Titus v. Town of Nantucket

840 F. Supp. 2d 404, 2011 WL 7006875
CourtDistrict Court, D. Massachusetts
DecidedNovember 10, 2011
DocketCivil Action No. 09-12193-NMG
StatusPublished
Cited by20 cases

This text of 840 F. Supp. 2d 404 (Titus v. Town of Nantucket) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Massachusetts primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Titus v. Town of Nantucket, 840 F. Supp. 2d 404, 2011 WL 7006875 (D. Mass. 2011).

Opinion

ORDER

NATHANIEL M. GORTON, District Judge.

ENDORSED ORDER entered adopting [3] Report and Recommendations.

REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION ON DEFENDANTS’ MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

DEIN, United States Magistrate Judge.

I. INTRODUCTION

The plaintiff Debra Titus (“Titus”) was arrested by Nantucket Police Officers Keith Mansfield (“Mansfield”) and John Muhr (“Muhr”) for allegedly violating a restraining order that had been issued [407]*407pursuant to Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 209A. She contends that the arrest was without probable cause, and, therefore, in violation of her statutory and constitutional rights, and that the police used excessive force and otherwise treated her unlawfully. Titus has brought a complaint alleging that the Town of Nantucket (“Town” or “Nantucket”) and the individual officers violated the Massachusetts Tort Claims Act, Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 258 (Count I), and her federal civil rights in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1983 (Counts III, IV and V). She also asserts that the defendants are liable for false imprisonment (Count X), and negligent/intentional denial of medical care (Count XI). In addition, Titus contends that the Town is liable for common-law negligence (Count II), and that the two police officers are liable for violations of the Massachusetts Civil Rights Act, Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 12, §§ 11H and 111 (Counts VI and VII), and for assault and battery (Counts VIII and IX).

This matter is presently before the court on the Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment (Docket No. 18), pursuant to which the defendants are seeking summary judgment in their favor on all counts of the complaint. For the reasons detailed herein, this court recommends to the District Judge to whom this case is assigned that the defendants’ motion be ALLOWED IN PART and DENIED IN PART. Specifically, this court recommends that the motion for summary judgment be denied as to the claims against the individual officers in Counts IV and V (42 U.S.C. § 1983) and VIII and IX (assault and battery), but otherwise allowed.

II. STATEMENT OF FACTS1

At all relevant times, Dolores Bennett (“Bennett”) resided in Nantucket, Massachusetts in the main house on the property. Her daughter-in-law, the plaintiff Debra Titus,2 resided in another house on the same property. Titus and her husband, Bennett’s son, were estranged. Bennett had obtained a restraining order against Titus on May 25, 2006, which was renewed several times and remained in effect as of November 13, 2006. See Def. Ex. B (Docket No. 18-2). Pursuant to the restraining order, issued pursuant to Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 209A, Titus was to stay away from Bennett’s residence, and not to come closer than 5 yards from Bennett herself.

At approximately 7:00 p.m. on the evening of November 13, 2006, Nantucket Police Officer John Muhr responded to a call to the Bennett house for an unknown disturbance. See Muhr Incident Report (Docket No. 18-1). Nantucket Police Officer Keith Mansfield arrived a short time later. Id. At that time, Bennett told Muhr that she had a restraining order issued by the Nantucket District Court against Titus, and that Titus had violated the order. Muhr Aff. (Docket No. 18-1) at ¶ 3. According to Bennett, Titus had come to the front door and left a bag of items there, [408]*408which was in violation of the restraining order. Muhr Aff. ¶ 7. The bag was filled with Bennett’s son’s personal papers, including a passport, pictures and other personal property. See Bennett Statement of 11/13/06 (Docket No. 18-2). The papers were all torn into small pieces and destroyed. Muhr Incident Report at 1.

Defendants’ Evidence

According to the defendants, the police officers confirmed that the Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 209A restraining order was in effect against Titus. Muhr Aff. (Docket No. 18-1) at ¶4. They also obtained a signed statement from Bennett confirming that she had seen Titus leave the items on her front door step. Muhr Incident Report at 2. The officers then went to Titus’ house where they met up with Titus. Muhr Aff. ¶ 8. According to the police officers, after acknowledging that she knew there was an active restraining order against her, the plaintiff was advised that she was being placed under arrest. Muhr Aff. ¶¶ 9-10. Titus refused to place her hands behind her back, but rather crossed her arms in front of her and began to resist arrest. Muhr Aff. ¶ 11. Plaintiff also started to run away, but was caught by the police and placed on the floor, where she continued to physically resist arrest by placing her hands and arms under her body. Muhr Aff. ¶¶ 11-13. The police were eventually able to remove her hands from beneath her body and handcuff her. Muhr Aff. ¶ 14. She was transported to the Nantucket Police Station by another policeman, Officer Joseph Mastrick, who had been called to the scene, and placed in a cell. Muhr Aff. ¶ 16; Muhr Incident Report at 2.

According to the police, Titus refused to answer any booking questions and was swearing. Muhr Aff. ¶ 16. She was again told why she was under arrest, and given her station rights, including the right to use the phone, but she continued to refuse to cooperate. Muhr Incident Report at 2; Mashrick Supplementary Report (Docket No. 18-1) at 1; Coakley Supplementary Report (Docket No. 18-1) at 1.

Titus was arraigned the next morning and then released. Muhr Aff. ¶ 17. At some point prior to her court appearance, she called an attorney from the police station. Titus Depo. (Docket No. 18-3) at 55. The charges against her of violating the restraining order and resisting arrest were later dismissed.3

Plaintiff’s Evidence

While Titus agrees with the basic scenario as presented by the defendants, her version of events differs in several respects. According to Titus, when she responded to a knock at the door on the evening of November 13, 2006, there were two police officers who asked if she knew about “a bag” and asked if she knew what a restraining order meant. Titus Aff. (Docket No. 24-1) at ¶¶ 4-5; Titus Depo. at 49. While Titus denies that she knew why she was being arrested, she does recall the police asking her whether she was aware of the restraining order, and admits that she did confirm to the officers that she was aware of the restraining order. Titus Depo. at 49. According to Titus, she was then told to get dressed, which she did. Titus Aff. ¶ 6. Titus has submitted an affidavit describing the events surrounding her arrest as follows:

7. After I got dressed the officers told me I was under arrest. When I asked why and what was going on I was physically thrown to the ground face first. I was not told to place my hands behind my back, and I did not run away.
[409]*4098.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
840 F. Supp. 2d 404, 2011 WL 7006875, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/titus-v-town-of-nantucket-mad-2011.