Jones v. Dalton

867 F. Supp. 2d 572, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 47700, 2012 WL 1134895
CourtDistrict Court, D. New Jersey
DecidedApril 3, 2012
DocketCivil Action No. 09-138 (JEI/KMW)
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 867 F. Supp. 2d 572 (Jones v. Dalton) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. New Jersey primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Jones v. Dalton, 867 F. Supp. 2d 572, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 47700, 2012 WL 1134895 (D.N.J. 2012).

Opinion

OPINION

IRENAS, Senior District Judge:

Presently before the Court are three separate Motions for Summary Judgment. (Dkt. Nos. 117, 120, 124) Plaintiffs claims arise from an allegedly unlawful police stop and, when Plaintiff complained of the misconduct, a retaliatory criminal prosecution.

I.

Despite many of the pertinent facts of this case having been captured on video, the inferences drawn from those events are bitterly disputed. For the purposes of this Motion, the Court must resolve those disputes in favor of Plaintiff. See Pollock v. Am. Tel. & Tel. Long Lines, 794 F.2d 860, 864 (3d Cir.1986).

After a Super Bowl party, late on February 4, 2007, Plaintiff Terence Jones, an African American male, was returning from Philadelphia to his home in southern New Jersey. (Jones’ Facts at ¶¶ 8, 15)1 It was a windy night with sub-zero temperatures. Due to an accident blocking Plaintiffs customary route, Jones used his navigational system to find a detour. (Id. at ¶ 29) Covering unfamiliar terrain, Jones accidentally missed a left-hand turn onto Swedesboro Pualsboro Road. (See Map, Schaeffer’s Facts, Ex. 11)2 Jones quickly rectified the situation by making a U-turn in the parking lot of RTR Rentals. (Id. at ¶ 20)

Upon witnessing Jones exit the parking lot late at night, Defendant Officer Michael Schaeffer became suspicious and followed [577]*577Jones for several miles. (Id. at ¶¶ 26-27, 29, Ex. 11) Schaeffer’s suspicion was further aroused when Jones took a slightly indirect route from the parking lot to County Road 538. (Schaeffer’s Facts at ¶ 37)

At 11:59 PM, Officer Schaeffer pulled Jones over. (Jones’ Facts at ¶ 9) Once stopped, Officer Schaeffer quickly approached Jones’ driver-side window and brashly questioned Jones regarding his presence at an “industrial area” late at night. (Id., Tr. Motor Vehicle Recording (“MVR”), Ex. 12 at 1; MVR, Ex. 15)3 Before awaiting a response to his initial questions, Schaeffer also demanded to see Jones’ license and registration. (Id. at Ex. 15) Never having been to the area, Jones clearly did not understand that Schaeffer considered the parking lot of RTR Rentals to be an industrial area. (Id., Tr. MVR, Ex. 12 at 3) As Jones attempted to comply with Schaeffer’s rudely delivered barrage of directives and questions, Schaeffer’s frequent interruptions delivered with increasing irritation and condescension prevented any semblance of rational discourse. (Id., MVR, Ex. 15)

Jones, a twelve year veteran of the Philadelphia Police Department, was clearly taken aback by Schaeffer’s tone and demeanor. (Id.) When Schaeffer finally quieted long enough for Jones to properly explain the situation, Schaeffer quickly retorted, “Why didn’t you say that the first time I asked you?” (Id., Tr. Video, Ex. 12 at 3) Despite Schaeffer’s rudeness, Jones remained calm, collected and respectful at all times. (Id.)

Not satisfied with the specificity of Philadelphia as a city, Schaeffer pried into the details of Jones’ journey. Jones responded in a firm yet respectful voice, “Where at in Philadelphia am I coming from? I don’t feel as though I have to tell you.” (Id.)

Schaeffer did not appreciate the response. “Alright, well, well, at this point I’m conducting an investigation!” (Id.)

As a result, Schaeffer began to repeatedly ask Jones whether he had been drinking alcohol. (Id. at 4) Jones replied that he was not a drinker. (Id.) That answer prompted Schaeffer to conduct a fruitless plain view search of Jones’ backseat. (Id.)

Approximately seven minutes after pulling Jones over, Schaeffer returned to his car and called for backup. (Id. at 5) While waiting, Schaeffer used the loudspeaker to scream profanities at Jones for supposedly “reaching around.” (Id.)

After several minutes, Schaeffer requested dispatch to run Jones’ record. (Id.) When asked the suspect’s name, Schaeffer reported, “Ahh ... Terrence Jones, unfortunately.” (Id.) As later became evident, Jones was known to Defendants because, approximately one week prior, Jones had filed a complaint alleging that a citizen had threatened him with a gun while yelling racial epithets. (Id. at ¶ 114) The prosecutors, however, did not file criminal charges because Jones supposedly lacked credibility. (Id. at ¶ 115)

Shortly thereafter, Schaeffer’s superior officer, Sergeant Massing, arrived and Schaeffer explained the situation and intimated his desire to escalate the encounter. (Id., Tr. MVR, Ex. 12 at 6) Schaeffer declared, “I’m gonna get him out and test him, and ask him to confess.” (Id.) Massing did not object to Schaeffer’s proposed course of action.

Approximately 17 minutes after the stop, Schaeffer asked Jones for permission [578]*578to search the vehicle several times. (Id. at 9) Each time, Jones respectfully declined and asked to go home. (Id. at 9)

Schaeffer next required Jones to submit to a sobriety field test. (Id. at 10) Ironically though, when Massing first arrived, Schaeffer admitted that “I can’t tell if he’s been drinking cause it’s too windy and too damn cold!” (Id. at 6) Before complying, Jones asked Schaeffer if he could roll up his windows to secure his vehicle, but Schaeffer refused. (Id. at 10)

Once outside, Schaeffer asked whether Jones possessed any weapons. (Id. at 11) Although Jones replied in the negative, Schaeffer searched Jones — not by patting him down, but by inserting his hands into Jones’ pockets. (Id., MVR, Ex. 15) The search revealed the keys to Jones’ second vehicle — a BMW. (Id.) Shocked, Schaeffer asked if Jones really owned a BMW and the Lincoln Navigator he was currently driving. (Id., Tr. MVR at 11, Ex. 12) Jones respectfully replied affirmatively to Schaeffer’s condescending question. (Id.)

After searching Jones, Schaeffer and Massing conducted the sobriety test. (Id., MVR, Ex. 15) Although Schaeffer accused Jones of having watery eyes, Massing suggested that sub-zero temperatures could have that effect. (Id.)

Approximately twenty minutes into the stop, Schaeffer left Massing and Jones at the rear of the vehicle and approached Jones’ front passenger-side door. (Id.) Due to the angle of the video camera, the MVR did not capture Schaeffer’s actions; however, Schaeffer remained in that position for approximately thirty seconds. (Id.) The angle of Schaeffer’s toes, which are the only visible part of Schaeffer’s body, indicate that Schaeffer was leaning forward into the cabin of the vehicle. (Id.) Because Schaeffer refused to allow Jones to roll up his windows, a reasonable inference can be drawn that Schaeffer leaned into the car to conduct a search without consent.

Furthermore, once Schaeffer walked around the car to inspect the vehicle from the driver-side, Schaeffer conducted a “plain view search” by sticking his head through the open window.4 (Id.) Despite conducting these two searches without consent, Schaeffer again asked Jones for permission to search the entire vehicle.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
867 F. Supp. 2d 572, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 47700, 2012 WL 1134895, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/jones-v-dalton-njd-2012.