Estate of Soberal v. City of Jersey City

529 F. Supp. 2d 477, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 94445, 2007 WL 4570292
CourtDistrict Court, D. New Jersey
DecidedDecember 27, 2007
DocketCivil Action 04-2788 (JAP)
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 529 F. Supp. 2d 477 (Estate of Soberal v. City of Jersey City) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. New Jersey primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Estate of Soberal v. City of Jersey City, 529 F. Supp. 2d 477, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 94445, 2007 WL 4570292 (D.N.J. 2007).

Opinion

OPINION

PISANO, District Judge.

On March 3, 2003, Omayra Soberal (“So-beral”) was shot and killed by Julio Reyes (“Reyes”), a Jersey City police officer. Plaintiffs, the Estate of Omayra Soberal, Rafael Soberal, Giovanni Alberto Germo-sen, and William Gonzalez (collectively, “Plaintiffs”) bring this action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against Defendants, City of Jersey City (“Jersey City”), Jersey City Police Department (“Jersey City PD”), Police Director James Carter (“Director Carter”), Chief of Police Peter Behrens (“Chief Behrens”), Lieutenant James Blake (“Lt.Blake”), Lieutenant Pat Nal-bach (“Lt.Nalbach”), Inspector Paul Wol-leon (“Insp.Wolleon”), Sergeant Fred Younger (“Sgt.Younger”), and Officer John Bacigalupo (“Officer Bacigalupo”) (collectively, “Defendants”). The Defendants filed motions for summary judgment pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. Rule 56. Plaintiffs oppose'the Defendants’ motions.

The Court has jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331 and 1391(b). Having considered all arguments presented, the Court grants summary judgment as to Defendants, Jersey City, Jersey City PD, Director Behrens, and Chief Carter, but denies summary judgment as to Defendants, Lt. Nalbach, Insp. Wolleon, and Sgt. Younger. 1

I. Procedural History

Counsel have created a protracted procedural saga by the dismissal of some parties, substitution of others, two amended complaints, and various voluntary dismissals of claims. Plaintiffs initially brought the instant lawsuit on June 14, 2004, alleging that the Defendants, in their individual and official capacities, deprived Soberal of her Fifth and Fourteenth Amendment substantive due process rights resulting from negligence (Count I), failure to train or supervise Reyes (Count II), and failure to train or supervise the Jersey City police officers (Count III) in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1983; malice, willful, and wanton conduct, in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 13981 (Count IV); homicide and assault (Count V); negligence (VI); and, loss of companionship (Count VII). Plaintiffs sought compensatory and punitive damages pursuant to 42 U.S.C. §§ 1983 and 13981, and sought attorneys’ fees and costs pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1988.

On August 5, 2005, Plaintiffs filed an amended complaint naming additional Plaintiffs, William Gonzalez and Giovanni Alberto Germosen. Plaintiffs also added Defendants, Lt. Blake, Lt. Nalbach, Insp. Wolleon, Sergeant William Cullinane (“Sgt.Cullinane”), Detective Kevin Guy (“Det.Guy”), Officer Charles Levine (“Officer Levine”), Officer Bacigalupo, Officer Michael Gullaee (“Officer Gullace”), Peter Stoma, Assistant Hudson County Prosecutor (“Stoma”), John Does 1-25, and Jane Does 1-5.

A second amended complaint was filed on November 21, 2005. Plaintiffs allege that the Defendants, in their individual and official capacities, deprived Soberal of her Fifth and Fourteenth Amendment substantive due process rights (Count I), *483 failure to properly train and supervise Reyes (Count II), failure to properly train and supervise the Jersey City police officers (Count III), and negligence (Count IV) in violation of § 1983; facilitated Reyes’ intentional homicide of Soberal (Count V); caused Soberal conscious pain and suffering (Count VI); and, contributed to Soberal’s wrongful death (Count VII). 2 Plaintiffs seek compensatory and punitive damages pursuant only to § 1983 and attorneys’ fees and costs pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1988.

On November 30, 2005, Defendants, De-Fazio, Stoma, and the HCPO filed a motion to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction. Plaintiffs opposed the motion.

On May 22, 2006, Plaintiffs dismissed various claims asserted in the second amended complaint. Count III as to Defendants, DeFazio and Stoma was dismissed. Plaintiffs also dismissed Defendants, DeFazio, Stoma, John Does 1-25, and Jane Does 1-5 acting as agents, employees, or servants of the HCPO, in their official capacity only.

On July 24, 2006, the Court granted Defendants, DeFazio, Stoma, and the HCPO’s motion to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction and terminated those Defendants as parties from the action.

On December 26, 2006, the parties executed a consent order dismissing Defendants, Officer Joseph Walsh (“Officer Walsh”), Officer Larry Quish (“Officer Quish”), Det. Guy, Officer Levine, Sgt. Cullinane, and Officer Gullace.

The Defendants, Sgt. Younger, Lt. Nalbach, and Insp. Wolleon (collectively, “Defendant officers”) filed the instant motion for summary judgment on March 29, 2007. The Defendants, Jersey City, Jersey City PD, Director Carter, and Chief Behrens (collectively, “Defendant municipality”) filed their motion for summary judgment on March 30, 2007. In their opposition, Plaintiffs consented to the entry of summary judgment in favor of the Jersey City PD as to all counts, dismissed the claims against Director Behrens and Chief Carter, individually, and limited punitive damages as to the individual defendants only.

The claims which remain are: municipal liability against Jersey City and Defendants, Director Carter and Chief Behrens under § 1983; violations of Soberal’s Fifth and Fourteenth Amendment substantive due process rights against Lt. Nalbach, Sgt. Younger, and Insp. Wolleon under § 1983; and, pendent state law torts claims against all of the Defendants. The Court heard oral argument on November 5, 2007, and now decides the motion.

II. Facts of the Case

The facts of this case are undeniably tragic. Soberal and Reyes began a romantic relationship in October 2002, and eventually lived together with Soberal’s two sons, Giovanni Germosen and William Gonzalez. On August 24, 2002, an alleged domestic violence dispute occurred between Reyes and Soberal at their house. As described in the police report, an argument between the two escalated into physical contact where Soberal allegedly pushed Reyes and, according to Soberal, Reyes slapped her, which he denied. Ultimately, neither party filed a formal complaint nor were there any criminal charges brought against them.

At the time of the incident, the responding Jersey City police officer, Sergeant Reynolds (“Sgt.Reynolds”), was informed by Soberal that Reyes was also a Jersey City police officer, which Reyes confirmed. *484

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Bluebook (online)
529 F. Supp. 2d 477, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 94445, 2007 WL 4570292, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/estate-of-soberal-v-city-of-jersey-city-njd-2007.