Roquemore v. Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority

District Court, N.D. Ohio·Decided August 20, 2025·No. 1:24-cv-01434·Unknown

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF OHIO EASTERN DIVISION

KIMBERLY ROQUEMORE, ) CASE NO. 1:24 CV 01434 ) Individually and as the Administratrix ) of the Estate of Maalik Roquemore, ) JUDGE DONALD C. NUGENT Deceased, ) ) Plaintiff, ) MEMORANDUM OF OPINION ) AND ORDER v. ) ) (Granting Individual Defendants CUYAHOGA METROPOLITAN ) Gonzdlez’s, McDowell’s, Burdyshaw’s, HOUSING AUTHORITY, et al., ) Smiddy’s, and Patterson’s Motion for ) Partial Reconsideration of the Court’s Defendants. ) Memorandum of Opinion and Order ) of April 23, 2025) ) ) (Granting Motion to Dismiss Individual ) Capacity Claims against Defendants ) Gonzalez, McDowell, Burdyshaw, Smiddy, ) and Patterson) ) ) — and — ) ) MWacating May 12, 2025 Order Staying ) Discovery Pending Consideration of ) Motion for Partial Reconsideration) ) ) (This Memorandum of Opinion and ) Order Relates to Documents ECF #48, ) ECF #49, ECF #54, ECF #55, and ) ECF #56)

This case is now before the Court on Defendants’ [Andrés Gonzdlez’s, Victor McDowell’s, Thomas Burdyshaw’s, John Smiddy’s, and Jeffery Patterson’s] Motion for Partial

Reconsideration [of the Court's Earlier Order of April 23, 2025, Denying “Individual Liability” Claims Against Them Under 42 U.S.C. § 1983] and to Continue Stay on Discovery, (ECF #48). The issues raised therein are now fully briefed, and ready to rule. For the reasons set forth below, Defendants’ Motion for Partial Reconsideration (ECF #48) is GRANTED, the portion Defendants’ Motion for Partial Judgment on the Pleadings (ECF #32) seeking dismissal of the “individual liability” claims against Defendants Gonzalez, McDowell, Burdyshaw, Smiddy, and Patterson under the First Cause of Action (based on 42 U.S.C. § 1983) is now GRANTED, and, the Court’s earlier May 12, 2025 Order (ECF #49) granting a stay of discovery pending resolution of the Motion for Partial Reconsideration is hereby VACATED, and discovery related to the remaining claims against Defendants Cleveland Metropolitan Housing Authority and Cleveland Metropolitan Housing Authority Police Officer Desmond Ragland may recommence.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND On September 24, 2024, Kimberly Roquemore, individually and as the Administratrix of the Estate of Maalik Roquemore, filed a First Amended Complaint against Defendants Cleveland Metropolitan Housing Authority (““CMHA”), Cleveland Metropolitan Housing Authority Police Department (“CMHAPD”), CMHAPD Officer Desmond Ragland, CMHAPD Chief of Police Andrés Gonzalez, CMHAPD Deputy Chief of Police Victor McDowell, CMHAPD Commander of Field Operations Thomas Burdyshaw, CMHAPD Field Training Officer Program Supervisor John Smiddy, and CMHA Chief Executive Officer and Safety Director Jeffery Patterson. (ECF #14). The case arose out of Officer Ragland’s use of lethal force against Maalik Roquemore, a resident of an apartment complex owned by CMHA (who had a documented history of mental health disabilities), in the very early morning hours of September 5, 2022, while Officer Ragland -2-

