McGrath v. Town of Sandwich

22 F. Supp. 3d 58, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 68318, 2014 WL 2047891
CourtDistrict Court, D. Massachusetts
DecidedMay 16, 2014
DocketCivil Action No. 13-12381-NMG
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 22 F. Supp. 3d 58 (McGrath v. Town of Sandwich) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Massachusetts primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
McGrath v. Town of Sandwich, 22 F. Supp. 3d 58, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 68318, 2014 WL 2047891 (D. Mass. 2014).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM & ORDER

GORTON, District Judge.

This civil rights and tort case arises out of an alleged bullying incident that took place at Sandwich High School (“SHS”) in 2011, Plaintiff Ty McGrath (“Ty”), who was an 18-year-old senior at the time, was suspended from school and charged with felony assault after he allegedly bullied and assaulted a 14-year-old SHS freshman. The felony charges against Ty were later reduced to misdemeanor charges and he was eventually acquitted of all criminal conduct.

Ty and his mother, Julianne McGrath (“Julianne”), allege that the Town of Sandwich (“the Town”) and several individual defendants are liable for various civil rights and tort violations. First Ty asserts claims against Sandwich Police Officer Brian Bondarek (“Officer Bondarek”), an unknown Sandwich Police officer (“John Doe # 2”) and the Town for his allegedly wrongful arrest, interrogation and criminal prosecution. Ty also asserts claims against the Town, SHS Principal Ellin Booras (“Principal Booras”), School Superintendent Charles Canfield (“Superintendent Canfield”), Officer Christa Cabral (“Officer Cabral”) and another unknown Sandwich Police officer (“John Doe # 1”) in connection with his suspension from SHS. Ty and Julianne further allege that they suffered other harms at the hands of the Sandwich Police Department after they complained about Officer Bondarek’s handling of Ty’s case.

Plaintiffs filed their complaint in October, 2013. Officer Bondarek has since moved to dismiss Counts 12 and 18, both [62]*62of which allege that he participated in conspiracies to present false testimony against Ty. Officer Cabral, Principal Boor-as, Superintendent Canfield and the Town have moved to dismiss Counts 17 through 26, all ten of which arise out of school disciplinary proceedings that resulted in Ty’s suspension.

I. Background

The Court accepts as true the following allegations of the plaintiffs for the purpose of analyzing the motions to dismiss.

A. Interrogation by Officer Bonda-rek

On November 7, 2011, Ty allegedly assaulted a 14-year-old member of the SHS football team. Following that incident, Officer Bondarek asked Ty to come to the Sandwich' Police Station to be interviewed. Ty arrived at the station at about 8:07 P.M. and was accompanied by Julianne. Officer Bondarek told them that he had photographs of injuries sustained by the other student. He placed Ty under arrest for assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (a shod foot). Ty and Julianne repeatedly told Officer Bondarek that Ty wanted an attorney and did not want to speak with him but he ignored those requests and took Ty to the booking room at 8:13 P.M.

In the booking room, Officer Bondarek repeatedly urged Ty to describe what had happened at the school that day. Ty was never read his Miranda rights or told that he had a right under Massachusetts law to have the interrogation recorded. Eventually, Ty told Officer Bondarek his version of what had happened. Officer Bondarek did not record what Ty said and instead wrote down an inaccurate account of the incident involving Ty pushing the bristles of a broom and a brownie into the face of the other student. Officer Bondarek then gave Ty a “rights form” to sign and told him to write that he had signed the form at 8:10 P.M. even though Ty did not enter the booking room until 8:13 P.M. Officer Bondarek also told Ty to sign the statement which had been drafted by Officer Bondarek and to write that he had signed the form at 8:24 P.M.

Ty was released on bail after 9:00 P.M. that evening. At that time, Officer Bonda-rek told Julianne that he had spoken with Principal Booras and she wanted to charge Ty with a hate crime, none of which was true. Furthermore, his report, which stated that Ty admitted to the assault, was provided to the press and some of the colleges to which Ty had applied. At least one local news article stated that, according to the report, Ty had admitted to the assault.

As a result of his arrest and interrogation, Ty suffered, inter alia, panic attacks, loss of sleep, loss of appetite, depression and gastrointestinal distress. He attempted suicide shortly after he was arrested.

B. School Disciplinary Proceedings

Officer Cabral, who was the designated “resource officer” of the Sandwich Police Department assigned to SHS, investigated the alleged assault prior to the suspension hearing and concluded that an assault had indeed taken place. She read Officer Bon-darek’s report before she began her investigation.

On November 9, 2011, a pre-suspension “due process” hearing was held at SHS. Principal Booras reviewed Officer Bonda-rek’s report before the hearing. The hearing was not recorded and no transcripts were made. In attendance were the McGraths, Officer Cabral, Principal Boor-as, a school counselor and the SHS athletic director. During the hearing, Officer Cabral testified that she had seen photos of [63]*63the injuries that Ty inflicted upon the other student. No such photos existed. The McGraths were told that there were witnesses to the incident but the identities and statements of such witnesses were not disclosed.

On the following day, Principal Booras informed the McGraths that Ty would be suspended from participating in all school activities for ten days. She sent the McGraths a formal letter in which she explained her reasons. The McGraths appealed to Superintendent Canfield and were notified on November 18, 2011 that he had upheld Ty’s suspension.

As a result of his suspension, Ty missed the final two games of the football season and his team’s award ceremony. He continued to suffer from the physical symptoms listed above.

C. Prosecution on Felony Charges

Officer Bondarek’s report served as the basis for a criminal complaint charging Ty with two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (a shod foot and a broomstick).

In January, 2012, the Barnstable County District Court held a hearing on Ty’s motion to suppress the statements he made at the Sandwich Police Station on November 7, 2011. Officer Bondarek testified at the hearing and made several false statements. The presiding judge allowed Ty’s motion to suppress on the grounds that 1) Officer Bondarek admitted to hearing Julianne tell Ty not to answer questions without a lawyer and 2) Officer Bondarek did not record the interrogation. The court reasoned that Ty’s statements were involuntary.

In February, 2012, the state district court ruled that probable cause did not exist for the felony charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and reduced the charges to two misdemeanor counts of assault and battery. Ty was acquitted of those charges by a six-person jury in March, 2012.

II. Motions to Dismiss

A. Legal Standard for Motions to Dismiss

To 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.” Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 570, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007). In considering the merits of a motion to dismiss, the Court must accept all factual allegations in the complaint as true and draw all reasonable inferences in the plaintiffs favor. Langadinos v. Am. Airlines, Inc.,

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22 F. Supp. 3d 58, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 68318, 2014 WL 2047891, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mcgrath-v-town-of-sandwich-mad-2014.