Taylor v. Ridley

904 F. Supp. 2d 222, 2012 WL 5289594, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 151553
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. New York
DecidedOctober 19, 2012
DocketNo. CV-10-5655 (SJF)(WDW)
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 904 F. Supp. 2d 222 (Taylor v. Ridley) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Taylor v. Ridley, 904 F. Supp. 2d 222, 2012 WL 5289594, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 151553 (E.D.N.Y. 2012).

Opinion

OPINION & ORDER

FEUERSTEIN, District Judge.

On December 6, 2010, pro se plaintiff Trent Taylor (“plaintiff’) commenced this action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against defendants Police Officer Leroy Ridley (“Ridley”), Shield No. 1214; Police Officer James Johnson (“Johnson”), Shield No. 1205; and the Incorporated Village of Hempstead, i/s/h Town of Hempstead (“the Village”) (collectively, “defendants”), alleging violations of his constitutional rights. Pending before the Court is defendants’ unopposed motion seeking summary judgment dismissing plaintiffs claims in [224]*224their entirety pursuant to Rule 56 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.1 For the reasons set forth below, defendants’ motion is granted.

I. Background

A. Factual Background2

On March 21, 2009, at approximately 3:35 a.m., Village police officers were summoned to the parking lot of Rumba Sky, a nightclub located at 19 North Franklin Street in the Village, to respond to a disturbance. (Defendants’ Local Rule 56.1 Statement [“56.1 Stat.”], ¶ 1; Declaration of Debra Urbano-DiSalvo [“Urbano-DiSalvo Dec!.”], Ex. C, Ex. H at 9, and Ex. Ml at 5, 46, 72). When Ridley arrived at the location, there was “a ton of people” there and plaintiffs friend, Angelo McDeegan, was drunk, yelling and acting disorderly. (56.1 Stat., ¶ 2; Urbano-DiSalvo Deck, Ex. E at 17-21, 69, 91, Ex. Ml at 18-20, Ex. M2 at 111-12). When Lieutenant Joseph Sortino (“Sortino”) arrived at the location, he instructed his officers to disperse the large crowd spread out in the parking lot by telling them to leave or they would be arrested. (56.1 Stat., ¶ 3; Urbano-DiSalvo Deck, Ex. H at 9-10, 17, 24). Although Ridley told everyone in the parking lot to go home, (56.1 Stat., ¶ 4; Urbano-DiSalvo Deck, Ex. E at 19-24, 70-1, Ex. Ml at 19, 21, 31, 82 and Ex. M2 at 112, 122), plaintiff instead walked or ran to his car in the lot crowded with people whom the officers were trying to disperse, (56.1 Stat., ¶ 7; Urbano-DiSalvo Deck, Ex. E at 22, 92, Ex. H at 10-11,17-8, Ex. Ml at 21-2, 34, 41-2 and Ex. M2 at 112-16, 122-5), and ignored Ridley when he told him to stop and put his hands behind his back. (56.1 Stat., ¶ 9; Urbano-DiSalvo Deck, Ex. E at 22-25, 28, 45-6, 72-3, 92, Ex. H at 11, Ex. Ml at 22, 24, 82 and Ex. M2 at 113-15, 128). Plaintiff testified that from Ridley’s perspective, there were grounds for him to believe that plaintiff was disobeying his orders. (56.1 Stat., ¶ 8; Urbano-DiSalvo Deck, Ex. E at 92-4).

