Cummings v. City of Newton & Setti D. Warren in His Individual & Official Capacities

298 F. Supp. 3d 279
CourtDistrict Court, District of Columbia
DecidedFebruary 6, 2018
DocketCivil Action No. 15–13462–NMG
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 298 F. Supp. 3d 279 (Cummings v. City of Newton & Setti D. Warren in His Individual & Official Capacities) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, District of Columbia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cummings v. City of Newton & Setti D. Warren in His Individual & Official Capacities, 298 F. Supp. 3d 279 (D.D.C. 2018).

Opinion

Nathaniel M. Gorton, United States District Judge

This case involves allegations of tortious and unconstitutional actions arising out of the termination of the former Police Chief of the City of Newton. Matthew Cummings ("plaintiff") brings this suit against the City of Newton and against Mayor Setti D. Warren, in both his individual and official capacities, (collectively "defendants") alleging 1) a violation of procedural due process under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, 2) a violation of substantive due process under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, 3) a violation of the Massachusetts Civil Rights Act ("MCRA"), M.G.L. c. 12, § 11I, 4 ) intentional interference with advantageous relations, 5) breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing and 6) intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Pending before the Court is defendants' motion for summary judgment. For the reasons that follow, defendants' motion will be allowed.

I. Background

In March, 2009, Matthew Cummings and the City of Newton ("Newton" or "the City") entered into an employment contract for Cummings to serve as the Newton Chief of Police.

In September, 2011, Vincent Nguyen ("Nguyen"), a clerk in the Office of the Chief of Police, made an allegation of theft against Jeanne Sweeney Mooney ("Mooney"), who was plaintiff's Executive Secretary. That same month, Mooney was placed on paid administrative leave pending investigation. Cummings believed that there was probable cause to arrest Mooney for theft. The Human Resources Department for the City initiated an independent investigation into the alleged larceny. In January, 2012, the chosen investigator found probable cause to arrest Mooney for larceny but she was not then arrested.

Mooney served the City with a demand letter pursuant to the Massachusetts Tort Claims Act, M.G.L. c. 258, § 4, on May 21, 2012. That demand letter contained allegations that Cummings had made inappropriate remarks to Mooney and that on one occasion had kicked her, causing injury. The alleged events were said to have taken place during the summer of 2010. On May 22, 2012, the City hired Edward Mitnick ("Mitnick") of Just Training Solutions, LLC to investigate the allegations in Mooney's demand letter. In August, 2012, Mitnick concluded his investigation and found that there was "sufficient credible evidence" to believe that Mooney's allegations against Cummings were true.

Meanwhile, on or about May 31, 2012, former City Solicitor Donnalyn Kahn ("Kahn"), Cummings and various City officials discussed the theft allegations against Mooney. A few days later, the Mayor's office contacted Cummings, and informed him that the Mayor wished to discuss those allegations. The parties dispute whether Warren or Cummings made the final decision but the Newton Police Department, in conjunction with the Middlesex District Attorney's office, filed a criminal *284complaint against Mooney in June, 2012. On July 16, 2012, Mooney filed a verified discrimination complaint with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination. That complaint alleged that Warren, Kahn, Cummings and former Newton Police Lieutenant Edward Aucoin filed the criminal charges against Mooney in retaliation for her having reported the misconduct of Cummings.1

On August 29, 2012, Warren notified Cummings that he was being "placed on administrative leave, pending a termination hearing for cause" pursuant to the terms of his employment agreement. That same day, Warren held a press conference wherein he stated,

[t]he names the chief called this employee, and the physical action of kicking her, is inappropriate and unacceptable.... It's just purely unacceptable in this city, is not tolerated and will not be tolerated.

On September 11, 2012, the Mayor sent plaintiff a letter providing notice of the charges warranting termination. The letter indicated that Cummings would be charged with 1) "conduct unbecoming a Police Chief" and 2) "inability satisfactorily to perform the services" required of a Police Chief. Mayor Warren designated Robert R. Rooney ("Rooney"), the City's Chief Operating Officer, to preside over the hearing that was held on October 10, 2012. The following day, the Mayor notified Cummings that

Pursuant to paragraph 5 of your current Chief of Police's contract and after a hearing and findings of fact by Hearing Officer Robert R. Rooney, you are hereby terminated as Chief of Police for the City of Newton.

Pursuant to the employment agreement, Cummings appealed the decision to an arbitrator. One year later, on October 10, 2013, the arbitrator issued a decision in which he found that Cummings did not engage in conduct unbecoming a police chief and ordered plaintiff reinstated to his position as Chief of Police with back pay. The City appealed that decision to the Massachusetts Superior Court pursuant to M.G.L. c. 150C § 11. The Superior Court remanded the decision to the arbitrator. In March, 2015, the arbitrator again found that the City did not satisfy its burden of proving that Cummings engaged in conduct unbecoming a police chief. This time, however, the arbitrator ordered as a remedy that the City make Cummings whole for lost benefits, including back pay, but that "reinstatement is not awarded because Mr. Cummings' employment contract ... expired January 12, 2014."

A. Employment Agreement

The employment agreement between Cummings and the City, entitled "Chief of Police's Contract", provided that the City would employ Cummings as its Chief of Police from January 13, 2009 until January 12, 2014, "unless earlier terminated under the provisions" of the agreement. The contract also provided that

[t]he city, acting through its mayor, may terminate Cummings for cause after a hearing." "Cause" is defined to include "Cummings' failure, refusal or inability satisfactorily to perform the services required of him hereunder ... [and] ... conduct unbecoming a Police Chief ....

If the City proposed to terminate the contract, the agreement required that "Cummings shall receive written notice of the charges against him at least seven days prior to a hearing." The contract afforded Cummings the right, during the hearing, to be

*285represented by counsel, to question, confront and cross-examine witnesses, to introduce evidence and to conduct oral arguments."

The hearing officer, who was to be the Mayor or his designee, was to hear and consider the evidence and cause for dismissal had to be established "by substantial evidence". The agreement contained an arbitration clause that provided that

[a]ny dispute concerning ... a claim to breach, or the termination of this Agreement, or the termination of employment of the Chief of Police, shall be resolved exclusively by arbitration under the Voluntary Labor Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
298 F. Supp. 3d 279, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cummings-v-city-of-newton-setti-d-warren-in-his-individual-official-dcd-2018.