Turner v. Thomas

313 F. Supp. 3d 704
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Virginia
DecidedMay 29, 2018
DocketCase No. 3:17–cv–00064
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 313 F. Supp. 3d 704 (Turner v. Thomas) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Virginia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Turner v. Thomas, 313 F. Supp. 3d 704 (W.D. Va. 2018).

Opinion

NORMAN K. MOON, SENIOR UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

This case is before the Court on Defendants' motions to dismiss pursuant to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 12(b)(1) and 12(b)(6). Plaintiff Robert Sanchez Turner ("Turner") alleges several claims for damages sustained at the August 12, 2017 "Unite the Right" rally. These claims are asserted against Defendants Al Thomas Jr. ("Thomas"), former Chief of the Charlottesville Police Department; W. Stephen Flaherty ("Flaherty"), Virginia State Police Superintendent; and the City of Charlottesville ("Charlottesville"). Plaintiff's claims share a common question: whether there is constitutional duty under the Fourteenth Amendment for the police to intervene to protect a citizen from criminal conduct by third parties. Because I find this duty is not "clearly established," his claims are barred by qualified immunity. Therefore, although Defendant Flaherty's jurisdictional argument under Rule 12(b)(1) fails, Defendants' motions to dismiss pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6) will be granted.

I. Standard of Review

Defendants bring motions pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(1) and 12(b)(6). A motion to dismiss under Rule 12(b)(1) challenges the Court's subject matter jurisdiction. The burden of proving subject matter jurisdiction rests upon the plaintiff.

*709Adams v. Bain , 697 F.2d 1213, 1219 (4th Cir. 1982). Thus, a court must dismiss a complaint which fails to allege facts that demonstrate subject matter jurisdiction.1 Id.

"In ruling on a 12(b)(6) motion, a court must accept as true all of the factual allegations contained in the complaint and draw all reasonable inferences in favor of the plaintiff." Kensington Volunteer Fire Dep't, Inc. v. Montgomery Cty., Md. , 684 F.3d 462, 467 (4th Cir. 2012) ; see also Erickson v. Pardus , 551 U.S. 89, 94, 127 S.Ct. 2197, 167 L.Ed.2d 1081 (2007). "While a complaint attacked by a Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss does not need detailed factual allegations, a plaintiff's obligation to provide the grounds of his entitlement to relief requires more than labels and conclusions, and a formulaic recitation of the elements of a cause of action will not do." Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly , 550 U.S. 544, 555, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007) (internal citations and quotation marks omitted). Stated differently, in order to survive a motion to dismiss, "a complaint must contain sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to 'state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.' " Ashcroft v. Iqbal , 556 U.S. 662, 678, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009) (quoting Twombly , 550 U.S. at 570, 127 S.Ct. 1955 ).

II. Facts as Alleged

In Charlottesville, Virginia, a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee stands in what was formerly called "Lee Park." (Compl. ¶¶ 6-8). In June 2017, Defendant Charlottesville changed the park's name to "Emancipation Park," ("the Park") and subsequently planned to sell the statue and have it removed. (Id. ¶ 7-8). In response, Jason Kessler, leader of the group "Unity & Security for America," organized the "Unite the Right" rally to protest the Park's name change and the decision to sell the statute. (Id. ¶ 10-11).

Kessler applied for, and was granted, a permit to hold a "free speech rally in support of the Lee monument" by the City. (Id. ¶ 12). Less than a week before the event, the City revoked Kessler's permit, citing traffic and safety concerns. (Id. ¶¶ 15-16, 21, 29). Allegedly, Kessler was initially promised that security measures would nevertheless remain in place for the revoked event. However, he was later informed that Defendant Thomas, as Chief of Police, allegedly "changed his mind" and would not provide any of the initially promised protections. (Id. ¶ 30).

Kessler then brought suit, challenging the permit's revocation on First and Fourteenth Amendment grounds, seeking injunctive relief. (Id. ¶ 32). U.S. District Judge Glen Conrad granted Kessler's request and reinstated the permit. Kessler v. Cty. of Charlottesville, Virginia , No. 3:17CV00056, 2017 WL 3474071 (W.D. Va. Aug. 11, 2017). Turner alleges that in response to Judge Conrad's ruling, Defendants Thomas and Flaherty became "enraged," and instituted a "special policy" for the protest, "ordering [their] officers to 'stand down' ...." (Id. ¶¶ 40-41, 44). This alleged "stand down" order mandated law enforcement to: "refrain from intervening in any violent confrontations between *710white supremacists and counter-protesters unless given a command to do so." (Id. ¶¶ 44-46). Turner alleges law enforcement followed this "stand down" order and even directly told counter-protesters they would "not intervene unless given a command to do so." (Id. ¶¶ 49-50).

It is alleged that on August 12, 2017, Turner went to the Park as a counter-protestor. (Id. ¶¶ 9-10, 52-53). As he allegedly protested peacefully on the sidewalk adjacent to the Park, "KKK members/sympathizers" exited the Park and began "to engage counter protesters who were on the sidewalk." (Id. ¶ 57).

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Bluebook (online)
313 F. Supp. 3d 704, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/turner-v-thomas-vawd-2018.