Lara-Grimaldi v. County of Putnam

CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedMarch 29, 2021
Docket7:17-cv-00622
StatusUnknown

This text of Lara-Grimaldi v. County of Putnam (Lara-Grimaldi v. County of Putnam) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lara-Grimaldi v. County of Putnam, (S.D.N.Y. 2021).

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK

NANCY LARA-GRIMALDI, individually and as Administratrix of the Estate of Alexandra Grimaldi,

Plaintiff, No. 17-CV-622 (KMK) -v- OPINION & ORDER COUNTY OF PUTNAM, et al.,

Defendants.

Appearances:

David Bruce Rankin, Esq. Keith Michael Szczepanski, Esq. Beldock Levine & Hoffman LLP New York, NY Counsel for Plaintiff

James A. Randazzo, Esq. Portale Randazzo LLP White Plains, NY Counsel for County Defendants

Drew William Sumner, Esq. Sumner Law LLP White Plains, NY Counsel for County Defendants

Caroline Beth Lineen, Esq. Lewis R. Silverman, Esq. Silverman and Associates White Plains, NY Counsel for Michelle Nigro

KENNETH M. KARAS, District Judge:

Plaintiff Nancy Lara-Grimaldi (“Plaintiff”), individually and as Administratrix of the Estate of Alexandra Grimaldi (“Grimaldi”), brings the instant Action against Putnam County Sergeant Karen Jackson (“Jackson”), Sergeant William Spinelli (“Spinelli”), Correction Officer Steven Napolitano (“Napolitano”), Correction Officer Jennifer Wilkinson (“Wilkinson”), Correction Officer Keith Puhekker (“Puhekker”), Correction Officer Michelle Nigro (“Nigro”), Correction Officer John Cassidy (“Cassidy”), John and/or Jane Doe Officers, and John and/or Jane Doe Medical Officials (“Does”; collectively, “Individual Defendants”), and the County of

Putnam (“Putnam County”; together with all Individual Defendants except Nigro, the “County Defendants”), for the wrongful death of Grimaldi due to her attempted suicide while in pretrial detention at the Putnam County Correctional Facility (“PCCF”). (See generally Second Am. Compl. (“SAC”) (Dkt. No. 74).)1 Plaintiff maintains six claims: (1) a federal claim under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against the Individual Defendants for deliberate indifference to Plaintiff’s Fourteenth Amendment rights; (2) a federal claim under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against Putnam County for Monell violations; (3) a state law wrongful death claim against Putnam County and the Individual Defendants; (4) a state constitutional law claim under Article I § 6 against Putnam County and the Individual Defendants; (5) a state law negligence claim against Putnam County

and the Individual Defendants; and (6) a state law respondeat superior claim against Putnam County. (See generally id.) Before the Court is Nigro’s Motion For Summary Judgment (the “Nigro Motion”), (see Not. of Mot. for Summ. J. (“Not. of Nigro Mot.”) (Dkt. No. 125)), and the County Defendants’ Motion For Summary Judgment (the “Motion”), (see Not. of Mot. (Dkt. No. 129)). For the reasons that follow, the Motions are granted in part and deferred in part.

1 Plaintiff’s SAC names Putnam County Sheriff Donald Smith (“Smith”), Officer Angela McGoorty (“McGoorty”), Correction Officer Richard Greagor (“Greagor”), Correction Officer Anthony Colello (“Colello”), and Correction Officer Trudy Giampaolo (“Giampaolo”), but the Court has dismissed Plaintiff’s claim against them. (See Op. & Order (“2019 Op.”) (Dkt. No. 111).) The SAC also names Christopher Stewart, but he died in January 2019, and on September 6, 2019 was dismissed from this Action. (Dkt. No. 113.) I. Background2 A. Factual Background The following facts are taken from Defendants’ statements pursuant to Local Civil Rule 56.1, (Defs.’ Rule 56.1 Statement (“Defs.’ Statement”) (Dkt. No. 132); Local Civil Rule 56.1 Statement of Material Facts (“Nigro Statement”) (Dkt. No. 127)), Plaintiff’s Second Amended

