Turner v. City of Sacramento

CourtDistrict Court, E.D. California
DecidedMay 20, 2022
Docket2:20-cv-01079
StatusUnknown

This text of Turner v. City of Sacramento (Turner v. City of Sacramento) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Turner v. City of Sacramento, (E.D. Cal. 2022).

Opinion

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 8 EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 9 10 GEREMY TURNER, No. 2:20-cv-01079-TLN-JDP

11 Plaintiff, 12 v. ORDER 13 CITY OF SACRAMENTO; SACRAMENTO POLICE 14 DEPARTMENT; OFFICER NEDELJKOVIC; OFFICER 15 MOHAMMAD; and DOES 1–50, 16 Defendants,

18 19 This action is before the Court on Defendants City of Sacramento, Sacramento Police 20 Department, Officer Nedeljkovic, and Officer Mohammad’s (collectively, “Defendants”) Motion 21 for Summary Judgment. (ECF No. 12.) Plaintiff Geremy Turner (“Plaintiff”) opposed the 22 motion. (ECF No. 26.) Defendants replied. (ECF No. 30.) For the reasons set forth below, the 23 Court GRANTS in part and DENIES in part Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment. (ECF 24 No. 12.) 25 /// 26 /// 27 /// 28 1 II. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND1 2 On July 29, 2019, Officer Nedeljkovic and Officer Mohammad were working uniformed 3 patrol at Evergreen Shopping Center, located at 5575 Mack Road in Sacramento, California. 4 (DSUF ¶ 1; Plaintiff’s Responses and Objections to DSUF (“PRO”), ECF No. 26-1 ¶ 1.) During 5 their patrol, the officers initiated a traffic stop on Plaintiff for a non-functional brake light.2 6 (DSUF ¶ 2.) Plaintiff told the officers that he was on probation. (ECF No. 1 at 4; DSUF ¶ 4.) 7 The officers conducted a record check which indicated that Plaintiff was a probationer3 and a 8 convicted felon. (DSUF ¶¶ 4–5; PRO ¶ 5.) The records check indicated that Plaintiff’s listed 9 probation address was 121 Majorca Circle in Sacramento, California.4 (DSUF ¶ 6.) After Officer 10 Nedeljkovic informed Plaintiff that a probation search would be conducted at the listed probation 11 address, Plaintiff denied living there. (DSUF ¶ 7; PRO ¶ 7.) 12 The officers arrived at 121 Majorca Circle and were informed by Plaintiff’s mother that 13 Plaintiff had slept there as recently as July 28, 2019.5 (DSUF ¶ 8.) During the search, the 14 15 1 The following facts are taken from Defendants’ Statement of Uncontroverted Facts 16 (“DSUF”) (ECF No. 12-2) and are deemed undisputed unless otherwise noted.

17 2 Plaintiff disputes this fact, arguing “the vehicle’s rear bumper appeared to be replaced.” (PRO ¶ 2.) Plaintiff does not explain how the state of the rear bumper is relevant or refutes 18 Defendants’ proffered fact that the officers initiated a traffic stop for a non-functional brake light. 19 (See id.) Accordingly, the Court considers the fact undisputed for purposes of the motion. See Fed. R. Civ. Pro. 56(e). 20 3 Plaintiff disputes this, arguing he “told Officer Nedeljkovic that he was on probation.” 21 (PRO ¶ 4.) However, Plaintiff fails to explain how this creates a dispute about whether the officers conducted a records check. Accordingly, the Court finds this is not a genuine dispute. 22 See Fed. R. Civ. Pro 56(e). 23 4 Plaintiff disputes this fact, arguing “[Plaintiff] denied living there.” (PRO ¶ 6.) However, 24 Plaintiff fails to explain how his denial creates a dispute about whether his listed probation address was 121 Majorca Circle. Accordingly, the Court finds this is not a genuine dispute. See 25 Fed. R. Civ. Pro 56(e).

