Serrano v. Figueroa-Sancha

878 F. Supp. 2d 301, 2012 WL 2913717, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 99484
CourtDistrict Court, D. Puerto Rico
DecidedJuly 16, 2012
DocketCivil No. 11-1427(DRD)
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 878 F. Supp. 2d 301 (Serrano v. Figueroa-Sancha) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Puerto Rico primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Serrano v. Figueroa-Sancha, 878 F. Supp. 2d 301, 2012 WL 2913717, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 99484 (prd 2012).

Opinion

OPINION AND ORDER

DANIEL R. DOMÍNGUEZ, District Judge.

I. INTRODUCTION

Plaintiffs Luz María Serrano, Hiram Martinez and Hiraniel Martinez Serrano (“Plaintiffs”) filed suit under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against Jose Figueroa-Sancha, Officer Padilla, Officer Vails and Officer Roman in their individual capacities, and Emilio Diaz-Colon in his official capacity (collectively the “Defendants”). Defendants are all members of the Puerto Rico Police Department (“PRPD”).

Plaintiffs allege that they were illegally detained by Defendants, thereby violating their constitutional rights to be free of unreasonable searches and seizures and unreasonable use of excessive force. Plaintiffs bring additional claims arising under the laws of Puerto Rico which are attached to the instant case via the exercise of the Court’s supplemental jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1367.

Plaintiff Luz Maria Serrano and Hiram Martinez are married and have seven (7) children; one of their children is co-plaintiff Hiraniel Martinez, who is of legal age.

At the time Plaintiffs commenced the instant action, Defendant Figueroa-Sancha was the Superintendent of the PRPD. Also, Defendants Officer Padilla and Officer Vails were sergeants in the PRPD at all relevant times, and Officer Roman is a police officer with the PRPD. Defendant Emilio Diaz-Colon is the current Superintendent of the PRPD.1

II. FACTUAL HISTORY2

Plaintiffs allege that on December 14, 2009 in Camino Los Andinos, the Cupey Alto district of San Juan, police officers intervened with Plaintiffs after pursuing and arresting a fugitive in front of Plaintiffs’ domicile. While arresting the fugitive, Officers Vails, Padilla and Roman allegedly pointed their firearms at Hiram Martinez and forced him to walk back into the house. The officers also purportedly threatened to shoot him and arrest his family if he did not hand over his weapons. (Docket No. 7, paragraph 3.7.). Plaintiffs aver that Officers Vails, Padilla and Roman forcefully broke the doors to their house, knocked over furniture, and deliberately ignored Plaintiff Martinez’s inquiries regarding their authorization to search his property and why he was being detained. At no time was Martinez armed.

[305]*305The police officers proceeded to arrest Martinez. Martinez’s wife, Plaintiff Luz Serrano, accompanied by her daughter, then drove to the Cupey Ato Police station. At the police station, they were assisted by two officers who stated to have knowledge of the matter and indicated that the situation would be resolved. When Serrano returned to her home, Officers Roman, Padilla and Vails were still in her house conducting a search, alongside other unknown officers, also co-defendants (the, “Unknown Defendants”). None of these officers were wearing their badges. Plaintiff Hiraniel asked an officer to identify himself but he refused and threatened to arrest Hiraniel’s mother, Plaintiff Serrano. The officers proceeded to remove Serrano from her vehicle, searched her and handcuffed her. Officer Vails witnessed her arrest and told Serrano “[tjhat’s what you get for what your son did.” (Docket No. 7, paragraph 3.7). Officer Vails also threatened to contact social services in order to take away her children if she complained. Serrano was taken back to the Cupey Ato Police Station where she remained handcuffed for approximately three hours.

Plaintiff Martinez was also brought to the police station and remained in a cell where he could see his wife detained and being threatened. Martinez asked officers the reason for their arrest, and these officers indicated that they had found illegal fireworks at his home. Plaintiff Martinez later saw the police officers distributing the fireworks among themselves. Plaintiff Serrano was released between 3:45 am and 4:00 am, but she was given instructions to return to the police station at 9:00 am. Both Plaintiffs were not given any food or water during their confinement.

While waiting for her detained husband, Officer Roman proceeded to arrest and detain Serrano once again. Serrano became very anxious and suffered a nervous crisis, following her second arrest. Serrano’s daughter requested assistance of paramedics. When the paramedics arrived, Serrano was hyperventilating and suffering from hypoglycemia. After being stabilized, Officer Padilla released her from custody. She was- instructed to go home and would be later contacted to sign paperwork in order to release the police from responsibility. Plaintiff Martinez, still in custody, was transferred to a.police station in Rio Piedras, where he was not released until later that evening. Neither Martinez nor Serrano were ever taken before a magistrate judge or charged with the commission of a crime while they were detained or afterwards.

On December 16, 2009, Serrano filed an administrative complaint at PRPD’s headquarters. That same day, Defendants Padilla, Roman and Vails contacted Martinez and Serrano, interrogated them as to whether or not they intended to pursue the complaint further. Later that day, two unknown police officers knocked. Plaintiff Hiraniel off his motorcycle, beat him and fled. Hiraniel was not armed and did not represent a threat to the officers or anyone else at the time.

III. PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Plaintiffs filed a similar cause of action on October 28, 2010 (10-cv-2050 (CCC), the “First Action”); the Court dismissed this First Action without prejudice on February 28, 2011 for lack of service of process. (10-cv-2050, Docket No. 4). The instant action was filed on May 9, 2011 and amended on September 6, 2011 to include Emilio Diaz Colon, in his official capacity as a Defendant (hereinafter, “Second Action”).

On November 7, 2011, the Court ordered Plaintiffs to show good cause for their untimely service. (Docket No. 12). Plaintiffs responded to the Order to Show [306]*306Cause on November 13, 2011 (Docket No. 13) arguing that Defendants evasion of service constituted “good cause” for lack of service. In its discretion, the Court found good cause and awarded Plaintiffs sixty (60) days to effectuate proper service on the remaining unserved Defendants. (Docket No. 17).

On January 10, 2012, Defendants filed a Motion to Dismiss (Docket No. 20). Therein, Defendants aver that co-defendant Figueroa-Sancha has not been served adequately given that the summons was delivered to his office when he had already resigned as the superintendent of the PRPD and was not physically present in the building at the time of service.

Defendants also moved for dismissal on the basis of Plaintiffs’ failure to properly serve the remaining Defendants within 120 days of commencing the instant suit as required by Rule 4 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Defendants furthermore argue the dismissal of all Unknown Defendants and co-defendant Diaz Colon in his official capacity is warranted because Plaintiffs’ claims against these Defendants are time barred.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
878 F. Supp. 2d 301, 2012 WL 2913717, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 99484, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/serrano-v-figueroa-sancha-prd-2012.