Complaint, (SAC), and admissible evidence submitted by the Parties. Unless otherwise noted, these facts are uncontested. 1. October 27, 2015 On October 27, 2015, Grimaldi was arrested for two drug-related misdemeanors, including criminal possession of a hypodermic needle. (Defs.’ Statement ¶ 21; Nigro Statement ¶¶ 7, 9; Pl.’s Resp. to County Defs.’ Local Rule 56.1 Statement (“Pl.’s Statement”) 4–5, 19 (Dkt. No. 137); SAC ¶¶ 30–34; Decl. in Supp. of Mot. (“Silverman Decl.”) Ex. C (“Police Records”) 809 (Dkt. No. 126-3).)3 She also had seven empty heroin bags. (Police Records 809.) Grimaldi was arrested after visiting her father, who observed that nothing seemed out of the ordinary, she

was not in physical distress apart from a knee injury, and she was “fine.” (Nigro Statement ¶¶ 2– 3; Pl.’s Statement 18; Silverman Decl. Ex. M (“F. Grimaldi Dep.”) 15–17 (Dkt. No. 130-24).) After being arraigned, Grimaldi was remanded and transported to PCCF. (Defs.’ Statement ¶¶ 22–23; Nigro Statement ¶¶ 10, 12–14; Pl.’s Statement 5, 19–20; SAC ¶ 34; Decl. of James A. Randazzo (“Randazzo Decl.”) Ex. K (“Napolitano Dep.”) 28–29 (Dkt. No. 130-11); Police Records 805, 811.) Grimaldi had been incarcerated at PCCF several times prior to her

2 The Court refers to Napolitano, Jackson, Nigro, and, where appropriate, Putnam County as “Defendants.” 3 Because Plaintiff combines her response to the County Defendants’ and Nigro’s Rule 56.1 Statements into a single filing, the Court refers to the page number of Plaintiff’s Statement. arrest. (See generally Randazzo Decl. Ex. G (“Prior Screenings”) (Dkt. No. 130-7).) Several staff remembered Grimaldi. For example, Colello testified that he knew Grimaldi to be a heroin user with depression and bipolar disorder who had previously attempted suicide. (Randazzo Decl. Ex. P (“Colello Dep.”) 42 (Dkt. No. 130-16).) This knowledge came from once booking Grimaldi. (Id. at 41.) However, Colello testified to “many interactions with [Grimaldi],”

because “it’s a small jail.” (Id. at 43.) Based on this knowledge, Colello would have expected Grimaldi to report that she expected to experience withdrawal symptoms. (Id. at 49.) Wilkinson testified that she understood Grimaldi to have drug addiction issues. (Randazzo Decl. Ex. M (“Wilkinson Dep.”) 45 (Dkt. No. 130-13).) Giampaolo testified that she knew Grimaldi to be “bipolar” and “a drug user,” and stated that she would want to make sure to watch for signs of detoxification. (Randazzo Decl. Ex. T (“Giampaolo Dep.”) 47, 48 (Dkt. No. 130-20).) Napolitano, who was working as the booking officer, rejected Grimaldi from intake because of a two-day old laceration on her knee. (Defs.’ Statement ¶¶ 24, 27; Nigro Statement ¶¶ 15–17, 19; Pl.’s Statement 5, 20, 21; Napolitano Dep. 28–29.) Napolitano had worked at

PCCF since 2008, and he knew Grimaldi from her prior incarcerations at PCCF. (Defs.’ Statement ¶¶ 25–26; Pl.’s Statement 5; Napolitano Dep. 9, 25.) A reasonable jury could find that Napolitano knew that Grimaldi’s prior incarcerations were related to drug possession. (Napolitano Dep. 26.) PCCF nurse Ibellis Diaz (“Diaz”) examined Grimaldi’s knee and determined that she needed further medical attention before being admitted to PCCF. (Defs.’ Statement ¶¶ 28–29; Nigro Statement ¶ 18; Pl.’s Statement 5–6, 20; Napolitano Dep. 29; Randazzo Decl. Ex. L (“Diaz Dep.”) 12–13 (Dkt. No. 130-12).) Grimaldi was taken to Putnam Hospital Center (“PHC”) for treatment. (Defs.’ Statement ¶ 30; Nigro Statement ¶ 20; Pl.’s Statement 6, 21; Diaz Dep. 13; Napolitano Dep. 29.) There are no records of Grimaldi complaining of withdrawal or expressing suicidal ideation while at PHC. (Nigro Statement ¶¶ 21–22; Pl.’s Statement 21; see generally Silverman Decl. Ex. D (“PHC Records”) (Dkt. No. 126-4).). Safety and psychosocial assessments noted that Grimaldi expressed no domestic concerns or suicidal thoughts, and did not wish to be dead. (Nigro Statement ¶¶ 25, 27; Pl.’s Statement 22; PHC Records 11, 45.) After receiving treatment for her

knee, Grimaldi was returned to PCCF, arriving at approximately 7:45 P.M. (Defs.’ Statement ¶ 31; Nigro Statement ¶¶ 30–31; Pl.’s Statement 6, 22; Napolitano Dep.

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