Moore v. Garnand

District Court, D. Arizona·Decided April 16, 2024·No. 4:19-cv-00290·Unknown

Opinion

1 WO 2 3 4 5 6 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 7 FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA 8 Greg Moore; et al., ) No. CV 19-00290 TUC RM (MAA) 9 ) Plaintiffs, ) ORDER 10 ) vs. ) 11 ) ) 12 Sean Garnand; et al., ) ) 13 Defendants. ) ) 14 ) 15 Pending before the court is the defendants’ motion, filed on March 20, 2024, to 16 terminate the deposition of Lisa Miller pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 30(d)(3) and for expenses 17 pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 30(d)(3)(C) and 37(a)(5). Doc. 441. The plaintiffs filed a response 18 on March 22, 2024, which contains a cross-motion for sanctions and/or for an award of costs 19 and fees pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1927 and Fed.R.Civ.P. 30(d)(2). Doc. 448. The defendants 20 filed a reply on March 28, 2024. Doc. 455. The defendants supplemented the motion with 21 a recorded exhibit on April 8, 2024. Doc. 460. 22 The plaintiffs in this action (“the Moores”) claim their constitutional rights were 23 violated when the defendants obtained and executed two search warrants in connection with 24 an arson investigation into the destruction of the Forgeus Apartments on June 8, 2017. 25 Complaint, Doc. 1; see Doc. 391, p. 2 (“The remaining claims in this matter are Counts One, 26 Three and Four of the Plaintiffs’ Complaint.”). The Moores bring this action pursuant to 42 27 U.S.C. § 1983. Doc. 1, p. 4. The first warrant, for DNA and other personal effects, was 28 executed on June 9, 2017. Doc. 1, p. 8. The second warrant, for financial documents, was 1 executed on June 14, 2017. Doc. 1, pp. 9-10. The Moores claim, among other things, that 2 the warrant applications were not supported by probable cause and contained “material 3 misrepresentations and omissions.” Doc. 1, pp. 16-18. 4 On March 15, 2024, at 1:58 p.m., the plaintiffs commenced their deposition of former 5 Tucson Police Detective Lisa Miller. Doc. 441, p. 1. Approximately one hour and 13 6 minutes later, counsel for the defendants terminated the deposition pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 7 30(d)(3). Id. The defendants argue primarily that the plaintiffs’ counsel’s questions failed 8 to “stay within the bounds of Rule 26(b)(1) based on the claims actually stated in your 9 Complaint, as is your obligation.” Doc. 441, p. 3. 10 11 Discussion 12 The Rule reads in pertinent part as follows: 13 At any time during a deposition, the deponent or a party may move to terminate or limit it on the ground that it is being conducted in bad faith or in 14 a manner that unreasonably annoys, embarrasses, or oppresses the deponent or party. . . . If the objecting deponent or party so demands, the deposition must 15 be suspended for the time necessary to obtain an order. 16 Fed. R. Civ. P. 30(d)(3). “Although the term ‘bad faith’ can have many meanings depending 17 upon the context in which it is used, one of its common connotations is to do something for 18 an ‘improper purpose’.” Boulder Falcon, LLC v. Brown, 2023 WL 2662187, at *12 (D. Utah 19 Mar. 28, 2023); see also Black’s Law Dictionary 166 (10th ed. 2014) (“Dishonesty of belief, 20 purpose, or motive”). “The burden of proving such conduct lies with the objecting deponent 21 [or party].” Rivera v. Berg Elec. Corp., 2010 WL 3002000, at *2 (D. Nev. July 28, 2010). 22 Detective Lisa Miller, now retired, participated in the execution of the second search 23 warrant at Greg Moore’s office on June 14, 2017. Doc. 441, p. 2. During the execution, she 24 took a statement from Greg Moore’s office manager, Guadalupe “Lupita” Bachelier. Id. 25 In preparation for the deposition, Miller reviewed a redacted audio recording of that 26 interview. Doc. 441, p. 3. This redacted recording was previously disclosed to the Moores 27 pursuant to a Public Records Act request in a prior lawsuit. Doc. 441, p. 3. 28 1 The defendants maintain that this recording “became the vehicle for harassment 2 tactics” by the plaintiffs’ attorney. Doc. 441, p. 4. It turns out that the plaintiffs’ attorney 3 had in his possession the unredacted audio recording, which he obtained in connection with 4 Greg Moore’s current felony criminal case in Pima County. Id. The defendants assert that 5 the plaintiffs’ attorney “never disclosed that unredacted recording, or his knowledge of same, 6 to Defendants prior to the Lisa Miller deposition, preferring instead to try to intimidate the 7 witness with ridiculous, unfounded claims and fear of spoiling evidence that has nothing to 8 do with any of the Moores’ civil claims.” Doc. 441, p. 4. 9 The court agrees that acts of intimidation, the use of “ridiculous” or “unfounded 10 claims,” or accusations that the witness has spoiled evidence could evince bad faith. The 11 defendants, however, have not directed the court to specific places in the transcript where 12 each of these behaviors has occurred. They have provided a video recording of the 13 deposition for the court’s use, but the court could not identify what portions of the deposition 14 the defendants’ find objectionable. See Doc. 460. 15 The defendants do cite to that part of the deposition where the plaintiffs’ counsel asks 16 Miller about where the original tape recording of her interview with Bachelier was placed. 17 Doc. 441, p. 4 (citing Tr. 10:8-16:22). But the court does not find these questions 18 objectionable. It seems reasonable for counsel to want to know if an original recording exists 19 and where it might be located. The original tape recording could be a valuable resource for 20 cross-checking the witness’s memory of an interview taken some seven years ago. See, e.g., 21 Whiting v. Hogan, 2013 WL 1047012, at *7 (D. Ariz. 2013) (“[K]nowledge and veracity of 22 the deponent are always at issue during witness testimony.”); Smith v. Logansport Cmty. Sch. 23 Corp., 139 F.R.D. 637, 646 (N.D. Ind. 1991) (“[A]n oral deposition is not merely a device 24 to uncover and develop information. It also provides a legitimate and efficient means of 25 testing a witness’ knowledge, recollection and veracity.”). The court does not interpret this 26 portion of the deposition as an attack on Miller for possibly mislaying the original recording. 27 But even if it were, it would not necessarily constitute bad faith. See, e.g., Whiting v. Hogan, 28 1 2013 WL 1047012, at *7 (D. Ariz. Mar. 14, 2013) (Counsel’s statements made at the 2 deposition that, “I have further proof that perhaps your client has been less than truthful 3 about these disclosures,” “did not evince harassing conduct.”). 4 The plaintiffs’ counsel did not reveal before the deposition everything he knew about 5 Miller’s original interview of Bachelier, but the defendants do not direct the court to a Rule 6 or case indicating that such practice would evince bad faith. Moreover, it not clear why 7 counsel’s access to an unredacted recording of the interview would prejudice the witness. 8 At the start of the deposition, Miller explained that beforehand, she reviewed her police 9 report, the photographs that were taken at the offices, and the redacted audio recording of her 10 interview with Bachelier. Doc. 441-2, p. 17. When counsel asked her, “did you feel there 11 was anything else that you needed to help refresh your recollection about what happened that 12 day?” Miller replied “No.

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