Hayes v. Hall

604 F. Supp. 1063, 1985 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21715
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Michigan
DecidedMarch 15, 1985
DocketNo. G84-79 CA5
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 604 F. Supp. 1063 (Hayes v. Hall) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Michigan primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hayes v. Hall, 604 F. Supp. 1063, 1985 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21715 (W.D. Mich. 1985).

Opinion

OPINION RE MOTION TO DISMISS

HILLMAN, District Judge.

Defendants Susan Marshall and Pamela McCabe have filed a motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim, pursuant to Fed.R. Civ.P. 12(b)(6), and the matter is now before the court on that motion. They argue that plaintiff’s suit against them is barred by absolute prosecutorial immunity. Plaintiff disputes’ their entitlement to such immunity.

In 1982, plaintiff Daniel Lee Hayes (“Hayes”) was charged in the 55th District Court in Ingham County, Michigan, with assault and battery, a misdemeanor. The complaining witness was defendant Charles Edgar Smith (“Smith”), an employee of defendant Okemos Enterprises, Inc. The criminal proceeding followed from an altercation between Hayes and Smith in the Meridian Mall parking lot on January 31, 1982. The altercation was investigated by defendant David Duane Hall (“Hall”), a sargeant with the Meridian Township Police Department. Hall interviewed Hayes and Smith and Ginger Burns, an eyewitness, regarding the altercation. Defendants Susan Marshall and Pamela McCabe (“Marshall” and “McCabe”) were both assistant prosecuting attorneys with the Ingham County Prosecutor’s Office at the time, who briefly handled the resulting criminal proceeding at two stages prior to trial. The criminal trial resulted in a hung jury and charges against Hayes were dismissed by the district court on July 28, 1983. Plaintiff Hayes now sues defend[1065]*1065ants Hall, Smith, Marshall, McCabe and the Okemos Enterprises, Inc., alleging their conduct with respect to that criminal proceeding violated his civil rights. He seeks monetary damages in excess of $300,000 pursuant to 42 U.S.C. §§ 1983 and 1985. He also appears to be asserting tort claims under state law for intentional infliction of emotional distress.

I.

The purpose of a Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim is to test the formal sufficiency of the complaint to state a redressable claim. However, the final sentence of Rule 12(b) provides that a 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss may be converted into a Rule 56 motion for summary judgment whenever matters outside the pleadings are presented to and accepted by the court. Wright & Miller, Federal Practice & Procedure: Civil §§ 1356 and 1366. On a motion for summary judgment under Rule 56, the movant bears the burden of showing conclusively that there is no genuine issue of material fact and that the movant is entitled to summary judgment as a matter of law. Smith v. Hudson, 600 F.2d 60 (6th Cir.1979); Tee-Pak, Inc. v. St. Regis Paper Co., 491 F.2d 1193 (6th Cir.1974); Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(a). The court is obligated to consider all “pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions” on file, in addition to the material specifically offered in support of the motion. Smith, 600 F.2d at 64. In determining whether there are issues of fact requiring trial, “the inferences to be drawn from the underlying facts contained in the [affidavits, attached exhibits, and depositions] must be viewed in the light most favorable to the party opposing the motion. United States v. Diebold, 369 U.S. 654, 655, 82 S.Ct. 993, 994, 8 L.Ed.2d 176 (1962). A court may not resolve disputed questions of fact in a summary judgment decision and if a disputed question of fact remains, the motion should be denied, and the case should proceed to trial. United States v. Articles of Device, 527 F.2d 1008, 1011 (6th Cir.1976). In making its determination, the court must make reference to the entire record and all well-pleaded allegations are to be accepted as true. Daco Corp. v. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., 523 F.2d 389 (6th Cir.1975).

In support of their motion to dismiss, defendants McCabe and Marshall submitted affidavits and exhibits. Having accepted that extra-pleading material, I have examined the full record in the case in deciding defendants’ motion under Rule 56, including all depositions, affidavits, exhibits, answers to interrogatories and answers to requests to admit, as well as the briefs submitted by both sides. The conclusions flowing from that review follow.

II.

Plaintiff’s complaint contains the following allegations as to defendants McCabe and Marshall:

“1113. Defendants Pamela McCabe and Susan Marshall, who were at all times pertinent hereto, employees of the Ingham County Prosecutor’s Office, sought to continue to prosecute the Plaintiff without probable cause although they became aware that Defendant Hall withheld information from the Prosecutor’s Office in an attempt to cause criminal process to be issued for the arrest and prosecution of the Plaintiff.
¶ 14. That Defendant McCabe in defiance of a Court Order from the bench of the 55th District Court refused to provide exculpating evidence which would have assisted Plaintiff in his defense and thereby deprived Plaintiff of the due process and equal protection rights assured to him by the Federal and State Constitutions.
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1129. That Defendant Susan .Marshall did knowingly take steps to intimidate Plaintiff to cause him to pay money to Defendant Smith.
¶ 30. That Defendant Marshall did refuse to terminate the prosecution of Plaintiff, notwithstanding, her having talked to an eyewitness whose testimony [1066]*1066exculpated Plaintiff with regard to the criminal prosecution.
1131. That Defendant Marshall conspired with others and members of the Ingham County Prosecutor’s Office to continue to bring stress to bear upon Plaintiff and to cause Plaintiff to plead guilty to a lesser charge.
1132. That Defendant Marshall used her position as a Prosecutor in an attempt to coerce and force Plaintiff to forego his rights to a civil suit against Defendant Smith.
1133. That Defendant Marshall sought to withhold from Plaintiff rights assured to Plaintiff by the Federal Constitution and statutes, as well as the laws of the State of Michigan.
1134. That Defendant Marshall engaged in extreme and outrageous acts.
U 35. That Defendant Marshall intended to cause, or by her reckless disregard for the consequences of her acts, sought to cause Plaintiff to suffer severe emotional distress.
¶ 36. That Defendant Marshall, in fact, caused such severe emotional distress.”

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Bluebook (online)
604 F. Supp. 1063, 1985 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21715, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hayes-v-hall-miwd-1985.