MEMORANDUM OPINION GRANTING PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT, DENYING DEFENDANT’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT AS TO THE SECOND CAUSE OF ACTION, NAMELY NONDISCHARGEABILITY OF DEBT, AND DECLARING JUDGMENTS ENTERED BY THE U.S. DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF OREGON AGAINST THE DEBTOR, DONALD J. TRESHMAN, JR., TO BE NONDIS-CHARGEABLE PURSUANT TO 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(6).
JAMES F. SCHNEIDER, Bankruptcy Judge.
The plaintiffs are individual physicians and their corporate employers engaged in performing legal abortions. The corporate plaintiffs are providers of women’s health services. The debtor, a regional leader of the American Coalition of Life Activists (“ACLA”), a radical organization opposed to abortion, targeted the individual plaintiffs for possible injury and death by posting their names and addresses on the Internet and by distributing wanted posters bearing their likenesses. The plaintiffs sued the debtor and other members of the ACLA in the Federal district court in Oregon and obtained substantial judgments against them for damages based upon the infliction of willful injury. The debtor filed bankruptcy in this Court, and the plaintiffs filed the instant complaint to determine the Oregon judgments to be nondischargeable based upon the doctrine of collateral estoppel. Before the Court are the motions for summary judgment [P. 9] filed by the plaintiffs, Planned Parenthood of the Columbia/Willamette, Inc., Portland Feminist Women’s Health Center, Robert Crist, M.D., Warren M. Hern. M.D., Elizabeth P, Newhall, M.D. and James Newhall, M.D., and by the debtor-defendant, Donald J. Treshman, as to the second cause of action stated in the instant complaint, namely the nondischargeability of debts. For the reasons set forth, the plaintiffs’ motion will be granted and the defendant’s motion will be denied.
FINDINGS OF FACT
On November 2, 1999, the debtors, Donald J. Treshman, Jr., and Eugenia W. Treshman, filed the instant voluntary joint Chapter 7 bankruptcy petition in this Court. On Schedule E, they listed the following unsecured debts owed to the following claimants:
Planned Parenthood of the Columbia/Willamette, Inc. Court Judgment February, 1999 $2,405,834.86
Portland Feminist Women’s Health Center Court Judgment February, 1999 $2,050,243.30
Robert Crist, M.D. Court Judgment February, 1999 $1,039,656.00
Warren M. Hern, M.D. Court Judgment February, 1999 $1,014,429.00
Elizabeth P. Newhall, M.D. Court Judgment February, 1999 $1,015,797.98
James Newhall, M.D. Court Judgment February, 1999 $1,000,375.00
On February 2, 1999, after a thirteen-day jury trial and four days of jury deliberations in the case of
Planned Parenthood of the Columbia/Willamette, Inc. v. American Coalition of Life Activists,
No. CIV. 95-1671-JO, 1999 WL 65450, conducted in the United States District Court for the District of Oregon,
a unanimous jury found that the debtor issued true threats against the plaintiffs in violation of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (“FACE”), 18 U.S.C. § 248 (2000).
.
On February 22, 1999, the court entered judgment on the jury’s verdict, which found,
inter alia,
that the debtor was liable to the plaintiffs for punitive and compensatory damages totaling $8,526,336.14, plus accrued interest and costs.
After confirming the decision of the jury by the entry of money judgments against the defendants, including those against Mr. Treshman, the District Court [Jones, D.J.] issued a permanent injunction against all the defendants, including Mr. Treshman, from continuing to commit illegal and injurious acts against the plaintiffs, on February 25, 1999.
On March 16, 1999, the court issued an amended order and permanent injunction that contained additional findings of facts and conclusions of law.
