Douglas Duane Bahl v. City of St. Paul

695 F.3d 778, 27 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 278, 2012 WL 4774827, 2012 U.S. App. LEXIS 20910
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
DecidedOctober 9, 2012
Docket11-2869
StatusPublished
Cited by40 cases

This text of 695 F.3d 778 (Douglas Duane Bahl v. City of St. Paul) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Douglas Duane Bahl v. City of St. Paul, 695 F.3d 778, 27 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 278, 2012 WL 4774827, 2012 U.S. App. LEXIS 20910 (8th Cir. 2012).

Opinions

ROSS, District Judge.

Douglas Duane Bahl appeals the district court’s order granting the City of St. Paul’s motion for summary judgment and dismissing his disability discrimination claims brought against the City under the anti-discrimination provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. § 12132 (“ADA”), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. § 794 (“Rehabilitation Act”), the Minnesota Human Rights Act, MinmStat. § 363A.12 (2006) (“MHRA”), as well as his claim for negligence. For the reasons that follow, we affirm in part, reverse in part, and remand for further proceedings.

I.

Bahl is deaf and uses American Sign Language (“ASL”) as his primary language.2 He attended Gallaudet University and holds a Masters Degree from the University of Minnesota. His college classes were conducted in ASL. Bahl taught high school social studies, geography, civics, basic English, drama and math for fourteen years at the Minnesota School for the Deaf in Faribault, Minnesota. Bahl currently instructs ASL at the University of Minnesota and St. Paul College. He reads English at a sixth-grade level, and usually communicates in ASL, though he uses a Blackberry handheld device to communicate by text and email. When Bahl communicates with non-ASL speakers in person, he typically uses an interpreter, and alternatively communicates by writing.

On November 17, 2006, around 5:00 p.m., Bahl was driving to visit his then-girlfriend and now wife, Susan Kovacs-Bahl, at a rehabilitation facility near Fair-view Riverside Hospital in St. Paul. He ignored a red light and drove through cross traffic in an intersection. St. Paul Police Officer Stephen Bobrowski observed Bahl’s actions and activated his lights and siren. Bahl stopped his car. When Bobrowski reached the driver’s side of the car, Bahl shook his head, gestured to his [782]*782ear and said “no.” Bahl next gestured that he wanted to communicate in writing. Bobrowski was not carrying a pen or paper, and he pointed to his mouth and said “drivers license” and then made a card shape with his hands.

Bahl claims Bobrowski next pushed his shoulder, which was painful, and Bahl leaned to the right.3 Bobrowski grabbed Bahl’s wrist, and Bahl again pulled away because it was painful. Bahl reached to his right for paper and a pen and began to write “joint” to tell Bobrowski that his joints are sensitive. Bobrowski then sprayed Bahl with an aerosol subject restraint, and Bahl started flailing his arms. Bobrowski pulled Bahl from his car and placed Bahl’s arms behind his back. Backup assistance arrived, and after Bahl was restrained, an ambulance transported him to Regions Hospital for treatment.

After Bahl arrived at the hospital, Bobrowski told the nurses Bahl was deaf and asked for an interpreter. Bahl communicated with hospital staff through the interpreter. When police officers asked the interpreter to help communicate with Bahl, she refused, saying her job was only to interpret for hospital matters. Bahl agreed, saying the police had to get their own interpreter.

Meanwhile, Colleen Luna, police shift commander, prepared a typewritten statement, which stated in full:

06235877
Bahl, Douglas Duayne [sic]
You have been arrested for
GROSS MISDEMEANOR OBSTRUCTING WITH FORCE
MN State Statute 609.50
We will not be asking you any questions at this time. When an investigator interviews you a sign language interpreter can be provided if you wish.

Bobrowski picked up the statement from the law-enforcement center, returned to the hospital and presented the statement to Bahl. Bahl nodded affirmatively after looking at the statement. At the hospital, Bahl had the following exchange with a deputy of the Ramsey County Sheriff, written on the charge statement:

Bahl: “Will you get me an interpreter”
Deputy: “St. Paul would have to”
Bahl: “When?”
Deputy: “Its up to the investigators”
Bahl: “Tonite?”
Deputy: “St. Paul knows and they do not want to ask”
Bahl: “I do not understand clearly between you and St. Paul-confusing.”

Bahl also wrote: “ADA Law! must provide Interpreter or I’ll file lawsuit” and “I feel it’s urgent to act now-cuz of brutality.”

When presented with the statement at his deposition, Bahl stated: “I can read [the words], but some of the words I don’t understand.” He identified a number of words he did not understand, such as “gross misdemeanor,” “obstructing with force,” “investigator,” and “force.” He did not understand to whom “we” referred. Later that day, Bahl was transported to the Ramsey County Adult Detention Center (ADC).

The following day, a St. Paul Police investigator, Sergeant Bryant Gaden, came to the jail to interview Bahl. Gaden did not bring an interpreter, and communicated in writing with Bahl:

[783]*783Bahl: Can you get Sign Language interpreter? I already requested last night. Sign language is my primary language.
Gaden: Not true
Bahl: I am deaf and use ASL. Please respect my language.
Gaden: Writing is a language
Bahl: English is my second language. More effective communication is through ASL not my 2nd language.
Gaden: I will read you the rights form, you, can read along.. Then I will go and look for interpreter.
Bahl: Thanks!
Gaden: Read them, if you-understand initial each space then I will give you a copy.
Bahl: Initials?

Thereafter, Bahl completed the biographical section of the form, and initialed to show his understanding of each Miranda'4 right. Bahl then signed the form. Gaden asked, “At this point you would like to stop and have an interpreter present?” and Bahl replied, “Yes please.” Gaden ended the interview. He did not return to speak with Bahl again. Gaden inquired about an interpreter, but believed “it would have cost too much money.” Gaden also testified that he decided an interview was not necessary to the City’s case and did not justify the cost of an interpreter.

On Monday, Bahl was charged and bail was set at $6,000. Bahl. then was released from the ADC. On September 14, 2007, a jury convicted Bahl of misdemeanor obstruction of legal process based on the November 17, 2006 traffic stop. On July 28, 2008, Bahl began this action in Minnesota state court, claiming disability discrimination against the City of St. Paul under the ADA, § 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the MHRA, and common law negligence. The City timely removed the case and moved for summary judgment. The district court granted the City’s motion for summary judgment. This appeal followed.

II.

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Bluebook (online)
695 F.3d 778, 27 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 278, 2012 WL 4774827, 2012 U.S. App. LEXIS 20910, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/douglas-duane-bahl-v-city-of-st-paul-ca8-2012.