Harris v. Goins

156 F. Supp. 3d 857, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 172445, 2015 WL 9587551
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Kentucky
DecidedDecember 29, 2015
DocketCivil Action No. 6: 15-151-DCR
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 156 F. Supp. 3d 857 (Harris v. Goins) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Kentucky primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Harris v. Goins, 156 F. Supp. 3d 857, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 172445, 2015 WL 9587551 (E.D. Ky. 2015).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

Danny C. Reeves, United States District Judge

Defendant Unlawful Narcotics Investigations, Treatment and Education, Inc. (“UNITE”) has filed a motion to dismiss the claims that Plaintiff Alberto Harris has asserted against it. [Record No. 6] With regard to the federal claims, UNITE argues that that it cannot be held liable under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for allegations based on respondeat superior liability. [Record No. 6-1, pp. 4-6] Further, it alleges that the plaintiff has failed to properly assert a policy or custom establishing liability under § 1983. [Record No. 19, p. 8] However, the plaintiff contends that re-spondeat superior liability is only one of the theories of recovery asserted against UNITE. [Record No. 18, pp. 12-15]

With respect to the plaintiffs state law claims, UNITE asserts that it is shielded from liability by governmental immunity. [Record No. 6-1, p. 6] Conversely, Harris argues that private corporations such as UNITE are not entitled to the protections of governmental immunity. [Record No. 18, pp. 5-8] Alternatively, the plaintiff contends that UNITE does not meet the test for governmental immunity as set out in Comair, Inc. v. Lexington-Fayette Urban Cnty. Airport Corp., 295 S.W.3d 91 (Ky.2009). [Id., pp. 9-11]

For the reasons outlined below, UNITE’s motion to dismiss will be granted regarding: (i) the federal constitutional claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 in Count I; (ii) the alleged due process violations asserted in Count II; (iii) the failure-to-intervene claim contained in Count III; (iv) the alleged Sixth Amendment violation outlined in Count IV; (v) the supervisory liability claim asserted in Count Y; and (vi) the failure-to-act claim asserted in Count VII. UNITE’s motion will be denied with respect to: (i) the malicious prosecution claim contained in Count I; (ii) the civil conspiracy claim under § 1983 set out in Count VI; and (iii) the state law claims outlined in Counts VIII through X.

I.

Plaintiff Harris alleges that defendant-officers William Goins, Patrick Robinson, George Stewart, and Kevin Johnson conspired to violate his constitutional rights by manufacturing evidence and bringing false criminal charges against him. [Record No. 1, ¶¶ 17, 24] Specifically, he asserts that, in September 2010, Robinson and Goins agreed with Cristina Little, a criminal fugitive, to leave certain incriminating items at Harris’ residence. [Id., [861]*861¶ 24] Thereafter, Harris asserts that Robinson offered Lonnie Philpot the opportunity to engage in a controlled buy in exchange for dismissal of a drug charge against him. [Id., ¶¶ 24-27] Ultimately, Defendants Little and Philpot participated in a controlled buy while outfitted with an audio/video recording device. [Id., ¶¶ 28-29] While these confidential informants (“CIs”) claim that they bought a Xanax pill from Harris for $12.00, Harris asserts that he did not participate in that drug transaction and does not appear in the recording. [Id., ¶¶ 33-36]

Based on the CIs’ report, Goins obtained a search warrant for Harris’ residence and an arrest warrant for Harris. [Id., ¶¶ 37-38] The officers executed the search warrant while Harris was not at the residence. [Id., ¶ 41] Harris asserts that officers Goins and Johnson placed two $10.00 bills inside his wallet. [Id., ¶ 45] Meanwhile, Goins and Robinson each recovered a pill bottle containing Xanax from the residence. [Id., ¶¶ 47-48] Harris was arrested on September 16, 2010. [Id., ¶ 50] And as a result of the items seized from his home, Harris was charged with two controlled substance offenses. [Id., ¶ 51]

Harris claims that Goins then presented false testimony at the preliminary hearing, resulting in an invalid indictment of the grand jury. [Id., ¶ 56] At that point, Harris had three charges against him, and his bond was set at $50,000. [Id., ¶¶ 56-57] Consequently, he remained in jail for over a year until he made bail. [Id., ¶ 59]

Harris also contends that he was assaulted by staff while being held at the Clay County Detention Center. [Id., ¶ 60] As a result, he was transferred to a detention center in Harlan County. [Id., ¶ 62] The underlying charges against Harris were eventually dismissed because the circuit court lacked jurisdiction; however, he remained in jail due to a charge against him fled by a corrections officer. [Record Nos. 1, ¶¶ 64-65; 1-4] That charge was also dismissed. [Id., ¶ 66]

In August 2011, Goins again the case to the grand jury, again allegedly presenting false testimony. [Record No. 1, ¶ 67-68] Although Harris was placed on home-arrest for approximately four months, he returned to the Harlan County Detention Center in March 2012. [Id., ¶¶ 69-72] Next, he was moved to the Kentucky Correctional Psychiatric Center where he underwent mental health evaluations to determine his competency to stand trial. [Id., ¶¶ 73-77] On May 23, 2013, Harris was released from jail. [Id., ¶ 79] After several continuances, Harris appeared for his jury trial but the Commonwealth failed to present any witnesses against him, resulting in dismissal of the charges. [IcL, ¶¶ 80, 85-87]

Harris further alleges that his previously-seized vehicle had been damaged when he retrieved it from the impound lot. [Id., ¶ 92] Harris asserts that he was wrongfully incarcerated for 895 days and that he suffered abuse at the hands of prison officials and employees during that time. [Id., ¶¶ 94-100] Based on these allegations, Harris asserts a variety of federal and state claims against the defendant-officers, the confidential informants, the City of Manchester, Clay County, UNITE, and unnamed law enforcement officers and their supervisors. In Count I, Harris contends that the individual defendants and UNITE violated his Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Fourteenth Amendment rights under the United States Constitution and 42 U.S.C. § 1983. [Record No. 1, ¶¶ 108-16] Count I also includes a malicious prosecution claim asserted under Kentucky common law. [Id., ¶ 112] In Count II, Harris alleges that these same defendants violated his Fourteenth Amendment due process rights. [Id., ¶¶ 117-25] Count III appears to be a failure-to-intervene claim asserted under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, but only against the City [862]*862of Manchester. [Id., ¶¶ 126-33] Similarly, Count VII appears to assert a claim of failure-to-act under § 1983, but only against the City of Manchester and Clay County. [Id., ¶¶ 152-57]

In Count IV, Harris contends that his Sixth Amendment right to a speedy trial was violated by the individual defendants and UNITE. [Id., ¶¶ 134-38] Next, in Count V, Harris asserts a claim for supervisory liability claim under § 1983 against the supervisors of Clay County, UNITE, and the Manchester City Police.

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Bluebook (online)
156 F. Supp. 3d 857, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 172445, 2015 WL 9587551, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/harris-v-goins-kyed-2015.