Cruz v. Green

352 F. Supp. 3d 1213
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Florida
DecidedJanuary 7, 2019
DocketCase No. 0:18-cv-60995-KMM
StatusPublished

This text of 352 F. Supp. 3d 1213 (Cruz v. Green) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cruz v. Green, 352 F. Supp. 3d 1213 (S.D. Fla. 2019).

Opinion

K. MICHAEL MOORE, UNITED STATES CHIEF DISTRICT JUDGE

THIS CAUSE came before the Court upon Defendant Captain Sherea Green's ("Captain Green") Motion to Dismiss ("Motion") (ECF No. 18) five counts of Plaintiff Zachary Paul Cruz's ("Plaintiff")

*1216Complaint ("Compl.") (ECF No. 1).1 Plaintiff filed a response ("Response") (ECF No. 24) and Captain Green replied ("Reply") (ECF No. 27). The matter is now ripe for review.

I. BACKGROUND2

Plaintiff is an 18-year-old former student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School ("Stoneman Douglas") in Parkland, Florida and the brother of Nicholas Cruz. Compl. ¶¶ 10-11. On February 14, 2018, Nicholas Cruz allegedly murdered 17 Stoneman Douglas students and injured many others. Id. On March 19, 2018, after students had been dismissed for the day, Plaintiff skateboarded onto the grounds of Stoneman Douglas. Id. ¶¶ 12-13. While on school grounds, Plaintiff did not make threats, approach anyone, or otherwise behave in an odd manner. Id. ¶ 12. Nor did he use any kind of force to enter school premises. Id. ¶ 13.

An unnamed Deputy from the Broward County Sheriff's Office ("BCSO") approached and stopped Plaintiff while he was skateboarding. Id. ¶ 15. Once stopped, Plaintiff was cooperative, did not flee nor resist, and freely answered the Deputy's questions.3 Id. Plaintiff provided the Deputy with his name, telephone number, and information regarding his employment and living situation. Id. ¶ 16. When asked why Plaintiff was on school grounds, Plaintiff replied that he was "trying to soak it all in." Id. Upon learning Plaintiff's identity, Plaintiff was arrested for trespassing and booked into custody at the Broward County Main Jail (the "Main Jail"). Id. ¶ 17.

Plaintiff's bond on his misdemeanor trespass charge, initially set at $25, was paid at 9:54 p.m. while Plaintiff was booked at the Main Jail. Id. ¶ 19. After posting bond, Plaintiff attempted to depart, but Main Jail staff refused to release him. Id. ¶ 21. At 11:00 p.m., a medical report written by Gale Kite, an advanced registered nurse practitioner, stated that Cruz had no telephone, car, or responsible transportation, and that he was "at risk of being released to the streets, and has the entire community at unease." Id. ¶ 19.

The following day, Plaintiff appeared before a Florida state court judge ("Judge Mollica") for a bond hearing. Id. ¶ 22. At the hearing, the State of Florida requested that bond be set at $750,000, arguing that Plaintiff should, among other things: not be permitted to return to Broward County; have his home searched prior to Plaintiff's release; be barred from all school property; and be on house arrest and subject to GPS tracking. Id. The State claimed that these remedies were necessary because "of the fear that [Plaintiff's] presence invokes because of his family relationship," and asked Judge Mollica to "use every means available to ensure that 'students can attend school without fear.' " Id. Judge Mollica set bond at $500,000, noting that Plaintiff is the brother of Nicholas Cruz and that Stoneman Douglas students deserved to feel safe, especially following a grave tragedy. Id. ¶ 23.

Unable to make bail, Plaintiff remained in custody until he was involuntarily committed, under the Baker Act, *1217Fla. Stat. § 394.467 (2016), to the Broward Health Medical Center (the "Medical Center"), where Plaintiff spent five days undergoing repeated mental health evaluations and was placed on 24-hour suicide watch, with medical staff check-ups every 15 minutes. Id. ¶¶ 24-25. Doctors at the Medical Center found Plaintiff to be pleasant, cooperative, and alert, and found no signs of depression or suicidal or homicidal behavior. Id. ¶ 25. Nonetheless, the Medical Center "did recommend [to Captain Green and jail staff] that [Plaintiff] continue [to be] on suicide prevention" watch. Id. ¶ 47.

After being released from the Medical Center and returned to the Main Jail, Plaintiff's treatment "became immediately harsher." Id. ¶ 27. Plaintiff was placed in the infirmary on 24-hour lockdown, allowed to leave his cell only for visits with his attorney or daily nurse. Id. Plaintiff was also placed in a suicide vest, a heavy restraint that limited his movement, for 24 hours a day, which was only removed once Plaintiff executed a plea deal with the State. Id. ¶ 28. Plaintiff suffered sleep deprivation caused by lighting not being dimmed at night and harassment by the jail nurse and attending guard regarding Plaintiff's mental health. Id. ¶¶ 28, 30

On May 3, 2018, Plaintiff filed the Complaint under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against multiple Defendants, including Captain Green, alleging violations stemming from Plaintiff's detention at the Main Jail. See generally Compl. In Counts I and II, Plaintiff alleges that Captain Green violated Plaintiff's Fourth Amendment right against unlawful seizures ("Count I") and Fourteenth Amendment right to due process ("Count II") by failing to release him from custody after Plaintiff posted his initial bond. Id.

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Bluebook (online)
352 F. Supp. 3d 1213, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cruz-v-green-flsd-2019.