Upon plaintiffs failure to comply with Ridley’s orders, Sortino instructed Ridley and Johnson to arrest plaintiff for disorderly conduct. (Urbano-DiSalvo Deck, Ex. H at 12, 21-2 and Ex. Ml at 50, 64-5, 75, 82-3). When Ridley and Johnson attempted to arrest plaintiff for disorderly conduct, he resisted arrest. (56.1 Stat., ¶ 10; Urbano-DiSalvo Deck, Ex. E at 38-9, 46-9, 73, 79, 91, Ex. H at 12, Ex. Ml at 26-7, 42, 48-50, 61, 68, 75-6 and Ex. M2 at 116, 131-34). At his deposition, plaintiff admitted that he was not hit in the head [225]*225with a nightstick and knocked to the ground, nor kicked or beaten when he was on the ground, as he alleged in his complaint. (56.1 Stat., ¶ 11; see- Compl., ¶ IV; Urban-DiSalvo Deck, Ex. E at 77-9). Rather, plaintiff accidentally fell to the ground while resisting arrest and being handcuffed. (56.1 Stat., ¶¶ 12-13; Urbano-DiSalvo Deck, Ex. E at 23, 34-43, 47-9, 73, Ex. Ml at 28, 51, 66-7, 76 and Ex. M2 at 117, 135-37, 144-45-48). As a result of falling to the ground, plaintiff injured his right shoulder and scraped his right elbow. (56.1 Stat., ¶ 14; Urbano-DiSalvo Deck, Ex. E at 36-7, 73, 86, Ex. Ml at 78 and Ex. M2 at 138-40). However, plaintiff did not seek medical attention for those injuries, (56.1 Stat., ¶ 15; see Urbano-DiSalvo Deck, Ex. E at 8-10, 34, 62-4, 80, 85), and has not alleged any injuries resulting from any purported kick or beating.

Plaintiff was arrested and charged with assault in the second degree, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. (56.1 Stat., ¶ 16; Urbano-DiSalvo Deck, Ex. D). On August 24, 2009, the grand jury of Nassau County returned an indictment charging plaintiff with one (1) count of assault in the second degree (N.Y. Penal Law § 120.05(3)); one (1) count of assault in the third degree (N.Y. Penal Law § 120.00(2)); one (1) count of obstructing governmental administration in the second degree (N.Y. Penal Law § 195.05); one (1) count of resisting arrest (N.Y. Penal Law § 205.30); and one (1) count of disorderly conduct (N.Y. Penal Law § 240.20(1)). (56.1 Stat., ¶ 17; see Urbano-DiSalvo Deck, Exs. E at 27-28 and G).

Following his arrest, plaintiff was in custody for approximately two (2) days, until the court rescinded any bail requirements. (56.1 Stat., ¶ 20; Urbano-DiSalvo Deck, Ex. E at 34, 49-50, 85). However, plaintiff has been in custody since September 17, 2009, after being arrested on unrelated charges to which he pled guilty. (56.1 Stat., ¶ 21; see Urbano-DiSalvo Deck, Ex. E at 10-11, 51, 57, 60-1).

On May 7, 2010, a suppression hearing was held in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Nassau County (McCormack, J.) (“the hearing court”), to determine whether there was probable cause to arrest plaintiff and whether Sortino could testify at trial regarding plaintiffs physical condition at the time of his arrest. (56.1 Stat., ¶ 18; Urbano-DiSalvo Deck, Ex. H).3

On May 17, 2010, plaintiff was acquitted of the criminal charges against him. (56.1 Stat., ¶ 19).

It is undisputed that plaintiff did not file a notice of claim against defendants. (56.1 Stat., ¶ 21; Urbano-DiSalvo Deck, Ex. I).

B. Procedural History

On December 6, 2010, plaintiff commenced this action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against defendants alleging violations of his constitutional rights. On September 19, 2011, defendants served plaintiff with demands for documents and interrogatories. (56.1 Stat., ¶ 22; Urbano-DiSalvo Deck, Ex. J). By letter dated January 3, 2012, defendants followed with plaintiff for a response to their discovery demands. (56.1 Stat., ¶ 23; Urbano-DiSalvo Deck, Ex. K). During a telephone conference with the Honorable William D. Wall, United States Magistrate Judge, plaintiff was advised that his failure to respond to defendants’ discovery demands [226]*226could result in the dismissal of this action. (56.1 Stat., ¶ 24). Plaintiff has not responded to defendants’ discovery demands to date. (56.1 Stat., ¶¶ 23-26; see Urbano-DiSalvo Decl., Ex. E at 6-8, 12-16).

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
904 F. Supp. 2d 222, 2012 WL 5289594, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 151553, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/taylor-v-ridley-nyed-2012.