was responding to a “loud noise” complaint at the CMHA apartment complex where Mr. Roquemore lived, which later devolved into an altercation between Mr. Roquemore and Officer Ragland. The facts of this case are set forth in the Court’s Memorandum of Opinion and Order of April 23, 2025, at pages 2 to 5. (ECF #46, PageID #399-#402). The First Amended Complaint asserted four claims against CMHA, the CMHAPD, and Defendants Ragland, Gonzalez, McDowell, Burdyshaw, Smiddy, and Patterson in their official and individual capacities. The First Cause of Action asserted excessive force and failure to train, in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1983. (ECF #14, J§ 113-123). The Second Cause of Action asserted wrongful death under Ohio law, “resulting in damages recoverable under [Ohio Revised Code] § 2125.02 and pre-death agony as well.” (ECF #14, 125). The Third Cause of Action asserted a violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. § 12101, et seg. (ECF #14, 127-128). The Fourth Cause of Action was identified as “State Law Claim,” and generally asserted a negligent and/or “malicious” breach of a duty of care owed to Maalik Roquemore by failing to “develop and implement effective safety and training policies, customs, practices, and procedures[,] and to be in compliance with Title II of the [Americans With Disabilities Act].” (ECF #14, 9f 131-136). On April 23, 2025, this Court issued a Memorandum of Opinion and accompanying Order, (ECF #46 & ECF #47), GRANTING in part and DENYING in part Defendants’ Motion for Partial Judgment on the Pleadings (ECF #32). The Order of April 23, 2025, made the following rulings: ° GRANTED the Motion for Partial Judgment on the Pleadings as to all claims asserted against Defendant Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority Police Department, in the First Cause of Action, Second Cause of Action, Third Cause of Action, and Fourth Cause of Action; -3-

° GRANTED the Motion for Partial Judgment on the Pleadings as to all the “official capacity” claims asserted against Defendants Gonzalez, McDowell, Burdyshaw, Smiddy, and Patterson, as asserted in the First Cause of Action; ° DENIED the Motion for Partial Judgment on the Pleadings as to the “individual capacity” claims asserted against Defendants Gonzalez, McDowell, Burdyshaw, Smiddy, and Patterson, as asserted in the First Cause of Action; ° GRANTED the Motion for Partial Judgment on the Pleadings as to Defendants CMHA, Gonzalez, McDowell, Burdyshaw, Smiddy, and Patterson, as asserted in the Second Cause of Action; ° GRANTED the Motion for Partial Judgment on the Pleadings as to Defendants CMHA, Gonzalez, McDowell, Burdyshaw, Smiddy, and Patterson, as asserted in the Third Cause of Action; and ° GRANTED the Motion for Partial Judgment on the Pleadings as to Defendants CMHA, Gonzaélez, McDowell, Burdyshaw, Smiddy, and Patterson, as asserted in the Fourth Cause of Action. (ECF #47). On May 6, 2025, Defendants Gonzalez, McDowell, Burdyshaw, Smiddy, and Patterson filed Defendants’ Motion for Partial Reconsideration and to Continue Stay on Discovery, (ECF #48), asserting that “the Court only addressed one of the two legal arguments that were raised by Defendants in their Motion for Partial Judgment on the Pleading for why Count I [sic] must be dismissed against Defendants Gonzalez, McDowell, Burdyshaw, Smiddy, and Patterson,” (ECF #48, p.1, PageID# 432),' and “respectfully request[ing] that all discovery continue to be stayed pending a ruling on this Motion.” (Ud, p.2, PageID# 433). On May 12, 2025, Plaintiff Kimberly Roquemore filed a Motion for Leave to Respond to Actually, there was no “Count I,” but rather a First Cause of Action, as titled in the First Amended Complaint. (ECF #14). -4-

Motion for Reconsideration, (ECF #50), with a request to have until May 22, 2025 to respond to Defendants’ Motion for Partial Reconsideration, which the Court granted by marginal entry order the next day, (ECF #51). On May 13, 2025, Defendants filed a Response to Plaintiff's Motion for Leave to Respond, (ECF #52), which proposed a revised briefing schedule on the Motion for Partial Reconsideration (which allowed more time for Plaintiff to respond than had been given by the marginal entry order), which the Court accepted per an Order issued the same day, (ECF #53). The Order also vacated the earlier marginal entry order. The Motion for Partial Consideration, (ECF #48), is now fully briefed and ready to rule. (See ECF #48, ECF #54, ECF #55, and ECF #56).

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Roquemore v. Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority, (N.D. Ohio 2025).

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