26 5 Plaintiff disputes this fact, arguing he “denied living there.” (PRO ¶ 8.) However, 27 Plaintiff fails to explain how his denial creates a dispute about whether or not his mother told the officers that he had slept there as recently as July 28, 2019. Accordingly, the Court finds this is 28 not a genuine dispute. See Fed. R. Civ. Pro 56(e). 1 officers discovered that one of the bedrooms was locked.6 (DSUF ¶ 9.) While searching 2 Plaintiff’s niece’s bedroom, Officer Mohammad found a set of keys in a drawer next to a credit 3 card inscribed with Plaintiff’s name.7 (DSUF ¶ 10–11.) Plaintiff admitted to staying in his 4 niece’s bedroom.8 (DSUF ¶ 12.) The officers used the keys to unlock the locked bedroom and 5 found a loaded AR-15, two unsecured shotguns, and ammunition.9 (DSUF ¶ 13–15; PRO ¶ 14– 6 15.) In a statement to Officer Nedeljkovic, Plaintiff admitted he had access to the keys, had been 7 inside the locked bedroom before, and had seen the firearms.10 (DSUF ¶ 18.) The officers 8

9 6 Plaintiff disputes this fact. (PRO ¶ 9.) In support, Plaintiff cites to his declaration which neither denies nor disputes the stated fact. (ECF No. 26-2 at 2.) Accordingly, the Court finds this 10 is not a genuine dispute. See Fed. R. Civ. Pro 56(e). 11 7 Plaintiff disputes this fact. (PRO ¶¶ 10, 11.) In support, Plaintiff cites to his declaration 12 which neither denies nor disputes the stated fact. (ECF No. 26-2 at 2.) Accordingly, the Court finds this is not a genuine dispute. See Fed. R. Civ. Pro 56(e). 13 8 Plaintiff disputes this fact. (PRO ¶ 12.) In support, Plaintiff cites to his declaration which 14 neither denies nor disputes the stated fact. (ECF No. 26-2 at 2.) Accordingly, the Court finds this 15 is not a genuine dispute. See Fed. R. Civ. Pro 56(e).

16 9 Plaintiff disputes that the keys unlocked the locked bedroom. (PRO ¶ 13.) Plaintiff argues that his brother, a resident of 121 Majorca Circle, was present during the probation search 17 and refused consent, which is evidenced by the locked door to his bedroom that officers broke open. (PRO ¶ 13.) In support, Plaintiff cites generally to his own declaration and the declaration 18 of his counsel, Tiega-Noel Varlack. (Id.) However, nothing in the attached materials denies or 19 disputes that the keys unlocked the locked bedroom. There is an unidentified photograph of a door attached to the Varlack declaration but there is no indication that it represents the door in 20 question or whether it establishes the keys did not work in the lock. (ECF No. 26-12 at 1.) Accordingly, the Court finds this is not a genuine dispute. See Fed. R. Civ. Pro 56(e). 21 10 Plaintiff disputes his fact, citing Exhibit H to the Varlack declaration, wherein Plaintiff 22 tells Officer Nedeljkovic: “I didn’t know that was there. Alright, I’m gonna keep it real. I 23 thought I gave my brother his key back. That was my brother[’]s key. I knew the key was there. I never had a key to that room. That is my nephew’s key.” (PRO ¶ 18 (citing ECF No. 26-21 at 24 5).) Plaintiff’s cited statement does not deny or dispute that he had access to the keys. On the next page of the police report, Plaintiff states “I did have that key though. I had the key because 25 other people might need access.” (ECF No. 12-5 at 50.) Plaintiff also states “I have been inside that room. I never touched anything though.” (Id.) Finally, Plaintiff states “I have seen them. I 26 have seen a shotgun and a rifle, but I have not touched them. I do not play with guns.” (Id.) 27 Plaintiff does not provide any support to raise a dispute about whether he had been inside the room before or had seen the guns. Accordingly, the Court finds this is not a genuine dispute. See 28 Fed. Rule. Civ. Pro 56(e). 1 arrested Plaintiff and transported him to jail. (DSUF ¶ 19; PRO ¶ 19.) 2 Plaintiff initiated this action on May 28, 2020, alleging the following claims: (1) violation 3 of his Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment rights under 42 U.S.C. § 1983; (2) Monell liability; (3) 4 violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1981; (4) false arrest and imprisonment; (5) battery by a police officer; 5 (6) violation of the Unruh Civil Rights Act, California Civil Code § 51.7; (7) intentional infliction 6 of emotional distress; and (8) negligent infliction of emotional distress. (ECF No. 1.) 7 Defendants filed the instant motion for summary judgment on July 16, 2021. (ECF No. 12.) 8 II. STANDARD OF LAW 9 Summary judgment is appropriate when the moving party demonstrates no genuine issue 10 of any material fact exists and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Fed. 11 R. Civ.

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Turner v. City of Sacramento, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/turner-v-city-of-sacramento-caed-2022.