In connection with the decision,
the court made the following enumerated findings of fact (Nos.381-401) regarding the activities of Mr. Treshman:
381. Defendant Treshman is a regional director of ACLA. (ACLA Answer P 31a; Tr. 1253,1496)
382. In May 1993, when defendant Treshman learned that Dr. Robert Crist planned to practice medicine regularly at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Kansas City, Missouri, Treshman stated “we have been assured that he [Dr. Crist] will be monitored and that appropriate action will be taken.” (ACLA Answer P 59; Tr. 1260)
383. Defendant Treshman organized and sponsored an event in Oklahoma City in June 1993 at which Michael Bray and Andrew Burnett spoke in favor of the use of force. (Ex. 320; Tr. 894)
384. Defendant Treshman knew that before Dr. Gunn’s murder in 1993, a wanted poster of Dr. Gunn had been circulated in Pensacola, Florida where Dr. Gunn lived and worked. (Tr. 1497)
385. On the morning of Dr. Gunn’s murder, defendant Treshman issued a press release endorsing the murder and calling for donations for Michael Griffin’s defense. (Ex. 40)
386. Defendant Treshman attended the meeting in Chicago in April 1994 out of which ACLA was formed. (Tr. 1472)
387. Defendant Treshman assisted in the formation of ACLA. (Tr. 834)
388. Defendant Treshman provided the name of Dr. Douglas Karpen for the Deadly Dozen poster. (Tr. 1493)
389. Defendant Treshman attended the ACLA event in Washington, D.C. in January 1995 at which the Deadly Dozen poster was released. (ACLA Answer P 40b; Tr. 1254,1493)
390. Treshman’s Newsline announced in January 1995 that immediately after release of the Deadly Dozen poster, the physicians on the poster were offered U.S. Marshal protection. (Ex. 71)
391. Defendant Treshman was a featured speaker at ACLA events. (Tr. 1300)
392. Defendant Treshman had multiple telephone discussions with other defendants during the time surrounding ACLA’s August 1995 event, at which the Dr. Crist poster was unveiled. (Ex. 94)
393. Defendant Treshman received a letter from David Crane regarding the St. Louis event in August 1995 and the Poster of Dr. Robert Crist. (Ex. 76)
394. Defendant Treshman attended the ACLA planning meeting in November 1995. (Tr. 2645)
395.
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MEMORANDUM OPINION GRANTING PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT, DENYING DEFENDANT’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT AS TO THE SECOND CAUSE OF ACTION, NAMELY NONDISCHARGEABILITY OF DEBT, AND DECLARING JUDGMENTS ENTERED BY THE U.S. DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF OREGON AGAINST THE DEBTOR, DONALD J. TRESHMAN, JR., TO BE NONDIS-CHARGEABLE PURSUANT TO 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(6).
JAMES F. SCHNEIDER, Bankruptcy Judge.
The plaintiffs are individual physicians and their corporate employers engaged in performing legal abortions. The corporate plaintiffs are providers of women’s health services. The debtor, a regional leader of the American Coalition of Life Activists (“ACLA”), a radical organization opposed to abortion, targeted the individual plaintiffs for possible injury and death by posting their names and addresses on the Internet and by distributing wanted posters bearing their likenesses. The plaintiffs sued the debtor and other members of the ACLA in the Federal district court in Oregon and obtained substantial judgments against them for damages based upon the infliction of willful injury. The debtor filed bankruptcy in this Court, and the plaintiffs filed the instant complaint to determine the Oregon judgments to be nondischargeable based upon the doctrine of collateral estoppel. Before the Court are the motions for summary judgment [P. 9] filed by the plaintiffs, Planned Parenthood of the Columbia/Willamette, Inc., Portland Feminist Women’s Health Center, Robert Crist, M.D., Warren M. Hern. M.D., Elizabeth P, Newhall, M.D. and James Newhall, M.D., and by the debtor-defendant, Donald J. Treshman, as to the second cause of action stated in the instant complaint, namely the nondischargeability of debts. For the reasons set forth, the plaintiffs’ motion will be granted and the defendant’s motion will be denied.
