Priestly v. Doucette

1 Mass. L. Rptr. 415
CourtMassachusetts Superior Court
DecidedDecember 21, 1993
DocketNo. 93-1107
StatusPublished

This text of 1 Mass. L. Rptr. 415 (Priestly v. Doucette) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Massachusetts Superior Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Priestly v. Doucette, 1 Mass. L. Rptr. 415 (Mass. Ct. App. 1993).

Opinion

Butler, J.

Plaintiff, Chandra Priestley (Priestley), brings this action alleging that State Trooper James S. Doucette (Doucette) wrongfully stopped her on motorcycle, which she was driving on the Massachusetts Turnpike, in violation of her right to be free from unreasonable search and seizures under the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution. As a result of the stop, and the subsequent investigation of Trooper Doucette’s conduct, Priestley contends that the actions of Doucette and other members of the Massachusetts State Police constituted a violation- of her civil rights pursuant to 42 U.S.C. §1983 (Count I); G.L.c. 93, §102 and G.L.c. 12, §111 (Count II); negligent infliction of emotional distress (Count III); intentional infliction of emotional distress (Count IV); invasion of privacy pursuant to G.L.c. 214, §13 (Count V); and assault and false imprisonment by Doucette and the investigating officer (Count VI). Defendants Frank P. Baran (Baran) Charles F. Henderson (Henderson), and the Massachusetts State Police now move to dismiss Counts I through V pursuant to Mass.R. Civ.P. 12(b)(6).

BACKGROUND

The complaint contains the following allegations:

On June 17,1992, at approximately 6 P.M. Priestley was driving on her motorcycle on the Massachusetts Turnpike. State Trooper Doucette pulled up behind Priestley and instructed her to pull over and stop. After both vehicles came to a rest, Doucette asked Priestley to show him her motorcycle safety inspection sticker. After examining the sticker, Doucette stated to Priestley “ladies don’t ride motorcycles.” As Priestley prepared to leave, Doucette again stated “ladies don’t ride motorcycles."

After the incident, Priestley filed a written grievance pursuant to Massachusetts State Police procedure, and an investigation followed by State Trooper John Cunningham (Cunningham). Cunningham arranged a meeting with Priestley during which she was interrogated as to why she would falsely accuse a “good trooper.” Her grievance against Doucette was denied. Captain Frank P. Baran sent Priestley a letter informing her that'Cunningham’s investigation revealed that Doucette complied -with established guidelines and procedures of the State Police. Colonel Henderson, the supervisor of Doucette, was forwarded the report. On August 20, 1992, Priestley sent a letter to Commissioner Lawrance Giordano, Department of Public Safety, and Colonel Henderson, as an act of Presentment pursuant to G.L.c. 258, §4.

DISCUSSION

When evaluating the sufficiency of a complaint pursuant to Mass.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6), the court must take the allegations of the complaint, as well as any inference which can be drawn from those allegations in the plaintiffs favor as true. Eyal v. Helen Broadcasting Corp., 411 Mass. 426, 429 (1991). The complaint should not be dismissed for failure to state a claim “unless it appears beyond doubt that the plaintiff can prove no set of facts in support of its claim which would entitle him to relief.” Nader v. Citron, 372 Mass. 96, 98 (1977), quoting Conley v. Gibson, 355 U.S. 41, 45-46 (1957). That any portion of a complaint survives a motion to dismiss is not by any means indicative of the viability of the plaintiffs claims when challenged by a motion for summary judgment or consideration at trial.

I. 42 U.S.C. §1983 violations (Count I).

The defendants contend that they cannot be sued in their official capacities under 42 U.S.C. §1983 and that the portion of count I purporting to sue them in their official capacity must be dismissed. 42 U.S.C. §1983 provides in relevant part:

Every person who, under color of any statute, ordinance, regulation, custom, or usage . . . subjects or causes to be subjected, any citizen of the United States or other person within the jurisdiction thereof to the deprivation of any rights, privileges or immunities secured by the Constitution and laws, shall be liable to the party injured in an action at law, suit in equity, or other proper proceeding for redress . . .

42 U.S.C. §1983

Suit brought under 42 U.S.C. §1983 must be brought against a person. A suit against an official in his or her official capacity is not a suit against that official but is really a suit against that official’s office. Will v. Michigan Dept. of State Police, 491 U.S. 58, 71 (1989). Accordingly, neither a State nor its officials acting in their official capacities are “persons” under §1983 and may not be sued under that statute. Id. So much of Count I that attempts to sue the State Police or its agents in their official capacities is dismissed.

State officials, however, who are sued in their individual capacities, are persons within the meaning of §1983. Hafer v. Melo, 112 S.Ct. 358, 365 (1991). To establish personal liabiliiy in a §1983 action, the plaintiff must demonstrate that the officials, acting under color of state law, caused the deprivation of a federal right. Id. at 362.

In the case at bar, Baran and Henderson were acting in a supervising capacity. The law is well established that the doctrine of respondeat superior does not apply to claims under §1983. Gaudreault v. Municipality of Salem, Mass., 923 F.2d 203, 209 (1st Cir. 1990). Supervisors can be held liable for the unconstitutional misconduct of its employees only on the basis of an “affirmative link” between their acts and those of the offending employee. Id. Supervisory liability must be based upon the supervisors’ own acts or omissions amounting to “reckless or callous indifference to the constitutional rights of others.” Id.

To determine whether Baran and Henderson are personally liable for the acts of Doucette, Priestley [417]*417must demonstrate that Doucette’s conduct violated the Fourth Amendment right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure and that the supervisors’ failure to act amounted to reckless or callous indifference to Priestley’s rights.

In viewing the facts in the complaint in a light most favorable to Priestley, Doucette’s conduct may arise to an unreasonable search and seizure in violation of the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution. In Delaware v. Prouse, 440 U.S. 648

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