Lattime v. Seabrook, et al.

CourtDistrict Court, D. New Hampshire
DecidedJuly 12, 1999
DocketCV-98-181-M
StatusPublished

This text of Lattime v. Seabrook, et al. (Lattime v. Seabrook, et al.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. New Hampshire primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lattime v. Seabrook, et al., (D.N.H. 1999).

Opinion

Lattime v. Seabrook, et al. CV-98-181-M 07/12/99 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

DISTRICT OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

Chastity Lattime, Plaintiff

v. Civil No. 98-181-M

Town of Seabrook, Seabrook Police Department, and Robert Granlund, Defendants

O R D E R

Plaintiff Chastity Lattime brought this action against the

Town of Seabrook ("Town" ) , Seabrook Police Department

("Department"), and Sgt. Robert Granlund alleging violations of

42 U.S.C. § 1983 and New Hampshire law in connection with her

March 8, 1995, arrest for robbery, theft by unauthorized taking,

and criminal use of aerosol self-defense spray. The plaintiff's

writ1 alleges seven counts applicable to the various defendants

as noted: (1) False Arrest/Illegal Seizure/Battery and (2) Breach

of Duty to Investigate, against the individual defendant; (3)

Unconstitutional Custom, Policy and/or Official Act against

Defendant Town of Seabrook and its Seabrook Police Department;

(4) Negligent Hiring, Training and Supervision, against the Town;

(5) Pendant State Law Claim of Vicarious Liability, against the

Town and its police department; and claims for (6) Enhanced

Damages and (7) Punitive Damages, against the individual

1The action was originally brought in state court and then removed to this court pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1441 and 1446. defendant. The defendants move for summary judgment on all

counts.

Standard of Review

Summary judgment is appropriate when the record reveals "no

genuine issue as to any material fact and . . . the moving party

is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law." Fed. R. Civ. P.

56(c). When ruling upon a party's motion for summary judgment,

the court must "view the entire record in the light most

hospitable to the party opposing summary judgment, indulging all

reasonable inferences in that party's favor." Griqqs-Rvan v.

Smith, 904 F.2d 112, 115 (1st Cir. 1990).

The moving party "bears the initial responsibility of

informing the district court of the basis for its motion, and

identifying those portions of [the record] which it believes

demonstrate the absence of a genuine issue of material fact."

Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 323 (1986). If the

moving party carries its burden, the burden shifts to the

nonmoving party to demonstrate, with regard to each issue on

which it has the burden of proof, that a trier of fact could

reasonably find in its favor. DeNovellis v. Shalala, 124 F.3d

298, 306 (1st Cir. 1997).

At this stage, the nonmoving party "may not rest upon mere

allegation or denials of [the movant's] pleading, but must set

forth specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue" of

material fact as to each issue upon which he or she would bear

the ultimate burden of proof at trial. I d . (guoting Anderson v.

2 Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 256 (1986)). In this context,

"a fact is ''material' if it potentially affects the outcome of

the suit and a dispute over it is 'genuine' if the parties'

positions on the issue are supported by conflicting evidence."

Intern'1 Ass'n of Machinists and Aerospace Workers v. Winship

Green Nursing Center, 103 F.3d 196, 199-200 (1st Cir. 1996)

(citations omitted).

Background

At approximately 3:42 p.m. on March 8, 1995, Defendant

Granlund and Sgt. Preston of the Seabrook Police Department were

dispatched to 56 Carolyn Avenue, Seabrook, New Hampshire to

investigate an alleged assault. Once there. Defendant Granlund

observed the victim, Cindy Andrews, being treated by Emergency

Medical Technicians for exposure to Oleo Capscium spray, also

known as "pepper spray." Sergeant Granlund also observed that

Andrews' skin and hair had an orange tint, which Granlund, having

been trained in the effects of Oleo Capscium spray, knew to be

consistent with recent exposure to it.

Andrews gave Sergeant Granlund an account of the assault,

which, in relevant part, follows. Andrews had been driving down

Carolyn Avenue when two women she did not recognize yelled at her

to stop. She backed up to speak to the women, who stated they

were lost and looking for Pine Street. She then saw plaintiff,

whom she knew, emerge from behind the two women. As Andrews put

her car in gear to leave, plaintiff sprayed her with a chemical,

3 reached into the car, grabbed her by the hair and pulled very

hard. Andrews put her car in park, and managed to get out. She

ran toward a mobile home. The two women chased her, punching and

kicking her in the process. Plaintiff told the women they should

kill Andrews, whereupon the women told Andrews they were not

through with her yet. Andrews reached the mobile home and, when

an elderly gentleman came to the door, her attackers fled.

Andrews told Defendant Granlund that she believed plaintiff

stole $200 from her pocketbook while assaulting her. She also

told Sergeant Granlund that she believed the necklace she was

wearing prior to the assault had been ripped from her neck while

plaintiff was pulling her hair. Granlund observed a large amount

of loose hair falling from Andrews' scalp and a reddening of her

face, which he thought to be consistent not only with having been

sprayed, but also with having been punched or kicked, although he

saw no blood. He also observed a small nick on Andrews' neck and

a reddening from one side of her neck to the other along the line

on which a necklace would rest. Granlund was aware of prior

disputes between the plaintiff and Andrews, and therefore

believed that Andrews' identification of the plaintiff was

reliable and that a motive existed for the assault.

Andrews went to the police station and gave written

statement, declaring that plaintiff "grabbed my pocket book and

took $200.00 dollars." Granlund applied for an arrest warrant

and prepared complaints against plaintiff charging robbery, in

violation of N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 636:1; theft by unauthorized

4 taking, in violation of N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 637:3; and

criminal use of an aerosol self-defense spray weapon, in

violation of N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 159:23. An arrest warrant

was issued the same day.

At approximately 5:46 p.m. on March 8, 1995, Sergeant

Granlund and another officer arrested plaintiff at her residence.

Plaintiff was informed of the charges against her, transported to

the police station and was administratively processed. Plaintiff

denied committing the crimes with which she was charged, offered

an alibi, and gave the names of witnesses who could support her

alibi.

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