FINDINGS OF FACT
On November 2, 1999, the debtors, Donald J. Treshman, Jr., and Eugenia W. Treshman, filed the instant voluntary joint Chapter 7 bankruptcy petition in this Court. On Schedule E, they listed the following unsecured debts owed to the following claimants:
Planned Parenthood of the Columbia/Willamette, Inc. Court Judgment February, 1999 $2,405,834.86
Portland Feminist Women’s Health Center Court Judgment February, 1999 $2,050,243.30
Robert Crist, M.D. Court Judgment February, 1999 $1,039,656.00
Warren M. Hern, M.D. Court Judgment February, 1999 $1,014,429.00
Elizabeth P. Newhall, M.D. Court Judgment February, 1999 $1,015,797.98
James Newhall, M.D. Court Judgment February, 1999 $1,000,375.00
On February 2, 1999, after a thirteen-day jury trial and four days of jury deliberations in the case of
Planned Parenthood of the Columbia/Willamette, Inc. v. American Coalition of Life Activists,
No. CIV. 95-1671-JO, 1999 WL 65450, conducted in the United States District Court for the District of Oregon,
a unanimous jury found that the debtor issued true threats against the plaintiffs in violation of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (“FACE”), 18 U.S.C. § 248 (2000).
.
On February 22, 1999, the court entered judgment on the jury’s verdict, which found,
inter alia,
that the debtor was liable to the plaintiffs for punitive and compensatory damages totaling $8,526,336.14, plus accrued interest and costs.
After confirming the decision of the jury by the entry of money judgments against the defendants, including those against Mr. Treshman, the District Court [Jones, D.J.] issued a permanent injunction against all the defendants, including Mr. Treshman, from continuing to commit illegal and injurious acts against the plaintiffs, on February 25, 1999.
On March 16, 1999, the court issued an amended order and permanent injunction that contained additional findings of facts and conclusions of law.
In connection with the decision,
the court made the following enumerated findings of fact (Nos.381-401) regarding the activities of Mr. Treshman:
381. Defendant Treshman is a regional director of ACLA. (ACLA Answer P 31a; Tr. 1253,1496)
382. In May 1993, when defendant Treshman learned that Dr. Robert Crist planned to practice medicine regularly at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Kansas City, Missouri, Treshman stated “we have been assured that he [Dr. Crist] will be monitored and that appropriate action will be taken.” (ACLA Answer P 59; Tr. 1260)
383. Defendant Treshman organized and sponsored an event in Oklahoma City in June 1993 at which Michael Bray and Andrew Burnett spoke in favor of the use of force. (Ex. 320; Tr. 894)
384. Defendant Treshman knew that before Dr. Gunn’s murder in 1993, a wanted poster of Dr. Gunn had been circulated in Pensacola, Florida where Dr. Gunn lived and worked. (Tr. 1497)
385. On the morning of Dr. Gunn’s murder, defendant Treshman issued a press release endorsing the murder and calling for donations for Michael Griffin’s defense. (Ex. 40)
386. Defendant Treshman attended the meeting in Chicago in April 1994 out of which ACLA was formed. (Tr. 1472)
387. Defendant Treshman assisted in the formation of ACLA. (Tr. 834)
388. Defendant Treshman provided the name of Dr. Douglas Karpen for the Deadly Dozen poster. (Tr. 1493)
389. Defendant Treshman attended the ACLA event in Washington, D.C. in January 1995 at which the Deadly Dozen poster was released. (ACLA Answer P 40b; Tr. 1254,1493)
390. Treshman’s Newsline announced in January 1995 that immediately after release of the Deadly Dozen poster, the physicians on the poster were offered U.S. Marshal protection. (Ex. 71)
391. Defendant Treshman was a featured speaker at ACLA events. (Tr. 1300)
392. Defendant Treshman had multiple telephone discussions with other defendants during the time surrounding ACLA’s August 1995 event, at which the Dr. Crist poster was unveiled. (Ex. 94)
393. Defendant Treshman received a letter from David Crane regarding the St. Louis event in August 1995 and the Poster of Dr. Robert Crist. (Ex. 76)
394. Defendant Treshman attended the ACLA planning meeting in November 1995. (Tr. 2645)
395. Defendant Treshman had multiple telephone discussions with other defendants during the time surrounding ACLA’s January 1996 event, at which the Nuremberg Files were unveiled. (Ex. 94)
396. Defendant Treshman advocates and promotes the use of force. In reference to the sniper shooting of abortion
provider Dr. Garson Romalis in Canada in November 1994, Treshman stated “I would say that was certainly the superb tactic. It was certainly far better than anything that was seen in the States. Because the shooting was done in such a way that the perpetrator got away. I would think more abortionists would quit as a result of it.” (Ex. 113)
