Toliver v. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department et al

Filing 65

ORDER. IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that 52 Plaintiff's Motion for Summary Judgment is DENIED. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that 56 Defendant's Counter Motion for Summary Judgement is GRANTED. The Clerk of the Court shall enter judgment accordingly and close the case. Signed by Chief Judge Gloria M. Navarro on 3/19/2018. (Copies have been distributed pursuant to the NEF - ADR)

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1 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 2 DISTRICT OF NEVADA 3 GEORGE A. TOLIVER, 4 Plaintiff, 5 vs. 6 7 LAS VEGAS METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPARTMENT, et al., 8 Defendants. 9 ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) Case No.: 2:15-cv-00633-GMN-PAL ORDER Pending before the Court is the Motion for Summary Judgment, (ECF No. 52), filed by 10 11 Plaintiff George A. Toliver (“Plaintiff”).1 Defendant Lee Doss (“Defendant” or “Officer 12 Doss”) filed a Response, (ECF No. 55), and Plaintiff did not file a Reply. Also before the 13 Court is Defendant’s Counter Motion for Summary Judgment, (ECF No. 56). 2 Plaintiff filed a 14 Response, (ECF No. 57), and Defendant filed a Reply, (ECF No. 59).3 For the reasons stated 15 herein, the Court GRANTS Defendant’s Motion and DENIES Plaintiff’s Motion. 16 I. BACKGROUND 17 This case arises out of alleged constitutional violations that occurred following an 18 incident between Officer Doss and Plaintiff on December 15, 2014. (Compl. at 3, ECF No. 10). 19 At all times relevant to this lawsuit, Plaintiff was an inmate at the Clark County Detention 20 Center (“CCDC”). (See id. at 1). While in line for lunch, Plaintiff states that he received a food 21 22 In light of Plaintiff’s status as a pro se litigant, the Court has liberally construed his filings, holding him to standards less stringent than formal pleadings drafted by attorneys. See Erickson v. Pardus, 551 U.S. 89, 94 (2007). 2 The Counter Motion for Summary Judgment, (ECF No. 56), was filed on behalf of both Officer Doss and Defendant Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (“LVMPD”). LVMPD, however, is no longer a party to this action pursuant to the Court’s prior Order. (See Order, ECF No. 13). 3 Plaintiff additionally filed an addendum to his Response, which the Court construes as a Motion to Supplement. (ECF No. 58). For good cause appearing, the Court grants Plaintiff’s supplement. 1 23 24 25 Page 1 of 6 1 tray with a “small” brownie, which prompted Plaintiff to ask Officer Doss for a different tray. 2 (Pl.’s Deposition 40:2–12, Ex A. to Def.’s MSJ, ECF No. 56-2). After Officer Doss informed 3 Plaintiff “no, you have to take what you get,” Plaintiff decided to forego eating lunch and 4 purportedly set the tray back down on the tray table. (See id. 40:18–41:6). In the incident 5 report, however, Officer Doss asserts that Plaintiff “threw the tray towards the worker and other 6 inmates in line. . . .” (Incident Report, Ex. A at 42 to Def.’s MSJ, ECF No. 56-3). While 7 Plaintiff contests that he threw the tray at other inmates, Plaintiff admits that he did not set the 8 tray down “nicely,” and therefore Officer Doss “could have perceived” that he threw the tray. 9 (Pl.’s Deposition 44:20–45:15, Ex A. to Def.’s MSJ). 10 Following the incident, Sgt. Burleson and Sgt. Laird transported Plaintiff to the 11 disciplinary unit, where Plaintiff was charged with disrupting the module and refusing to obey a 12 direct order of staff. (See id. 48:12–25); (see also Incident Report, Ex. A at 42 to Def.’s MSJ). 13 On December 17, 2014, Officers Kegley and Sands conducted the disciplinary hearing against 14 Plaintiff. (Kegley Decl. ¶ 5, Ex. B to Def.’s MSJ, ECF No. 56-4). At the hearing, Plaintiff 15 provided the statement: “I did not throw no tray. I just set it on the table.” (Id. ¶ 6). To support 16 this assertion, Plaintiff allegedly requested the video tape of the incident, but the officers 17 declined to produce the video. (Pl.’s Deposition 54:23–55:3, Ex. A-2. to Def.’s MSJ, ECF No. 18 56-3). According to Officer Kegley, CCDC surveillance videos were not accessible to hearing 19 officers at conduct adjustment hearings. (Kegley Decl. ¶ 13, Ex. B to Def.’s MSJ). Ultimately, 20 the hearing officers found Plaintiff guilty of the charges and issued Plaintiff fifteen days in the 21 disciplinary unit. (Id. ¶¶ 14–16). 22 On April 6, 2015, Plaintiff initiated the instant action, asserting three claims under 42 23 USC § 1983 against LVMPD and Officer Doss: (1) illegal arrest; (2) false imprisonment; and 24 (3) health hazard negligence. (Compl., ECF No. 1-1). On September 28, 2015, the Court issued 25 a screening order, which re-interpreted Plaintiff’s claims as: (1) a Fourteenth Amendment due Page 2 of 6 1 process violation; and (2) an Eighth Amendment violation for deliberate indifference to 2 conditions of confinement. (See Screening Order 4:10–15, ECF No. 9). In the screening order, 3 the Court dismissed all claims against LVMPD without prejudice and permitted the Fourteenth 4 Amendment claim to proceed against Officer Doss. (Id. 9:2–11). The Court granted Plaintiff 5 leave to amend on his claims against LVMPD, but Plaintiff declined to amend the Complaint. 6 (See Notice, ECF No. 11). Accordingly, the only remaining claim at issue before the Court is 7 Plaintiff’s Fourteenth Amendment due process claim against Officer Doss. (See Order, ECF 8 No. 13). 