Guzman v. Jay

303 F.R.D. 186, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 135740, 2014 WL 4767230
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedSeptember 24, 2014
DocketNo. 1:10-cv-6353 (ALC)(JCF)
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 303 F.R.D. 186 (Guzman v. Jay) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Guzman v. Jay, 303 F.R.D. 186, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 135740, 2014 WL 4767230 (S.D.N.Y. 2014).

Opinion

OPINION & ORDER

ANDREW L. CARTER, JR., District Judge.

I. INTRODUCTION

On August 25, 2010, Plaintiff Noel Jackson Guzman (“Plaintiff’) brought this action, pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983, against New York City Police Department Police Officer Brian Jay (“Officer Jay” or “Defendant”) and others alleging, among other things, false arrest and excessive force. This Court held a jury trial beginning on December 3, 2013 and concluding on December 13, 2013. On December 17, 2013, the jury rendered a verdict for Plaintiff, awarding him $4,000 in compensatory damages on his false arrest claim, $2,270,000 in compensatory damages on his excessive force claim and $200,000 in punitive damages. Defendant moves for a new trial and/or remittitur pursuant to Rule 59 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (the “Federal Rules”) and for judgment as a matter of law pursuant to Rule 50 of the Federal Rules. (ECF No. 98.) For the reasons stated below, Defendant’s motion for a new trial and remittitur are denied, while the motion for judgment as a matter of law on the false arrest claim is granted.

II. FACTUAL BACKGROUND

A. Plaintiffs Case

On February 14, 2009, Plaintiff, 23 years old at the time, went out with a group of friends to a nightclub located on 207th Street and Sherman Avenue in Manhattan, New York. (Tr. 383:17-384:14.) Plaintiff testified that, after the club closed at approximately 4:00 a.m., he and a friend walked up to the corner of Sherman Avenue and 207th Street to hail a cab. (Tr. 381:1-9.) At some point, Plaintiff heard a commotion and turned around to see one of his friends who had accompanied him to the nightclub, Henry Luzuriaga, engaged in a fight with two males, Aberto Molina and Jorge Henriquez. (See Tr. 388:1-22). Plaintiff testified that, while he was observing the altercation among a large crowd, Officer Jay, in plain clothes and wearing a pair of Timberland boots, walked up to him and without provocation kicked him on his right knee. (Tr. 390:3-12.) Plaintiff testified that he experienced a “strong pain [which he had] never felt before,” (Tr. 390: 14-16), and that his knee buckled and he fell to the ground. (See Tr. 390:24-25.) Plaintiff testified that Officer Jay then got on top of Plaintiff, maced him and grabbed his ponytail and shoved his head into the ground twice, causing him to sustain facial abrasions. (Tr. 394:16-397:9.) Plaintiff testified that Officer Jay then began to place him under arrest, at one point saying “NYPD motherfucker.” (Tr. 397:13-22.)

Plaintiff was arrested and subsequently charged with obstruction of governmental administration. He was transported to the precinct, where he almost immediately com[190]*190plained of pain in his right leg. (Tr. 405:13— 15.) The paramedics were called and eventually evaluated Plaintiff, who declined to be transported to the hospital. Plaintiff testified he advised the Emergency Medical Technician (“EMT”) who evaluated him that he had been kicked that evening, but did not specify Officer Jay because Officer Jay was standing next to him at the time. (Tr. 406:7-13.) Plaintiff also testified that, at the time he signed it, a prisoner medical report form documenting his treatment did not include a statement indicating that he sustained the injury prior to the arrest. (Tr. 408:2-13.)

Plaintiff was released a few hours later, at approximately 8:00 a.m. He testified that, upon release, he requested that Officer Jay give him a ride home, given that he was unable to walk and did not have money for a cab. (Tr. 409:7-13.) After Officer Jay declined, Plaintiff attempted to walk home, but was unable to and called an ambulance, which picked him up outside the precinct and transported to Harlem Hospital where Plaintiff was treated and released. (Tr. 410:1-413:1.) Still in pain on February 17, 2009, Plaintiff went to New York Presbyterian Hospital where he was given pain medication and x-rays were performed, which were negative. (Tr. 416:1-15.) With the pain not having subsided and now suffering from lost sensation in his right knee, Plaintiff went to Columbia Presbyterian Hospital on March 29, 2009. (Tr. 416:16-417:15.) Plaintiff was eventually diagnosed with and had surgery to repair torn anterior cruciate, posterior cruciate, and lateral collateral ligaments (“ACL,” “PCL” and “LCL,” respectively), permanent peroneal nerve damage and a foot drop. Plaintiff will be required to wear a corrective ankle brace for the rest of his life, and testified that he still suffers from residual pain in his knee, particularly during the colder months, has difficulty navigating up and down stairs and is unable to stand for more than two to three hours a day. (Tr. 422:12-16,423:19-424:25.)

Dr. Gabriel Dassa, an orthopedic surgeon and Plaintiffs physician from May 2009 to November 2010, also testified regarding Plaintiffs injuries. Dr. Dassa testified that the records indicated that the Plaintiff was suffering from pain, swelling and decreased sensation in his right knee in May 2009. (Tr. 577:6-10.) Dr. Dassa testified that the swelling three months after the incident in particular was indicative of soft tissue dysfunction in the knee. (Tr. 589:1-5.) Dr. Dassa eventually ordered the nerve test which diagnosed Plaintiff with a completely dysfunctional peroneal nerve. (Tr. 580:20-582:14.) Dr. Dassa also ordered an MRI of the knee which diagnosed Plaintiff with complete tears of the ACL and PCL. (Tr. 592:14-25.) During surgery to repair those ligaments, Plaintiff was diagnosed with a tear to his LCL. (Tr. 594:4-12.) Dr. Dassa diagnosed Plaintiff with a foot drop, attributable to the peroneal nerve dysfunction, on a follow-up visit. (Tr. 602:24-603:20, 604:4-19.)

Dr. Dassa evaluated Plaintiff again in November 2013 and diagnosed him with post-traumatic arthritis which causes continued joint dysfunction and swelling and which limits Plaintiffs activity. (Tr. 613:14-614:1, 617:5-20.) Dr. Dassa testified that it was his opinion that the torn ligaments, post-traumatic arthritis and peroneal palsy with foot drop were permanent and caused by the blunt force trauma that Plaintiff reported he suffered on February 14, 2009, rather than a preexisting injury. (Tr. 618:23-619:20, 621:1-4,18-25.) Dr. Dassa also testified that Plaintiffs knee condition would progressively worsen over time such that Plaintiff would likely need a total knee replacement within the next 20 years, a procedure which he testified had the current cost of $65,000. (Tr. 621:25-624:14.)

B. Defendant’s Case

Officer Jay testified that he, along with three other officers from the Anti-Crime Squad of the 34th Precinct of the NYPD, arrived on the scene while a fight was breaking out, and that he immediately proceeded to try and break up a two-on-one fight going on with Messrs. Henriquez and Molina assaulting Mr. Luzuriaga. He testified that when Mr. Henriquez tried to flee, he chased after him and brought him to the ground and handcuffed him with the help of his partner, Officer Johnny Diaz. (Tr. 95:25-96:7.) He testified that, while he was trying to handcuff Mr. Henriquez, Plaintiff charged at him, [191]*191grabbed him and tried to pull him off Mr. Henriquez, and then attempted to strike him. (Tr.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
303 F.R.D. 186, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 135740, 2014 WL 4767230, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/guzman-v-jay-nysd-2014.