Monge v. Cortes

413 F. Supp. 2d 42, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3523, 2006 WL 220053
CourtDistrict Court, D. Puerto Rico
DecidedJanuary 23, 2006
DocketCIV. 04-1596(JP)
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 413 F. Supp. 2d 42 (Monge v. Cortes) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Puerto Rico primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Monge v. Cortes, 413 F. Supp. 2d 42, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3523, 2006 WL 220053 (prd 2006).

Opinion

OPINION AND ORDER

PIERAS, Senior District Judge.

I. INTRODUCTION

The Coux-t has before it the “Motion for Summary Judgment” (docket No. 38) and the memorandum of law in support thereof (docket No. 40) filed by co-Defendants Ángel Coi'tés, Gilberto Díaz, Miguel Marín, Carlos Aquino, Juan Matos, and José Luis Torres. Also before the Court is co-Defendants’ , “Motion for Judgment in Favor of Defendants and to Adjudicate Unopposed Motion for Summary Judgment and Memorandum of Law in Support Thereof’ (docket No. 49), and Plaintiffs opposition thereto.

Plaintiff Alexander Monge brings this suit against co-Defendants Ángel Cortés, Gilberto Díaz, Miguel Marín, Carlos Aquino, Juan Matos, and José Luis Torres, all exclusively in them personal capacity, alleging that his Fourth Amendment rights were violated by co-Defendants Cortés, Díaz, Marín, and Aquino through their alleged use of excessive force during an incident which took place at the Puerto Rico Medical Center on June 26, 2003.

For the reasons stated herein, the Court hereby GRANTS Defendants’ motion to adjudicate the motion for summaxy judgment as unopposed (docket No. 49), and GRANTS IN PART AND DENIES IN *45 PART Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment (docket No. 38).

II. LEGAL STANDARD

Under Rule 56(c) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, summary judgment is appropriate where, after drawing all reasonable inferences in favor of the non-moving party, there is no genuine issue of material fact for trial. Pagano v. Frank, 983 F.2d 343, 347 (1st Cir.1993). A fact is material if it might affect the outcome of the case. Mack v. Great Atl. and Pac. Tea Co., Inc., 871 F.2d 179, 181 (1st Cir.1989). An issue is “genuine” if sufficient evidence exists to permit a reasonable trier of fact to resolve the issue in the non-moving party’s favor. Boston Athletic Ass’n v. Sullivan, 867 F.2d 22, 24 (1st Cir.1989).

The party filing a motion for summary judgment bears the initial burden of proof to show “an absence of evidence to support the non-moving party’s case.” Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 325, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 2554, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986). The burden then shifts to the non-moving party to show affirmatively, through the filing of supporting affidavits or otherwise, that a genuine issue exists for trial. See Goldman v. First Nat’l Bank of Boston, 985 F.2d 1113, 1116 (1st Cir.1993). In discharging this burden, the non-moving party may not rest upon mere allegations or denials of the pleadings. See Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(e). On issues where the non-moving party bears the ultimate burden of proof, it must present definite, competent evidence to rebut the evidence put forth by the moving party. See Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 256-257, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 2514-2515, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). Indeed, summary judgment may be appropriate “... where elusive concepts such as motive or intent are at issue ... if the non-moving party rests merely upon conclusory allegations, improbable inferences, and unsupported speculation.” Woods v. Friction Materials, Inc., 30 F.3d 255, 259 (1st Cir.1994).

III. MATERIAL FACTS NOT IN GENUINE ISSUE OR DISPUTE

After thoroughly evaluating the parties’ stipulations in the record and the Defendants’ statement of proposed uncontested facts and supporting evidence, the Court determines that the following material facts are not in genuine issue or dispute:

1. On June 26, 2003, Plaintiff Alexander Monge (“Monge”) went to pick up his wife, Ivia Cruz, at the Puerto Rico Medical Center (“PRMC”).

2. On the date of the events described in the Complaint, there was an Orange Alert in the United States according to the Homeland Security Advisory System.

3. The PRMC is visited by thousands of people daily and has very limited parking space in its main entrance.

4. In view of this situation, the Medical Center needs to ensure that this limited space is used only by those in need of its services, ambulances, the handicapped, and others in similar need.

5. For this reason, the PRMC has one full-time person dedicated exclusively to towing away those vehicles that prevent its patients from using or having direct access to the space in front of its main entrance.

6. As part of PRMC procedures, the vaccines stored in the warehouse of that institution were closely guarded.

7. Guarding the warehouse was the assigned responsibility at the PRMC of co-Defendant Agent José Luis Torres of the Puerto Rico Police Department (“PRPD”).

*46 8. Parking space was available in the Parking Building, which is near the area where the incident described in the Complaint took place.

9. The security guards who worked at the PRMC are employees of the Administration of Medical and Emergency Services, (“ASEM” by its Spanish acronym), the public corporation that administers medical and other professional services provided in parts of that institution.

10. These security guards provided different kinds of services within the PRMC, including the transportation of people in need of assistance, the inspection of the fire extinguishers, and the security of the buildings and property of the PRMC, including its limited parking.

11. On June 26, 2003, at or around 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m., Plaintiff Monge was illegally parked in a zone which at the time was reserved for the exit of vehicles from the warehouse where the vaccines were stored.

12. Defendant Gilberto Diaz was working at PRMC on the day of the incident.

13. Defendant Ángel Cortés was working at PRMC on the day of the incident.

14. Defendant Miguel Marin was working at PRMC on the day of the incident.

15. Defendant Carlos Aquino was working at PRMC on the day of the incident.

16. Gilberto Díaz, Ángel Cortés, Miguel Marín, and Carlos Aquino, all of whom are part of ASE M’s security personnel, were not provided with firearms and, unlike police, were not authorized to arrest people.

17. Co-Defendant Ángel Cortés asked Plaintiff Monge several times to move his vehicle.

18. Plaintiff Monge refused to do so.

19.

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