397. Defendant Treshman uses intimidation as a means of interfering with the provision of reproductive health services.
398. Defendant Treshman has never disassociated himself with, nor expressed disapproval of, any of ACLA’s activities.
399. Defendant Donald Treshman violated or conspired to violate FACE. (Verdict at 15)
400. Defendant Treshman injured each plaintiff in the amount of compensatory damages awarded by the jury. (Verdict at 15)
401. Defendant Treshman acted with malice, in reckless disregard of plaintiffs’ rights and with specific intent in threatening plaintiffs.
41 F.Supp.2d 1130, 1150-51 (D.Or.1999). The debtor objected to both injunctions and the objections were overruled.
On February 25, 2000, the plaintiffs in the preceding lawsuit filed the instant adversary proceeding to have this Court determine that the judgments entered against the defendant-debtor, Donald J. Treshman, Jr., in the District of Oregon are nondischargeable, pursuant to Section 523(a)(6) of the Bankruptcy Code.
On June 5, 2000, the plaintiffs filed the instant motion for summary judgment on grounds of collateral estoppel, that is, the preclu-sive effect of the judgment of the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon that the defendant’s conduct caused willful and malicious injury to the plaintiffs.
CONCLUSIONS OF LAW
Summary judgment is appropriate when the “proceedings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any” demonstrate the absence of a genuine issue of material fact. Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c), made applicable by Fed. R. Bankr.P. 7056. The court may grant summary judgment against a party who “fails to make a showing sufficient to establish the existence of an element essential to that party’s case, and on which that party will bear the burden of proof at trial.”
Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477
U.S. 317, 322, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986),
quoted in Preston v. Mountainside Transport, Inc.,
795 F.Supp. 159, 160 (D.Md.1992). In addition, this Court is bound by factual determinations made in prior actions where collateral estoppel applies.
Ramsey v. Bernstein (In re Bernstein),
197 B.R. 475, 478 (Bankr.D.Md.1996), aff
'd
113 F.3d 1231, 1997 WL 278983 (4th Cir.1997)
(citing Allen v. McCurry,
449 U.S. 90, 94-95, 101 S.Ct. 411, 414-415, 66 L.Ed.2d 308 (1980)).
The plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment will be granted, for the following reasons. The collateral estoppel effect of the decision rendered by the United States District Court for the District of Oregon could not be clearer under the circumstances of this case. That court found specific intent on the part of the debtor, Mr. Treshman, to inflict willful and malicious injury on another entity or the property of another entity. By reason of the District Court’s imposition of significant compensatory and punitive damages, its finding that such injury had been willfully inflicted is beyond dispute.
The Supreme Court held in the case of
Grogan v. Garner,
498 U.S. 279, 111 S.Ct. 654, 112 L.Ed.2d 755 (1991), that collateral estoppel may supply the basis for a finding of nondischargeability of debt based upon an earlier judicial decision, provided that the standard of proof imposed in the earlier proceeding was equal to or greater than that required in the determination of non-dischargeability in bankruptcy. The standard of proof determined to be correct was proof by a mere preponderance of the evidence.
Id.
at 287, 111 S.Ct. 654 (“Requiring the creditor to establish by a preponderance of the evidence that his claim is not dischargeable reflects a fair balance between these conflicting interests.”)
