Mastroianni v. Deering

879 F. Supp. 1245, 1994 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19948, 1994 WL 774567
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Georgia
DecidedDecember 30, 1994
DocketCiv. A. No. CV293-88
StatusPublished

This text of 879 F. Supp. 1245 (Mastroianni v. Deering) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Georgia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Mastroianni v. Deering, 879 F. Supp. 1245, 1994 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19948, 1994 WL 774567 (S.D. Ga. 1994).

Opinion

ORDER

ALAIMO, District Judge.

Plaintiff, Robert Mastroianni (“Mastroianni”), Deputy Sheriff of Camden County, Georgia, was arrested on charges that were later nol prossed. On June 29, 1993, Mastroianni filed this federal action against several Defendants pursuant to the Civil Rights Act of 1871, 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Mastroianni’s claims include (1) malicious prosecution, (2) abuse of process, (3) false arrest, (4) false imprisonment, and (5) conspiracy to commit the foregoing. Before the Court is Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment pursuant to Rule 56 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. For the reasons stated below, Defendants’ motion will be GRANTED in part and DENIED in part.

FACTS

For several years, Mastroianni has served as Deputy Sheriff of Camden County, Georgia, serving under William B. Smith, Sheriff of Camden County. During the early part of 1991, the Camden County Sheriff’s Department conducted an in-house investigation into allegations that Mastroianni was planting drugs on suspects and then arresting those suspects for possession of the planted drugs. Willie Sapp, John Glover, and Theresa Robinson all alleged that the drugs found in their possession had been planted there by Mastroianni. Polygraph examinations indicated that these three, persons were telling the truth. Sheriff Smith was advised of the polygraph results, but the investigation was, nevertheless, dropped.

In the spring of 1991, District Attorney Glenn Thomas requested the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (“GBI”) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) to conduct an investigation of Mastroianni concerning allegations that he was planting drugs on suspects. In response, a joint GBI/FBI investigation ensued. Defendant Michael J. Bowers (“Bowers”), Attorney General of Georgia, supervised the investigation. Aso involved in the investigation were Defendants Joe B. Jackson, Jr. (“Jackson”), and Weyland Yeomans (‘Yeomans”) of the GBI, and Defendant Patrick J. Deering (“Deering”), an assistant attorney general. The parties dispute the extent and nature of each Defendants’ involvement in the investigation.

During this same time period, Defendants were also investigating Sheriff William Smith for alleged unlawful use of inmate labor. On more than one occasion, Defendants questioned Mastroianni regarding the allegations against Sheriff Smith. Mastroianni claims that Defendants tried to force him into giving incriminating information against Sheriff Smith and threatened to prosecute him (Mastroianni) if he did not. Mastroianni declined to do so and, on the contrary, told Defendants that Smith was an honest man.

On July 16, 1992, Deering presented a three count indictment against Mastroianni to the Camden County Grand Jury. Count I charged Mastroianni with the offense of False Imprisonment Under Color of Legal Process, O.C.G.A. § 16-5-42, for allegedly planting drugs on Leo Polumbo and then illegally arresting him. Count II charged Mastroianni with Perjury for allegedly lying to the Magistrate in order to obtain the search warrant for Leo Polumbo’s residence. Count III charged Mastroianni with False Imprisonment Under Color of Legal Process, O.C.G.A. § 16-5-42, for allegedly planting drugs on John Glover and then illegally arresting him.

Both Yeomans and Mastroianni testified before the Camden County Grand Jury. After the testimony, the Grand Jury returned a “No Bill” on Counts II and III. As to Count 1, the Grand Jury returned a “True Bill,” indicting Mastroianni for False Imprisonment with regard to Leo Polumbo. Thereafter, Mastroianni was arrested pursuant to a [1247]*1247bench warrant and released on bond that same day. Nine months later, prosecutors nol prossed the indictment.

DISCUSSION

I. Absolute Immunity

Defendants, Deering and Bowers, claim that absolute immunity shields them from all liability. The Court has already addressed Defendants’ claims for absolute immunity:

Defendants, Deering and Yeomans, are entitled to absolute immunity for their testimony before the grand jury on July 16 and 17, 1992, alleged in paragraph 30 of Mastroianni’s amended complaint.
Deering’s filing of a notice of indictment, mentioned in paragraph 25 of Mastroianni’s complaint, is a usual step in the initiation of a criminal prosecution, and is an act protected by absolute immunity. None of Defendants’ other acts as alleged in Mastroianni’s amended complaint is entitled to greater than qualified immunity.

Mastroianni v. Deering, 835 F.Supp. 1577, 1581-82 (S.D.Ga.1993). Defendants’ entitlement to qualified immunity is discussed below.

II. Summary Judgment

Defendants have moved for summary judgment under Rule 56 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Summary judgment requires the movant to establish the absence of genuine issues of material fact, such that the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c); Adickes v. S.H. Kress & Co., 398 U.S. 144, 153, 90 S.Ct. 1598, 1606, 26 L.Ed.2d 142 (1970). In this case, if Defendants are entitled to qualified immunity, they are also entitled to judgment as a matter of law. See Alexander v. University of North Florida, 39 F.3d 290, 291 (11th Cir.1994) (“[Q]ualified immunity for government officials is the rule, liability and trials for liability the exception.”). Accordingly, the existence of qualified immunity is a legal question which is properly decided on summary judgment. Ansley v. Heinrich, 925 F.2d 1339, 1348 (11th Cir.1991). Indeed, deciding qualified immunity eases at the summary judgment stage furthers the purpose of this defense by keeping the public official “out of the courtroom, free to exercise discretionary duties under clearly established law without the constant threat of lawsuits.” Id. at 1345. As the Supreme Court has noted, qualified immunity “is an immunity from suit rather than a mere defense to liability; and ... it is effectively lost if a case is erroneously permitted to go to trial.” Mitchell v. Forsyth, 472 U.S. 511, 526, 105 S.Ct. 2806, 2815, 86 L.Ed.2d 411 (1985).

While the existence of factual disputes does not preclude summary judgment on qualified immunity, McDaniel v. Woodard, 886 F.2d 311, 313 (11th Cir.1989), all reasonable inferences will be made in favor of the non-movant. Adickes, 398 U.S.

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Bluebook (online)
879 F. Supp. 1245, 1994 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19948, 1994 WL 774567, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mastroianni-v-deering-gasd-1994.