Arnold v. City of Fort Wayne

210 F. Supp. 3d 1055, 2016 WL 5409052, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 133177
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Indiana
DecidedSeptember 28, 2016
DocketNo. 1:14 CV 71
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 210 F. Supp. 3d 1055 (Arnold v. City of Fort Wayne) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Indiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Arnold v. City of Fort Wayne, 210 F. Supp. 3d 1055, 2016 WL 5409052, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 133177 (N.D. Ind. 2016).

Opinion

OPINION and ORDER

Judge James T. Moody, United States District Judge

Plaintiff Newton Arnold alleges violations of his civil rights arising out of a traffic stop which culminated in the seizure of more than $11,000 in cash. (DE # 12.) He brings this case against defendant police officers Mark Brown, John Drummer, and Sonia Atienzo as well as the City of Fort Wayne. Defendants have moved for summary judgment on all of plaintiffs claims. (DE #24.) Plaintiff has filed a response (DE #26), and defendants have filed a reply (DE # 29.) For the following reasons, defendants’ motion for summary judgment is granted in part and denied in part. Defendants have also filed a related motion to strike pursuant to Rule 56. (DE # 30.) That motion is denied as moot.

I. FACTS AND BACKGROUND

In the summary that follows, the court refers only to undisputed facts, or, if there is a dispute, notes that it exists and relies on the version of the fact, or inference therefrom, that is most favorable to plaintiff. This summary provides an overview. Additional undisputed facts will be referred to in the analysis that follows.

On May 9, 2012, officers of the Fort Wayne Police Department were conducting surveillance of a residence at 1328 Scott Street in Fort Wayne, Indiana (“Scott Street”). (DE # 24-2 at 1; DE 24-1 at 1-2.) The surveillance operation was initiated in response to a tip that officer Darrick Engelman (“Engelman”) had received from a confidential informant (“Cl”). (DE # 24-1 at 1.) According to the Cl, a man named Felton Walker (‘Walk[1059]*1059er”) resided at Scott Street and was arranging a large narcotics transaction. (Id.) Specifically, the Cl related that Walker was hosting two out-of-town cocaine distributors and he was attempting to raise money from his cocaine distribution network to purchase several kilograms of cocaine. (Id.)

The Cl gave detailed information about the vehicles belonging to Felton and the distributors, noting that Felton drove a black Toyota Camry while the distributors would arrive in a large, silver SUV with Nevada plates. (Id. at 2.) He further indicated that once Felton had raised the money he would follow the distributors to a nearby site where he would pick up the cocaine before returning to Scott Street to divvy it up among his network. (Id.)

Based on this information, Engelman and other detectives began their surveillance of Scott Street. (Id.) During their surveillance the detectives observed traffic in and out of Scott Street that they believed was consistent with narcotics trafficking. (Id. at 2-3.) Engelman was also able to identify Felton on the premises. (Id. at 3.) Later, Engelman’s partner, Detective Strayer reported that a van occupied by three men arrived at Scott Street. (Id.) The three men entered the residence and stayed for a few minutes before leaving. (Id.) Engelman heard over the radio that Strayer followed the van and that it was stopped for a traffic infraction and the occupants were identified. (Id.) Engelman learned that each of the three individuals “had prior involvements with narcotics possession or trafficking” (Id.), but otherwise there was no indication that the three individuals were involved in any illegal activity.

Shortly thereafter, Engelman observed plaintiff Newton Arnold (“Arnold”), arrive at Scott Street in a black Cadillac with Peronica Hambright (“Hambright”). (Id. at 4.) Engelman watched as Arnold accessed the rear of the vehicle and apparently placed a large object underneath his jacket before he knocked on the door and entered Scott Street. (Id.) About five minutes later, Arnold returned to his car and appeared to be holding something in his groin area, which, in Engelman’s training and experience, was suggestive of narcotics activity. (Id.) With Hambright now driving, Arnold left Scott Street, where Engelman remained on surveillance. (Id.)

Arnold’s car was next observed by defendant officer Mark Brown (“Brown”). (DE # 24-2 at 1.) Brown was aware that Scott Street was under narcotics surveillance and was informed by the surveillance detectives that Arnold’s car had recently departed the residence. (Id. 1-2.) He further states that he “was informed over the radio that the Cadillac was observed traveling 38 miles per hour in a posted 30 mile per hour zone.” (Id. at 2.) Arnold, for his part, disputes that Hambright was speeding while he was a passenger in the car that day. (DE # 26-1 at 2.) At that point, Brown stopped the vehicle for speeding. (DE #24-2 at 2.) When he initially approached the vehicle, Brown observed that Arnold appeared to be visibly nervous. (Id.)

During the stop, defendant officer John Drummer (“Drummer”), a canine handler, arrived on scene with his police dog, Bodo (“K9 Bodo”). (DE # 24-3 at 1.) Drummer, with K9 Bodo, commenced a drug sniff of the exterior of Arnold’s car. (Id.) The parties disagree about what happened next.

Arnold states that he watched as Drummer guided the dog around the car two times and that the dog did not alert at any point. (DE # 26-1 at 2.) After the search he says that Drummer put K9 Bodo back in the squad car. (Id.) A short time later, Arnold states that Drummer came back to the vehicle to return the occupants’ identification and insurance information. (Id.) [1060]*1060Drummer then said “slow down and have a nice day. Ya’ll are free to go,” but then quickly asked Hambright if he could search the vehicle. (Id.) Hambright demurred that the car belonged to Arnold, and when Drummer asked Arnold, he responded “No—your dog didn’t alert!” (Id.) Drummer responded by saying “you don’t tell me how my dog alerts” and then continued to ask permission to search the vehicle. (Id.) Arnold repeatedly refused these requests until Drummer put his hands on his service weapon and ordered Arnold out of the car. (Id.)

The officers’ version of the search varies slightly. Drummer states that he guided K9 Bodo around the car one time before he turned to do another pass. (DE # 24-3 at 1-2.) Near the passenger door (where Arnold was seated) Drummer states that K9 Bodo’s head “snapped back,” giving “several long sniffs” while his “tail went up” (Id.) K9 Bodo then continued on to sniff the rest of the exterior of the car. (Id.)

Drummer states that at this point he states that he informed Brown of the “finding.” (Id.) Here Brown states that he returned to the vehicle and returned the identification to Hambright and told her to watch her speed. (DE #24-2 at 2.) He then states that he stepped back towards his vehicle before pausing to ask Ham-bright if there was anything illegal in the car. (Id.) He then asked permission to search the car and Hambright replied that the car belonged to Arnold. (Id.)

According to Brown, Drummer was standing at the passenger door and asked Arnold for consent which he declined (Id. at 2; DE # 24-3 at 2.) At this point Drummer told Arnold that K9 Bodo had alerted and again asked for permission to search the car. (DE # 24-2 at 2; DE # 24-3 at 2.) After Arnold refused multiple requests, Drummer ordered Arnold out of the car. (DE #24-2 at 2; DE #24-3 at 2.) As Arnold exited the car, Drummer states that he could see what appeared to be marijuana “shake” (tiny bits of plant residue) on the floor of the car. (DE # 24-3 at 2.)

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Bluebook (online)
210 F. Supp. 3d 1055, 2016 WL 5409052, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 133177, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/arnold-v-city-of-fort-wayne-innd-2016.