Cf. Combs v. Richardson,
838 F.2d 112 (4th Cir.1988) (“[T]he policies of the Bankruptcy Code are best effectuated by requiring that creditors prove by a preponderance of the evidence the willfulness and maliciousness of the debtors’ acts under § 528(a)(6)... ”). In the instant case, the decision of the U.S. District Court in Oregon was based upon an even greater standard of proof, by clear and convincing evidence, which more than satisfied the standard applicable in the bankruptcy court.
In order for collateral estoppel to apply, a party must establish four elements: (1) the issue sought to be precluded must have been identical to the issue in the prior action; (2) the issue must have been actually decided; (3) the issue was determined by a valid and final judgment, and (4) the determination of the issue must have been essential to the prior judgment.
Combs,
838 F.2d at 115,
citing Matter of Ross,
602 F.2d 604, 607-608 (3rd Cir.1979).
The Oregon District Court decided the issue in the instant case when it specifically held that the debtor acted with “malice, in reckless disregard of plaintiffs’ rights and with specific intent in threatening others.”
Planned Parenthood,
41 F.Supp.2d at 1151 (D.Or.1999). The judgment was final and appealable
and the court’s finding, as evidenced by its rendering of a permanent injunction, was necessary and essential to the judgment.
The decision in
Kawaauhau v. Geiger,
523 U.S. 57, 118 S.Ct. 974, 140 L.Ed.2d 90 (1998), cited by the defendant does not support his position that the debt is dischargeable. In that case, the Supreme Court held that mere recklessness or negligence in performing an act which in itself was not injurious was insufficient to support a finding of nondischargeability under Section 523(a)(6). Rather, willful and malicious intent to cause that injury was required. In any event, the case of a surgeon whose error caused death or injury to a patient is not comparable to that of an abortion protester who targets a physician for injury or death. The conduct of the actor in the first case is dischargeable under Section 523(a)(6) due to its nature as an unintentional infliction of harm. In the instant case, the debt arising from the debtor’s conduct is not dischargeable under Section 523(a)(6) because the injuries here were caused by the willful and malicious intent of the debtor.
This case is not analogous to
Kawaau-hau.
Here, the debtor was not doing something to benefit the plaintiffs, something that went wrong, something that was unintended, but in fact began as a malicious and willful intention to do harm. The judge and jury in the Oregon District Court found that actions taken by the debtor in this case were not constitutionally protected speech and that his conduct and the conduct of others working in concert with him resulted in actual injury and expense to the plaintiffs. This was so clearly stated, that in addition to the imposition of substantial compensatory and punitive damages, the District Court permanently enjoined the defendant and others
from committing further harmful misconduct.
This Court need not retry a case that has already been tried in the District of Oregon. The imposition of an injunction in the earlier case did not by any means dilute the nondischargeable aspect of the plaintiffs’ conduct. The court, acting within its proper jurisdiction to impose damages, also exercised its equitable powers to prohibit this debtor and others from continuing to commit unlawful and willful and malicious acts injurious to the plaintiffs. There is nothing before this Court to indicate that the imposition of an injunction had any impact on the ability of this Court to determine that the conduct of the debt- or resulted in a nondischargeable debt.
The motion for summary judgment and memorandum submitted by the debtor made no reference to bankruptcy law and did not even address the nondischargeability of this debt. The pleadings apparently represent an attempt to retry the matter that has already been decided. The fact that an appeal is pending has no effect on the finality of the decision of the U.S. District Court in Oregon.
Accord, Planned Parenthood of the Columbia/Willamette, Inc. v. Bray (In re Bray),
256 B.R. 708 (Bankr.D.Md.2000) (Keir, J.).
Based on the arguments of counsel and the papers that have been presented, this Court finds that the debt to the plaintiffs in this case is nondischargeable pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(6) and accordingly the judgment rendered by the United States District Court for the District of Oregon will be determined to be nondis-chargeable without the necessity of entering a separate money judgment order because one already exists. The only order that this Court need enter is one that grants the summary judgment to the plaintiffs and determines the debt to be nondischargeable in the amount entered against the debtor by the Oregon District Court.
ORDER ACCORDINGLY.