Sacchetti v. Gallaudet Univ.

344 F. Supp. 3d 233
CourtCourt of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit
DecidedOctober 29, 2018
DocketCivil Action No. 15-455 (RBW)
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 344 F. Supp. 3d 233 (Sacchetti v. Gallaudet Univ.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Sacchetti v. Gallaudet Univ., 344 F. Supp. 3d 233 (D.C. Cir. 2018).

Opinion

REGGIE B. WALTON, United States District Judge

The plaintiffs, Terrylene Sacchetti and Robert Manganelli, in their individual capacities *238and as representatives of the Estate of Gianni Manganelli, bring this suit against defendants Gallaudet University ("Gallaudet") and the District of Columbia (the "District"), asserting violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act ("ADA"), 42 U.S.C. §§ 12101 - 12213 (2012), and common law claims for false arrest. Compl. ¶¶ 160-272. Currently pending before the Court are Defendant Gallaudet's Motion to Exclude Testimony of [the] Plaintiff's Expert Michael Welner, M.D. ("Gallaudet's 702 Mot."); the Plaintiffs' Motion to Strike the District of Columbia's Undisclosed Exhibits ("Pls.' Mot. to Strike"), and the defendants' motions for summary judgment, see Defendant Gallaudet University's Motion for Summary Judgment ("Gallaudet's Summ. J. Mot."); Defendant the District of Columbia's Motion for Summary Judgment ("District's Summ. J. Mot."). Upon careful consideration of the parties' submissions,1 the Court concludes that it must grant Gallaudet's motion to exclude the testimony of Dr. Welner, deny the plaintiffs' motion to strike the District's exhibits, and grant in part, deny in part, and hold in abeyance in part the defendants' motions for summary judgment.

I. BACKGROUND

A. Factual Background

The following facts are undisputed by the parties, unless otherwise indicated. The plaintiffs are the parents of Gianni Manganelli ("Manganelli"), see Gallaudet's Facts ¶¶ 1-2; Pls.' Reply to Gallaudet's Facts ¶¶ 1-2, who is now deceased, see Gallaudet's Facts ¶ 164; Pls.' Reply to Gallaudet's Facts ¶ 164. Manganelli "was deaf from the age of two onward." Gallaudet's Facts ¶ 3; see Pls.' Reply to Gallaudet's Facts ¶ 3. "During the summer of 2013, [Manganelli] decided ... to enroll at Gallaudet," and he "accepted admission to *239Gallaudet [ ] for the school year beginning August 2013." Gallaudet's Facts ¶¶ 45-46; see Pls.' Reply to Gallaudet's Facts ¶¶ 45-46. Manganelli "and Spencer Opie became roommates at Gallaudet at the start of the 2014 [s]pring semester." Gallaudet's Facts ¶ 64; see Pls.' Reply to Gallaudet's Facts ¶ 64.

1. Manganelli's Interactions with Opie on March 28, 2014

"Around midday on Friday, Marc[h] 28, 2014, [ ] Manganelli ... was in his dorm[itory] room folding clothes when ... Opie ... walked in and tried to talk to him." Pls.' Facts ¶ 1; see Gallaudet's Facts ¶ 73 (asserting that "on March 28, 2014, [Opie] returned to the dorm[itory] room"). Manganelli "just stared [blankly at Opie], with no response," Pls.' Facts ¶ 1; see Gallaudet's Facts ¶ 74 (asserting that Manganelli "stared menacingly at [ ] Opie"), which "Opie thought ... was odd" behavior, Pls.' Facts ¶ 3 (citing Pls.' Summ. J. Opp'n, Exhibit ("Ex.") K (Deposition of Spencer Opie (May 4, 2017) ("Opie Dep.") ) 83:10-15). According to Opie, Manganelli's "behavior had been strange since Spring Break," and Manganelli "seemed scared and paranoid." Id. ¶ 2 (citing Pls.' Summ. J. Opp'n, Ex. K (Opie Dep.) 81:24-82:6). Manganelli "went to the bathroom[,] and when he came back[, he] said that '[Opie] had ruined everything,' " id. ¶ 4 (quoting Pls.' Summ. J. Opp'n, Ex. K (Opie Dep.) 31:11-13), and he "drew an imaginary line down the middle of the room and asked Opie to stay on his side" of the line, id. ¶ 6; see Gallaudet's Facts ¶ 74 (asserting that Manganelli "told [Opie] that he was mad at [him], that [ ] Opie had 'ruined everything,' and insisted that [ ] Opie stay on his side of the room"). Then, "Opie 'got up' and approached" Manganelli, and in response, Manganelli " 'almost raised his hand openly and then he left.' " Pls.' Facts ¶ 7 (quoting Pls.' Summ. J. Opp'n, Ex. K (Opie Dep.) 31:18-20); see Gallaudet's Facts ¶ 75 ("Opie testified that [Manganelli] raised a hand as if to hit him but did not make contact, storming out of the room instead.").

Manganelli "went directly to the bathroom," and "Opie immediately pursued [him]." Pls.' Facts ¶¶ 8-9. On the way, "Opie ran into a friend, John, in the hallway, and ... [they both] went into the bathroom," where "[t]hey found [Manganelli] in a shower stall." Id. ¶¶ 10-11; see Gallaudet's Facts ¶ 76 ("Opie testified that he went to look for [Manganelli] and that he and a friend, John Delatto, found [Manganelli] hiding in the men's shower."). "Opie confronted [Manganelli,] asking[,] 'What's wrong with you?' " Pls.' Facts ¶ 13 (quoting Pls.' Summ. J. Opp'n, Ex. K (Opie Dep.) 33:11-12). In response, Manganelli "pulled his arm back but did not swing at Opie," id. ¶ 14, and "John stepped in between Opie and [Manganelli]," id. ¶ 15. Manganelli "told Opie and John to leave him alone," id. ¶ 16, and "Opie and John left the bathroom," id. ¶ 17, with "John [telling] Opie that '[Manganelli] seems pretty emotional, just let him be,' " id. ¶ 18.

Following this incident, Manganelli "went to class."

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344 F. Supp. 3d 233, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/sacchetti-v-gallaudet-univ-cadc-2018.