Atencio v. Arpaio

161 F. Supp. 3d 789, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 179739, 2015 WL 11117186
CourtDistrict Court, D. Arizona
DecidedFebruary 10, 2015
DocketNo. CV-12-02376-PHX-PGR
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 161 F. Supp. 3d 789 (Atencio v. Arpaio) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Arizona primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Atencio v. Arpaio, 161 F. Supp. 3d 789, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 179739, 2015 WL 11117186 (D. Ariz. 2015).

Opinion

ORDER

Paul G. Rosenblatt, United States District Judge

The Court has before it' City Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment (Doc. 299); Defendants Arpaio, Carrasco, Dominguez, Foster, Kaiser, Scheffner, Vazquez, and Weiers’ Motion for Summary Judgment (Doc. 347); Hatton Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment (Doc. 350); Defendants William McLean, Monica Scarpati, and Ian Cranmer’s Motion for Partial [794]*794Summary Judgment (Doc. 355); Plaintiffs’ Motion for Partial Summary Judgment against Maricopa County (Doc. 358); Defendant Maricopa County’s Motion to Strike Plaintiffs’ Statement of Facts Applicable to All Defendants (Doc. 384); and City Defendants’ Motion for Leave to File Under Seal Reply in Support of Motion to Strike Portions of Plaintiffs’ Response (Doc. S88).1

A. Background2

On December 15, 2011, Marty Atencio first came into contact with law enforcement at a 7-Eleven store. Phoenix police officers had been dispatched there based on a report of a suspicious person in the parking lot. That person turned out to be Atencio. Upon interacting with Atencio, the officers noted that Atencio was acting erratically, would easily become distracted, and would speak of random and odd things, but concluded that the cause of his behavior was mental illness, not drugs or alcohol. The officers concluded that Atencio did not show signs of being a danger to himself or others, but was simply acting “goofy” and appeared to be off his medication. The officers told Atencio to go home, which he did.

A short time .later, a woman called dispatch, reporting that Atencio was kicking at her apartment door and had also approached her and yelled at her, which scared her. The same officers that responded to the 7-Eleven store responded to the apartment complex. Upon coming into contact with Atencio, the officers noted that Atencio’s demeanor had remained the same as it was previously, and was consistent with someone experiencing mental health issues. He was arrested on misdemeanor assault charges and taken to Phoenix’s Cactus Precinct.

Atencio was then transported to Maricopa County’s Fourth Avenue Jail to be booked into custody. Atencio had difficulty getting into the transport vehicle due to what the officers concluded was mental illness. After approximately ten minutes of talking with Marty, the officers successfully got him into the vehicle and transported him to the Maricopa County Fourth Avenue Jail for booking. By this point, Atencio had been searched by officers at least three times without incident, and he was searched again without incident upon arriving at the Fourth Avenue Jail, including removing his shoes.

Upon arrival at the Fourth Avenue Jail, Atencio was turned over to Defendant Hanlon, a Phoenix City police officer who was in charge of processing Phoenix City detainees through the booking process for admission into the jail. During the initial screening process, Hanlon observed Atencio acting strangely and babbling incoherently, making “bizarre statements,” “talking to peanut butter” as if it was a person present in the room, and offering to give his jacket to “peanut butter.” (Doc. 343-1 at 98-99, 100, 101; Doc. 343-2 at 6.) Defendant French, a Phoenix City police officer, and Defendant Weiers, a Maricopa County deputy, also observed some of Atencio’s behavior. French overheard Atencio’s conversation regarding “peanut butter.” (Doc. 343-2 at 14.) Weiers noted that Atencio [795]*795“said a bunch of ridiculous stuff.” (Doc. 343-2 at 26.)

Hanlon believed that Atencio “was in an altered state of some kind emotionally or mentally.” (Id. at 101, 103.) Hanlon noticed that Atencio appeared unable to focus on questions that were asked of him, and that when Atencio responded to questions, he did not appear to be giving much thought to his answers. Hanlon also noticed that Atencio appeared to be confused and “inconsistent.” (Id. at 103, 104, 105.) Another officer that observed Atencio during the screening process noted that Atencio did not appear to intentionally disobey officers’ orders, but instead appeared merely to be confused and to not understand what was going on. (Doc. 343-2 at 9-10.)

Atencio was eventually seen by Defendant McLean, a nurse, who conducted a cursory evaluation of Atencio. (Doc. 343-2 at 36.) McLean determined that Atencio was alert, but did not clarify his orientation, meaning that he did riot ask Atencio questions to determine whether Atencio knew what day it was or what time it was. (Id. at 36-37.) Atencio denied being suicidal, but McLean noted on the intake sheet that Atencio may be suicidal based on his understanding that Atencio had indicate!} he was suicidal earlier in the screening process. McLean asked Defendant Scarpati, a Mental Health Professional, to evaluate Antencio.

Scarpati observed Atencio for a period of forty-two seconds while standing behind him. (Doc. 343-2 at 78, Ex. N.) Scarpati asked Atencio what was going on, and whether he was suicidal, and he did not respond appropriately,. instead talking in “word salad,” and yelling words “spark plug” and “fire truck.” (Doc. 343-2 at 55-56.) Scarpati did not ask Atencio any questions about his social, legal, or criminal history, or whether he was having hallucinations, or had a plan to commit suicide. However, she recognized that Atencio was psychotic and “in crisis at the time,” and may not have had the ability to be cooperative with her or with the officers. (Doc. 343-2 at 56, 58, 82.) Despite these observations, Scarpati did not inform any law enforcement officers of Atencio’s mental state or that Atencio might not have the ability to cooperate with them because of his psychosis. (Id. at 63-64.)

After Scarpati’s evaluation of Atencio, she and McLean consulted, and McLean gave the okay to admit Atencio into the jail and set in motion the process to have him placed in a safe cell.

After Atencio had his mug shot taken, Hanlon escorted him from a holding cell into the linescan room, accompanied by numerous officers. Once Atencio reached the linescan room, he was fingerprinted and his handcuffs were removed by Hanlon. Aterido was described as humorous and jovial, and had not displayed any violent or aggressive behavior towards anyone. (Doc. 343-1 at 91, 109-110; Doc. 343-2 at 20; Doc. 353-5 at 4; City Defendant’s Ex. 16.) Hanlon did not believe Atencio was a threat to himself or to the other officers or he would not have removed Atencio’s handcuffs. (Doc. 343-1 at 108.) Hanlon also did not feel time pressured to complete the booking process. (Doc. 343-1 at 108,111-12.)

After Hanlon removed Atencio’s handcuffs, he had an approximately thirty second back and forth conversation with Atencio regarding Atencio taking off his shoes so that they could be put through an x-ray machine. (Doc. 343-1 at 109.) Atencio removed one shoe, but did not immediately remove his other shoe, instead pointing at Hanlon and stating, “You can take my shoe off for me?” Atencio, who had a wall at his back and was facing a semi-circle of officers, then merely crossed his arms over his chest. (Doc. 343-1 at 90, 109; City Defendants’ Ex. 16.) In response, Hanlon im[796]*796mediately grabbed Atencio by the wrist, and twisted Atencio’s arm behind his back as the other officers, including French, immediately engaged. A struggle ensued, with Atencio standing but bent over by the officers and passively resisting.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
161 F. Supp. 3d 789, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 179739, 2015 WL 11117186, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/atencio-v-arpaio-azd-2015.