Hershey v. The Curators of the University of Missouri

CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Missouri
DecidedAugust 24, 2023
Docket2:20-cv-04239
StatusUnknown

This text of Hershey v. The Curators of the University of Missouri (Hershey v. The Curators of the University of Missouri) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Missouri primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hershey v. The Curators of the University of Missouri, (W.D. Mo. 2023).

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI CENTRAL DIVISION

RICHARD HERSHEY, ) ) Plaintiff, ) ) vs. ) Case No. 2:20-cv-04239-MDH ) THE CURATORS OF THE UNIVERSITY ) OF MISSOURI, et al., ) ) Defendants. )

ORDER Before the Court is Defendants Dr. Mun Choi, Dr. Alexander Cartwright, Julia G. Brncic, Darryl M. Chatman, Maurice B. Graham, Jeffrey L. Layman, Greg E. Hoberock, Phillip H. Snowden, David L. Steelman, Robin R. Wenneker, Michael A. Williams, Nancy Monteer, Dr. Mohammed Dehghani, Sergeant Mark Ritter, Dr. Kristin Sobolik, Dorian Hall, and Nicole Beaumonte’s (collectively, “Defendants’”) Motion for Summary Judgment. Plaintiff responded and Defendants replied. The Court has considered all briefing. For reasons herein, Defendants’ Motion is GRANTED. Summary judgment is entered in favor of defendants. BACKGROUND Plaintiff is a vegetarian activist who, beginning in 2007, has regularly distributed literature in support of vegetarian and vegan lifestyles on college campuses around the country, including on the University of Missouri campuses in Columbia, St. Louis, and Rolla. Plaintiff filed his Third Amended Complaint in May 2022, alleging violations of the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. Plaintiff’s Third Amended Compliant alleges two counts of First Amendment violations, both brought under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Specifically, Plaintiff alleges that Regulation 110.010 of the University of Missouri system violates the First Amendment by restricting Plaintiff’s free speech in various unlawful ways. The relevant part of the regulation, which applies to all campuses within the University of Missouri system, reads as follows.

B. General Regulations 1. Written Permission of the Chancellor -- University buildings and grounds are intended for use by students, faculty and staff in support of the University's mission of research, instruction and extension. University buildings and grounds may not be used by individuals, groups or organizations not connected with the University except by written permission of the Chancellor and then, only in accordance with University rules and regulations. Where regulations require direction of the Chancellor, said regulations may be administered by Chancellors's designee(s). 2. Permits -- Written permits for the temporary use of University grounds, buildings or rooms therein for any purpose other than regularly scheduled classroom work must be secured in advance from the Chancellor. E. Use by Non-Student Individuals and Groups 1. In addition to the general rules and procedures specified above, the following rules apply to use of University facilities by non-student individuals and non-student groups; but this section of the regulations does not apply to official University public functions. 2. Persons who are not students or employees of the University, while on University property, are required to abide by University policies and regulations. 3. Persons who are not current students or employees of the University and who are on University property without specific permission or authorization or without an appropriate purpose may be deemed guilty of trespass. A person shall be deemed to be on University property "without specific permission or authorization" from and after such time as they are requested to leave the property. A person shall be deemed to be on University property "without an appropriate purpose" whenever their presence is not reasonably related to the University's educational function, or an approved University related extracurricular activity. Plaintiff argues Regulation 110.010 is unconstitutional because the Regulation, inter alia, imposes a prior restraint by requiring permission from the Chancellor to use university grounds and grants unfettered decision making power to the Chancellor. In support, Plaintiff references four specific instances in which Plaintiff has interacted with university police officers and other personnel at

University of Missouri campuses in Columbia, Rolla, and St. Louis. Plaintiff alleges that these four instances reflect enforcement of Regulation 110.010. This Court will discuss each of these instances in turn. December 5, 2018

The first incident occurred on December 5, 2018, when Plaintiff was distributing literature outside a dining hall on the campus of the University of Missouri at Columbia. While distributing literature, Plaintiff made contact with Defendant Nancy Monteer, director of dining at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Defendant Monteer claimed that she asked Plaintiff to take several steps away from the dining hall, so to avoid blocking students entering and exiting. After a verbal exchange, Defendant Monteer claims, Plaintiff struck Defendant Monteer in the shoulder with Plaintiff’s arm and hand. Plaintiff disputes this description and instead characterizes his own actions as defensive, but acknowledges that he made contact with Defendant Monteer’s “winter

coat.” (Doc. 116 at ¶¶ 8, 10). Regardless, Plaintiff was handcuffed, detained for several hours, and eventually charged with municipal-level assault for his interaction with Defendant Monteer. The municipal assault charge eventually went to trial, where Plaintiff was found guilty and received a suspended imposition of sentence with various conditions. Plaintiff generally claims that this conviction was wrongful, premised on false allegations from Defendant Monteer, who objected to Plaintiff distributing literature. Defendant Monteer maintains that she felt indifferent toward Plaintiff’s literature distribution, but simply wanted Plaintiff to step away from the dining hall doorways to ensure easy entrance and exit into and from the building. Following the interaction with Defendant Monteer, university police officers issued Plaintiff a “verbal trespass warning for one year”. (Doc. 128 at ¶ 4). Plaintiff claims this trespass warning was “based on Monteer’s false and malicious allegations and her request to ban [Plaintiff].” (Doc. 87 at ¶ 88). Plaintiff requested

a written copy of any “trespass warning” issued against him, but police declined to give anything beyond a verbal warning. Throughout Plaintiff’s interaction with Defendant Monteer and campus law enforcement, there is no evidence anyone cited or referenced in any way Regulation 110.010 or any other campus policy. May 7, 2021

The next incident occurred May 7, 2021. At that time, Plaintiff was distributing pamphlets on the campus of University of Missouri at Rolla, otherwise known as Missouri University of Science and Technology (“Missouri S&T”), when he was approached by Defendant Mark Ritter, a sergeant with the Missouri S&T Police Department. In an exchange captured on body-worn camera, Defendant Ritter repeatedly told Plaintiff that the campus was private property and that Plaintiff was prohibited from distributing literature on the campus. Plaintiff verbally disagreed with Defendant Ritter and continued distributing literature to passersby. Approximately eight

minutes after the interaction between Plaintiff and Defendant Ritter began, the Missouri S&T police chief, not a defendant here, approached Plaintiff and Defendant Ritter. After briefly looking at Plaintiff’s pamphlets and asking Defendant Ritter about the nature of his interaction with Plaintiff, the police chief informed Defendant Ritter and Plaintiff that there was no problem with Plaintiff’s distribution of literature. The exchange then ended and Plaintiff continued distributing literature without disruption from police. When Plaintiff eventually left campus several hours later, he did so on his own accord. Officers did not physically remove Plaintiff from campus, issue a verbal or written trespass warning, or otherwise impede Plaintiff from distributing his literature.

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Hershey v. The Curators of the University of Missouri, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hershey-v-the-curators-of-the-university-of-missouri-mowd-2023.