Winn v. New Orleans City

919 F. Supp. 2d 743, 2013 WL 309002, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10570
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Louisiana
DecidedJanuary 25, 2013
DocketCivil Action No. 12-1307
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 919 F. Supp. 2d 743 (Winn v. New Orleans City) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Louisiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Winn v. New Orleans City, 919 F. Supp. 2d 743, 2013 WL 309002, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10570 (E.D. La. 2013).

Opinion

ORDER AND REASONS

JANE TRICHE MILAZZO, District Judge.

Before the Court is a Motion to Dismiss (R. Doc. 5) filed by all Defendants. For the following reasons, the Motion is GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART. This Court possesses subject matter jurisdiction and therefore may adjudicate the instant dispute. The Motion is granted, however, insofar as Plaintiffs Complaint fails to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. Accordingly, Plaintiffs claims are DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE.

Plaintiff may amend his Complaint within twenty (20) days of the entry of this Order. If Plaintiff fails to file timely an amended complaint, the Court will dismiss his claims against Defendants with prejudice.

BACKGROUND1

Plaintiff brings this civil rights action alleging wrongful termination from the [747]*747New Orleans Police Department (“NOPD”). The NOPD employed Plaintiff as a Police Captain.

Plaintiff was the ranking officer at the Haban’s Elementary School on September 2, 2005, where he and his subordinates— including Lieutenant Dwayne Scheuermann and Officer Greg McRay — were posted in the aftermath, of Hurricane Katrina. On that day, a vehicle containing a dead body was brought to the school. Plaintiff ordered Lieutenant Schuermann and Officer McRay to move the vehicle to an area behind the levee. In November 2005, Plaintiff learned that the vehicle, with the body inside, was set ablaze.

In December 2008, a series of news articles was published which alleged that the deceased, Henry Glover, was shot by NOPD officers and that Plaintiff and his subordinates conspired to dispose of the evidence by burning the vehicle. The NOPD subsequently initiated a criminal investigation regarding the circumstances of Glover’s death. Plaintiff gave a compelled statement in February 2009 in which he denied any knowledge of police misconduct.

In May 2009, criminal investigators attempted to interview Lieutenant Schuermann but he refused to give a statement, invoking his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. Plaintiff subsequently confronted Lieutenant Schuermann regarding the latter’s refusal to cooperate with the investigation. To Plaintiffs surprise, Lieutenant Schuermann revealed that Officer McRae burned the vehicle with Glover’s body inside. Lieutenant Schuermann believed, however, that he had previously informed Plaintiff of Officer McRae’s actions.

As the investigation progressed, Plaintiffs criminal defense attorney (whose services Plaintiff had obtained in December 2008) advised Plaintiff that he should his exercise his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination in order to avoid “erroneous criminal exposure.” Thus, when Plaintiff receive a grand jury subpoena to testify in a different criminal investigation — the so-called “Danziger bridge shootings” — Plaintiff invoked his Fifth Amendment rights even though Plaintiff was informed that he was only a witness and not suspected of any criminal wrongdoing.

In November 2011, Lieutenant Scheuermann and Officer McRae were indicted as a result of their- alleged involvement in the Glover incident. The case proceeded to trial and Plaintiff was called as a witness, Plaintiff waived his Fifth Amendment right to remain silent and testified.

After the trial concluded, the NOPD Public Integrity Bureau initiated an administrative investigation into alleged administrative violations committed by Plaintiff. The investigation was headed by Captain John Thomas and included the statements of Captain Tami Brissette and Captain David Curóle, as well as the compelled statement of Plaintiff. Plaintiff explained that, in accordance with his Fifth Amendment rights and upon the advice of counsel, he did not disclose his conversation with Lieutenant Schuermann in order to guard against “being mistakenly implicated in the criminal activity.” Upon the conclusion of the administrative investigation, Captain Thomas found that Plaintiffs failure to disclose his acquired knowledge regarding the circumstances of the Glover incident violated various NOPD ruíes. Assistant Superintendant Arlinda Westbrook reviewed Captain Thomas’ finding and concurred.

On or about May 18, 2011, Plaintiff appeared before a three-person panel to de[748]*748termine the disciplinary action, if any, to be recommended. The panel was composed of Police Commander James Tread-away, Deputy Superintendent Kirk Bouyelas, and Deputy Superintendent Stephanie Landry. Plaintiff reiterated his reasons for keeping silent. The Panel recommended discipline up to and including termination. This recommendation was forwarded to Police Superintendent Ronald Serpas who, on May 25, 2011, terminated Plaintiffs employment with the NOPD.

Plaintiff appealed his termination to the New Orleans Civil Service Commission and a hearing was conducted. Sworn testimony was taken and evidence was submitted by both sides. While the instant Motion was pending, the Commission sustained Plaintiffs dismissal. (R. Doc. 22, Ex. A.)

On May 21, 2012, Plaintiff brought a civil rights action under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against the City of New Orleans, the New Orleans Police Department, and the following individuals (collectively the “non-entity Defendants”) in their personal and official capacities: Ronald Serpas, Kirk Bouyelas, James Treadway, Stephanie Landry, Arlinda Westbrook, and John Thomas. (R. Doc. 1.) Plaintiff alleges various violations of the United States and Louisiana constitutions, as well as a civil conspiracy amongst all Defendants in violation of the same. Defendants filed a Motion to Dismiss for failure to state a claim and lack of subject matter jurisdiction on June 18, 2012 (R. Doc. 5), which Plaintiff opposed on July 10, 2012 (R. Doc. 14). Plaintiff filed a supplemental memorandum on November 13, 2012. (R. Doc. 22.)

LEGAL STANDARD

I. Lack of Subject Matter Jurisdiction Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(1)

A motion to dismiss filed under Rule 12(b)(1) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure challenges the subject matter jurisdiction of a federal district court. “A case is properly dismissed for lack of subject matter jurisdiction when the court lacks the statutory or constitutional power to adjudicate the case.” Home Builders Ass’n of Miss., Inc. v. City of Madison, 143 F.3d 1006, 1010 (5th Cir.1998). The basic statutory grants of federal court subject-matter jurisdiction are contained in 28 U.S.C. § 1331 and § 1332.

In considering a Rule 12(b)(1) motion to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction, “a court may evaluate (1) the complaint alone, (2) the complaint supplemented by undisputed facts evidenced in the record, or (3) the complaint supplemented by undisputed facts plus the court’s resolution of disputed facts.” Den Norske Stats Oljeselskap As v. HeereMac v.o.f, 241 F.3d 420, 424 (5th Cir.2001). The party asserting jurisdiction bears the burden of proof on a Rule 12(b)(1) motion to dismiss and must show that jurisdiction exists. Ramming v.

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Bluebook (online)
919 F. Supp. 2d 743, 2013 WL 309002, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10570, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/winn-v-new-orleans-city-laed-2013.