Horton v. Boucher

CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Michigan
DecidedAugust 1, 2023
Docket2:22-cv-12529
StatusUnknown

This text of Horton v. Boucher (Horton v. Boucher) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Michigan primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Horton v. Boucher, (E.D. Mich. 2023).

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN SOUTHERN DIVISION

JAMES HORTON,

Plaintiff,

v. Civil Case No. 22-12529 Honorable Linda V. Parker RYAN BOUCHER, J. AIRD, and COUNTY OF OAKLAND,

Defendants. _____________________________/

OPINION AND ORDER GRANTING OAKLAND COUNTY’S MOTION TO DISMISS

On October 20, 2022, Plaintiff James Horton initiated this civil rights lawsuit against Defendants Oakland County and Oakland County Sheriff Deputies Ryan Boucher and J. Aird. Mr. Horton alleges that Deputies Boucher and Aird violated his constitutional rights when they responded to a 911 call placed by Mr. Horton’s wife, claiming that Mr. Horton was suicidal. Mr. Horton claims Oakland County is liable for its deputies’ alleged constitutional violations. The matter is presently before the Court on Oakland County’s motion to dismiss, filed pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6). (ECF No. 8.) The motion has been fully briefed. (ECF Nos. 9, 10.) Finding the facts and legal arguments adequately presented in the parties’ briefs, the Court is dispensing with oral argument pursuant to Eastern District of Michigan Local Rule 7.1(f). For the reasons that follow, the Court grants Oakland County’s motion.

I. Standard of Review A Rule 12(b)(6) motion tests the legal sufficiency of the complaint. RMI Titanium Co. v. Westinghouse Elec. Corp., 78 F.3d 1125, 1134 (6th Cir. 1996).

Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 8(a)(2), a pleading must contain a “short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief.” To survive a motion to dismiss, a complaint need not contain “detailed factual allegations,” but it must contain more than “labels and conclusions” or “a

formulaic recitation of the elements of a cause of action . . ..” Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 555 (2007). A complaint does not “suffice if it tenders ‘naked assertions’ devoid of ‘further factual enhancement.’” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556

U.S. 662, 678 (2009) (quoting Twombly, 550 U.S. at 557). As the Supreme Court provided in Iqbal and Twombly, “[t]o survive a motion to dismiss, a complaint must contain sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to ‘state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.’” Id. (quoting Twombly,

550 U.S. at 570). “A claim has facial plausibility when the plaintiff pleads factual content that allows the court to draw the reasonable inference that the defendant is liable for the misconduct alleged.” Id. (citing Twombly, 550 U.S. at 556). The

plausibility standard “does not impose a probability requirement at the pleading stage; it simply calls for enough facts to raise a reasonable expectation that discovery will reveal evidence of illegal [conduct].” Twombly, 550 U.S. at 556.

In deciding whether the plaintiff has set forth a “plausible” claim, the court must accept the factual allegations in the complaint as true. Erickson v. Pardus, 551 U.S. 89, 94 (2007). This presumption is not applicable to legal conclusions,

however. Iqbal, 556 U.S. at 668. Therefore, “[t]hreadbare recitals of the elements of a cause of action, supported by mere conclusory statements, do not suffice.” Id. (citing Twombly, 550 U.S. at 555). II. Factual and Procedural Allegations

On September 11, 2021, Mr. Horton was at home with his son when his son called his mother, Mr. Horton’s wife, stating that Plaintiff said he was suicidal. (ECF No. 1 at Pg ID 3, ¶¶ 12, 13.) Plaintiff was not demonstrating suicidal

tendencies or showing any indication that he intended to commit suicide, although he was intoxicated. (Id. at Pg ID 3-4, ¶ 14.) Mr. Horton’s wife called 911 and Oakland County Sheriff Deputies were dispatched to the home. (Id. at Pg Id 4, ¶ 15.)

Deputies Aird and Wakerly (who is not a defendant) were the first to arrive. (Id. ¶ 16.) Mr. Horton’s son let the deputies into the home, where they spoke with Mr. Horton. (Id. ¶ 17.) Mr. Horton was responsive and repeatedly stated that he

was fine and not suicidal, although he was visibly intoxicated. (Id.) Deputy Boucher then arrived on the scene at the same time as Mr. Horton’s wife. (Id. ¶ 18.)

Deputy Boucher observed that Mr. Horton was visibly intoxicated but that he cooperated with and listened to the deputies, allowing them to take his vitals and administer a preliminary breath test. (Id. ¶ 19.) Mr. Horton’s wife told the

deputies that Mr. Horton was not suicidal, only intoxicated, and that he used the threat of suicide to get her to come home. (Id. ¶ 20.) The deputies nevertheless indicated that they were going to involuntarily commit Mr. Horton based on his mental condition. (Id. ¶ 21.)

Mr. Horton refused to go and attempted to barricade himself in the kitchen with chairs. (Id. at Pg ID 5, ¶ 25.) He told the deputies that they were violating his civil rights by forcing him to go. (Id. ¶ 23.) Deputies Boucher and Aird

approached Mr. Horton and grabbed a chair that Mr. Horton was holding. (Id. ¶ 26.) Deputies Boucher and Aird then forcibly took Mr. Horton to the ground. (Id. ¶ 27.) Mr. Horton did not resist and was restrained. (Id. at Pg ID 5-6, ¶ 27, 28.) Deputies Boucher and Aird then punched Mr. Horton numerous times. (Id. at Pg

ID 6, ¶¶ 28-29.) Deputy Wakerly handcuffed Mr. Horton and he was transported to the hospital. (Id. ¶ 31.) There, Mr. Horton was treated for bruises to his shoulder and arm and four displaced ribs. (Id. ¶ 32.) He was not treated for a mental health condition. (Id.)

Based on the description of the events provided by Deputies Boucher and Aird, on or about September 27, 2021, Mr. Horton was charged with a felony for resisting the officers. (Id. ¶ 33.) A state court judge dismissed the charges with

prejudice on February 28, 2022. (Id. at Pg ID 7, ¶ 35.) As indicated, Mr. Horton filed this lawsuit against Defendants on October 20, 2022. He asserts the following claims against Deputies Boucher and Aird: (I) false detention, arrest, imprisonment, and confinement; (II) malicious prosecution;

(III) excessive force; and (IV) First Amendment retaliation.1 In Count V of his Complaint, Mr. Horton alleges that Oakland County is liable for the deputies’ misconduct due to “inadequate policies/procedures/customs, failure to train, [and]

ratification/acquiescence[.]” (Id. at Pg ID 20.) III. Applicable Law and Analysis 42 U.S.C. § 1983 creates a federal cause of action against state or local officials who deprive a person of a civil right while acting under color of state law.

A municipality is not liable for a civil rights violation simply due to an “injury

1 Mr. Horton’s retaliation claim is premised on his assertion that the deputies arrested him in response to his repeated claims that they were violating his civil rights by trying to forcibly remove him from his home. (See ECF 1 at Pg ID 16, ¶ 76.) inflicted solely by its employees or agents.” Monell v. Dep’t of Soc. Servs., 436 U.S. 658, 694 (1978). “[A] municipality cannot be held liable solely because it

employs a tortfeasor—or, in other words, a municipality cannot be held liable under § 1983 on a respondeat superior theory.” Id. at 691; see also Garretson v.

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Horton v. Boucher, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/horton-v-boucher-mied-2023.