Perez v. Diaz

331 F. Supp. 3d 1101
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. California
DecidedSeptember 21, 2017
DocketCASE NO. 13-cv-1417-WQH-BGS
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 331 F. Supp. 3d 1101 (Perez v. Diaz) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Perez v. Diaz, 331 F. Supp. 3d 1101 (S.D. Cal. 2017).

Opinion

WILLIAM Q. HAYES, United States District Judge

The matters before the Court are the Motions for Summary Judgment filed by Defendants Dorian Diaz (ECF No. 177) and Michael J. Fisher (ECF No. 179) ("Defendants").

I. BACKGROUND

On June 17, 2013, Plaintiffs commenced this action by filing a Complaint in this Court. (ECF No. 1). On September 22, 2016, Plaintiffs filed the Fourth Amended Complaint ("FAC"), which is the operative complaint in this action. (ECF No. 165). In the FAC, Plaintiffs assert Bivens claims for Fourth Amendment unreasonable seizure and Fifth Amendment due process against Defendant Diaz and Defendant Fisher. See id. at ¶¶ 138-152.

On April 1, 2017, Defendant Diaz filed a Motion for Summary Judgment. (ECF No. 177). On April 1, 2017, Defendant Fisher filed a Motion for Summary Judgment. (ECF No. 179). On June 26, 2017, Defendants filed a notice of supplemental authority. (ECF No. 190). On July 17, 2017, the Court ordered the parties to submit supplemental briefing on the notice of supplemental authority. (ECF No. 192). On August 15, 2017, the Court heard oral argument on both Motions for Summary Judgment. (ECF No. 197). On August 23, 2017, Defendants filed a second notice of supplemental authority. (ECF No. 198). On September 7, 2017, Plaintiffs filed a response to Defendants' second notice of supplemental briefing. (ECF No. 200).

II. FACTUAL BACKGROUND

On June 21, 2011, Jesus Alfredo Yañez Reyes ("Yañez") and Jose Ibarra-Murietta ("Murietta") crossed the border from Mexico to the United States through a hole in the primary border fence approximately 1.6 miles west of the San Ysidro Port of Entry. Both Yañez and Murietta were not United States citizens, and entered the United States illegally.

At approximately 7:00 p.m., Defendant Diaz observed Yañez and Murietta hiding in the brush on the north side of the primary border fence while sitting in his patrol car. Defendant Diaz radioed for assistance from Agent Nelson, who was the closest Agent in the area; Agent Nelson arrived approximately one minute later. As *1104Defendant Diaz and Agent Nelson got out of their patrol cars to pursue the suspects, Yañez retreated south through the hole in the fence. Meanwhile, Murietta remained on the north side of the primary border fence and physically resisted Agent Nelson's attempt to arrest him.

After continuing to struggle with Murietta, Agent Nelson backed away from Murietta to create distance between the two. Murietta then began running eastward away from Agent Nelson. As he was running, Murietta remained in the United States on the northern side of the primary border fence. Agent Nelson chased Murietta until Murietta eventually tripped. Agent Nelson jumped onto Murietta to try and apprehend him.

Yañez reappeared on the primary border fence above the area where Agent Nelson and Murietta were grappling on the ground. Defendant Diaz and Agent Nelson testified at their respective depositions that, after reappearing on top of the fence, Yañez threw rocks and a wooden board in the direction of Agent Nelson and Murietta. (ECF No. 177-10 at 15-16, 42; ECF No. 182-1 at 22). Murietta testified at his deposition that he did not see Yañez throw anything. (ECF No. 180-3 at 29). Defendant Diaz shouted multiple warnings to Yañez to stop interfering with Murietta's arrest. After Yañez did not comply with Defendant Diaz's instructions, Defendant Diaz drew his service firearm and pointed it at Yañez. Yañez saw the weapon and disappeared back down the south side of the primary border fence.

Defendant Diaz attempted to help Agent Nelson apprehend and handcuff Murietta. As Agent Nelson continued to try to handcuff Murietta, Defendant Diaz walked further west in an attempt to surprise Yañez in the event he reappeared on the fence. Defendant Diaz then observed Yañez reappear at the top of the primary border fence, make a fist, and begin the motion of throwing something down towards Agent Nelson and Murietta. Defendant Diaz drew his service weapon and shot Yanez. Murietta was subsequently arrested.

III. SUMMARY JUDGMENT STANDARD

"Summary judgment is appropriate only if, taking the evidence and all reasonable inferences drawn therefrom in the light most favorable to the non-moving party, there are no genuine issues of material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law." Torres v. City of Madera , 648 F.3d 1119, 1123 (9th Cir. 2011) (citing Corales v. Bennett , 567 F.3d 554, 562 (9th Cir. 2009) ). "A 'material' fact is one that is relevant to an element of a claim or defense and whose existence might affect the outcome of the suit." T.W. Elec. Serv., Inc. v. Pac. Elec. Contractors Ass'n , 809 F.2d 626, 630 (9th Cir. 1987). The materiality of a fact is determined by the substantive law governing the claim or defense. See Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc. , 477 U.S. 242, 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986).

"A party may move for summary judgment, identifying each claim or defense-or the part of each claim or defense-on which summary judgment is sought." FED. R. CIV. P. 56(a). The moving party has the initial burden of demonstrating that summary judgment is proper. See Adickes v. S.H. Kress & Co. , 398 U.S. 144, 153, 90 S.Ct. 1598, 26 L.Ed.2d 142 (1970). The burden then shifts to the opposing party to provide admissible evidence beyond the pleadings to show that summary judgment is not appropriate. See Anderson , 477 U.S. at 256, 106 S.Ct. 2505 ; Celotex Corp. v. Catrett , 477 U.S. 317, 322, 106 S.Ct. 2548,

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331 F. Supp. 3d 1101, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/perez-v-diaz-casd-2017.