Baysa v. Gualtieri

CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Florida
DecidedOctober 15, 2021
Docket8:17-cv-00434
StatusUnknown

This text of Baysa v. Gualtieri (Baysa v. Gualtieri) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Baysa v. Gualtieri, (M.D. Fla. 2021).

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT MIDDLE DISTRICT OF FLORIDA TAMPA DIVISION

MAT S. BAYSA,

Plaintiff,

v. CASE NO. 8:17-cv-434-T-02SPF

CHARLES REDINGER,

Defendant. __________________________________/

ORDER ON REMAND

This matter comes before the Court upon remand from the U.S. Eleventh Circuit. Baysa v. Redinger, 851 F. App’x 175 (11th Cir. 2021). After issuance of the mandate the undersigned permitted the parties leave to supplement any record. Although Mr. Baysa filed a motion seeking an extension of time and requesting assistance in retrieving records from his prior counsel for that purpose, no supplement to the record was filed. Dkts. 129, 133. In its order of remand, Dkt. 118, the Eleventh Circuit addressed the undersigned’s order, Dkt. 106, denying Deputy Redinger’s renewed motion for summary judgment. Dkts. 43, 95, 98. The Appeals Court remanded for a further explanation of that denial, specifically a discussion of the legal standards, Redinger’s qualified immunity arguments, and a substantial analysis of whether Redinger’s actions violated clearly established constitutional rights. 851 F. App’x at 176–77. The record on the appeal was truncated because Mr. Baysa failed to file an appellee’s brief defending the ruling on appeal. What remains in the case,1 and

the sole issue on remand, is the excessive force arrest claim (Count II, Dkt. 23 at 11) that Baysa brings against Deputy Redinger under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. The subject at bar is Redinger’s motion for summary judgment, Dkts. 43, 95,

98, including the qualified immunity issue. In his own words, Deputy Redinger “appealed the denial of his motion for summary judgment based on his entitlement to qualified immunity.” No. 20-10824 (11th Cir.), Appellant’s Brief at 19 (filed 7/12/2020), citing Dkt. 111. The undersigned again denies Deputy Redinger’s

motion for summary judgment on the excessive force claim. Qualified immunity does not afford him immunity from suit. The facts recited by the Eleventh Circuit in the earlier appeal are appropriate

to repeat in this context: We assume the parties are familiar with the facts of this case and summarize them only insofar as necessary to explain our decision. The facts below are described in the light most favorable to the plaintiff.

Early morning on June 10, 2013, Baysa was playing cards at Derby Lane Poker Room in St. Petersburg, Florida. He claims that a security guard at Derby Lane was closely watching him. He testified that he

1 The Eleventh Circuit has previously affirmed the finding that Baysa’s arrest was supported by probable cause. Baysa v. Gualtieri, 786 F. App’x 941, 945 (11th Cir. 2019). State law torts as well as a “Monell” claim against the Sheriff (Count I), and an excessive force claim against Deputy Archer (Count III), have been disposed of or abandoned in previous litigation and are no longer present in the case. exited the card room and walked into the parking lot, before returning and accusing the security guard of staring at him all night.

The security guard escorted Baysa outside. He reentered, and the security guard again ordered him to leave. Baysa and the security guard argued with one another, as Baysa admits. Derby Lane staff called police to issue a trespass warning. Baysa admits that he was “told ... to stay away [and] go outside.”

Once in the parking lot, Baysa saw movement by his car, and feared he was being set up for a DUI. He called 911. On the call, audio of which is in the record, Baysa was noticeably agitated and argumentative. He stated that he felt in danger from the security guard and requested to be picked up and taken home. He told the dispatcher that a guard requested that he go home and stay away.

The Deputies responded to Baysa’s 911 call. Deputy Redinger spoke with the security guard, who stated that Baysa was “acting in a disorderly fashion” and that Derby Lane wanted to issue a trespass warning. The security guard repeated his trespass warning to Baysa in Deputy Redinger’s presence. Baysa testified that Deputy Redinger restated the guard’s trespass warning, but that Baysa argued against it.

Deputy Redinger then walked over and told him they were going to issue a trespass warning. Deputy Redinger ended the conversation by saying “Don’t come back here anymore. You’re free to go.” According to Baysa’s testimony at his criminal trial, Baysa began to walk away from Deputy Redinger. But after he had taken three or four steps, he was grabbed from behind and fell headfirst into the pavement. He testified that his neck became twisted and he next remembered being in Deputy Redinger’s car with his hands in handcuffs.

During his deposition in this matter, Baysa further testified that while on the ground, he was punched and kicked all over his body before he lost consciousness, and that he had been put in a chokehold or headlock.

Deputy Redinger testified that Baysa was “verbally ... aggressive” with Derby Lane personnel. He further stated that Baysa walked towards the security guard “in an aggressive stance, shoulders back, chest out, bowing his chest up and you can see clenched fists.” Deputy Redinger “felt there was an immediate issue where [Baysa] might strike” the guard and stepped in to arrest Baysa.

Deputy Redinger further testified that he grabbed Baysa’s wrists to restrain him, at which point Baysa pulled away. Deputy Redinger then pushed Baysa against the patrol car, but Baysa broke free again. Deputy Redinger effected a takedown by grabbing around Baysa’s shoulders or neck.

Deputy Redinger and Baysa fell onto the pavement. Deputy Redinger testified that he used “palm heel strikes,” or open hands where the “striking area is the heel of your palm[,] ... somewhere from [Baysa’s] shoulder to waistline.” Deputy Redinger used these to pull Baysa’s hands free and handcuff him.

Baysa was arrested on misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct in an establishment and resisting arrest without violence; the State’s Attorney’s Office amended the former charge to trespass. Baysa was acquitted of both counts.

Baysa v. Gualtieri, 786 F. App’x at 942–43 (11th Cir. 2019); Dkt. 88.

RECORD FACTS RELATED TO COUNT II: In supplement to the apt summary from the Eleventh Circuit above, the following facts concerning Count II are in this record. A. The Private Security Guard Report The private security guard’s report is in this record. Dkts. 106-2; 48-1 at 3. Previously, Baysa asked the Court to consider this report as part of the facts related to the summary judgment issues, and stated the Court rightly should because the report is admissible at trial. Dkt. 97 at 4; Dkt. 100 at 2. The report conflicts in many material parts with Baysa’s deposition. If the report stood alone and were credited, it defeats entirely Plaintiff’s present claims. See Dkts. 106-2; 48-1. The report states that when the drunk and disorderly Plaintiff was arrested for

disorderly conduct by Deputy Redinger, Plaintiff physically resisted being handcuffed, “causing Deputy C. Redinger and the 2nd responding PCSO Deputy to forcibly place Mr. Baysa on the hood of Deputy C. Redinger’s cruiser.” Dkts. 106-

2; 48-1 at 3. This report further states that Baysa continued to defy and physically resist arrest which caused Redinger to take Baysa to the ground and put him in a “headlock” while the Derby Lane security guard “assisted in getting Mr. Baysa [sic] hands behind his back so the 2nd PCSO Deputy could place Mr. Baysa in

handcuffs.” Dkts. 106-2; 48-1 at 3. B. Mr. Baysa’s Interrogatory Answer The defense interrogatory asked Mr. Baysa to identify practices and policies

that “were the direct and proximate cause of the unconstitutional use of excessive force” against Plaintiff. Dkt. 44-5.

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