearly described or substantively supported by either side; accordingly, these facts must be pieced together from the incomplete deposition transcripts submitted by the parties. Defendants allege that plaintiff was engaged in violent behavior directed against those crossing the picket line, Affidavit of Charlotte Biblow, Esq., sworn to on March 30, 1986 (“Biblow Aff.”), Exhibit F, attached thereto, at 7; that plaintiff struck Officer Appel when the officer asked him to stop, and that plaintiff resisted arrest. Affidavit of Richard J. Harvey, Esq., sworn to on March 30, 1986 (“Harvey Aff.”), Exhibit A, attached thereto, at 1. Defendants describe an arrest scene with outnumbered police officers and a mob of angry strikers hurling insults, obscenities and other more substantial objects. Id.

Plaintiff, on the other hand, alleges that he and other strikers were simply maintaining a presence at the strike site, id. Ex. B. at 1; Biblow Aff. Ex. F. at 2, when Officer Appel, unprovoked, pushed plaintiff, Bi-blow Aff. Ex. F. at 12, and threw him to the ground. Harvey Aff. Ex. A. at 1. Plaintiff claims Appel, Miller and other officers, then kicked and beat him while he was lying on the ground, id. at 3-4; Biblow Aff. Ex. G. at 2, arresting him. Plaintiff further claims that Sergeant Gunther and Detective Lewis either participated directly in the incident or had immediate command or supervision of the officers involved.

*1574 LEGAL DISCUSSION

A. Plaintiffs Four Theories of Liability

Plaintiff’s action is predicated upon four theories of liability, each relevant as to one or more of the defendants. 2 Plaintiff first argues that this incident is not merely an isolated act by an individual police officer, or group of police officers, but rather is reflective of a general policy of racially motivated discrimination, hostility, and violence on the part of the City and the other defendants. P. Memo, at 4. Second, plaintiff claims that the incident resulted from inadequate training of the officers involved. Plaintiff’s third theory of liability is that his arrest and injury resulted from inadequate and ineffective supervision of the officers involved in the arrest. P. Memo, at 6. Finally, plaintiff asserts that failure to discipline the officers, and others who commit such acts, indicates that a discriminatory policy exists and that this policy caused the behavior which violated plaintiff’s civil rights. P. Memo, at 7.

1. General City Policy of Racially Motivated Discrimination, Hostility and Violence

To hold a municipality liable under plaintiff’s first theory, plaintiff must prove the municipality caused, in some meaningful sense, the harm suffered. Generally, this requires that “the action that is alleged to be unconstitutional implements or executes a policy statement, ordinance, regulation, or decision officially adopted and promulgated____” Monnel, supra, 436 U.S. at 690, 98 S.Ct. at 2035; Oliveri v. Thompson, 803 F.2d 1265, 1279 (2d Cir. 1986); Raysor v. Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, 768 F.2d 34, 38 (2d Cir.1985), cert. denied, — U.S.-, 106 S.Ct. 1227, 89 L.Ed.2d 337 (1986); Dunton v. County of Suffolk,

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Bluebook (online)
657 F. Supp. 1571, 1987 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3256, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/anderson-v-city-of-new-york-nysd-1987.