9 II. 10 LEGAL STANDARD The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure provide for summary adjudication when the 11 pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the 12 affidavits, if any, show that “there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the movant 13 is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(a). Material facts are those that 14 may affect the outcome of the case. See Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 248 15 (1986). A dispute as to a material fact is genuine if there is sufficient evidence for a reasonable 16 jury to return a verdict for the nonmoving party. See id. “Summary judgment is inappropriate if 17 reasonable jurors, drawing all inferences in favor of the nonmoving party, could return a verdict 18 in the nonmoving party’s favor.” Diaz v. Eagle Produce Ltd. P’ship, 521 F.3d 1201, 1207 (9th 19 Cir. 2008) (citing United States v. Shumway, 199 F.3d 1093, 1103–04 (9th Cir. 1999)). A 20 principal purpose of summary judgment is “to isolate and dispose of factually unsupported 21 claims.” Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 323–24 (1986). 22 In determining summary judgment, a court applies a burden-shifting analysis. “When 23 the party moving for summary judgment would bear the burden of proof at trial, it must come 24 forward with evidence which would entitle it to a directed verdict if the evidence went 25 uncontroverted at trial. In such a case, the moving party has the initial burden of establishing Page 3 of 6 1 the absence of a genuine issue of fact on each issue material to its case.” C.A.R. Transp. 2 Brokerage Co. v. Darden Rests., Inc., 213 F.3d 474, 480 (9th Cir. 2000) (citations omitted). In 3 contrast, when the nonmoving party bears the burden of proving the claim or defense, the 4 moving party can meet its burden in two ways: (1) by presenting evidence to negate an 5 essential element of the nonmoving party’s case; or (2) by demonstrating that the nonmoving 6 party failed to make a showing sufficient to establish an element essential to that party’s case 7 on which that party will bear the burden of proof at trial. See Celotex Corp., 477 U.S. at 323– 8 24. If the moving party fails to meet its initial burden, summary judgment must be denied and 9 the court need not consider the nonmoving party’s evidence. See Adickes v. S.H. Kress & Co., 10 11 398 U.S. 144, 159–60 (1970). If the moving party satisfies its initial burden, the burden then shifts to the opposing 12 party to establish that a genuine issue of material fact exists. See Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co. v. 13 Zenith Radio Corp., 475 U.S. 574, 586 (1986). To establish the existence of a factual dispute, 14 the opposing party need not establish a material issue of fact conclusively in its favor. It is 15 sufficient that “the claimed factual dispute be shown to require a jury or judge to resolve the 16 parties’ differing versions of the truth at trial.” T.W. Elec. Serv., Inc. v. Pac. Elec. Contractors 17 Ass’n, 809 F.2d 626, 631 (9th Cir. 1987). In other words, the nonmoving party cannot avoid 18 summary judgment by relying solely on conclusory allegations that are unsupported by factual 19 data. See Taylor v. List, 880 F.2d 1040, 1045 (9th Cir. 1989). Instead, the opposition must go 20 beyond the assertions and allegations of the pleadings and set forth specific facts by producing 21 competent evidence that shows a genuine issue for trial. See Celotex Corp., 477 U.S. at 324. 22 At summary judgment, a court’s function is not to weigh the evidence and determine the truth 23 but to determine whether there is a genuine issue for trial. See Anderson, 477 U.S. at 249. The 24 evidence of the nonmovant is “to be believed, and all justifiable inferences are to be drawn in 25 Page 4 of 6 1 his favor.” Id. at 255. But if the evidence of the nonmoving party is merely colorable or is not 2 significantly probative, summary judgment may be granted. See id. at 249–50. 3 III. 4 DISCUSSION Plaintiff alleges that Defendant violated his due process rights by: (1) refusing to let him 5 call witnesses and review the video of the incident during the disciplinary hearing; and (2) 6 confining him to a holding cell for 47 out of 48 hours as part of his discipline. (See Compl. at 7 3–6). The procedural guarantees of the Fourteenth Amendment's Due Process Clause apply 8 only when a constitutionally protected liberty or property interest is at stake. See Ingraham v. 9 Wright, 430 U.S. 651, 672–73 (1977); Bd. of Regents v. Roth, 408 U.S. 564, 569 (1972). In 10 order to be held individually liable for a due process deprivation under 42 USC § 1983, a 11 person acting under color of law must have personally participated in the deprivation. Taylor v. 12 List, 880 F.2d 1040, 1045 (9th Cir. 1989). That is, the official must have caused the 13 constitutional injury. See Kentucky v. Graham, 473 U.S. 159, 165 (1985). The Ninth Circuit 14 has held that “[a] person ‘subjects' another to the deprivation of a constitutional right, within 15 the meaning of section 1983, if he does an affirmative act, participates in another's affirmative 16 acts or omits to perform an act which he is legally required to do that causes the deprivation of 17 which complaint is made.” Johnson v. Duffy, 588 F.2d 740, 743 (9th Cir.1978). 18 Defendant argues that summary judgment on Plaintiff’s due process claim is appropriate 19 because Plaintiff has failed to establish individual liability against Defendant. (Def.’s MSJ 20 8:26–9:3, ECF No. 56). The Court agrees. Here, Plaintiff has provided no evidence to 21 demonstrate that Defendant was personally involved in any of the alleged due process 22 violations. To the contrary, by Plaintiff’s own admission, Defendant had no involvement in the 23 at-issue disciplinary hearing, and therefore any decisions regarding the presentation of 24 witnesses or video evidence cannot be attributed to Defendant. (See Pl.’s Deposition 46:3–7, Ex 25 A. to Def.’s MSJ). With respect to conditions of confinement following the disciplinary ruling, Page 5 of 6 1 Plaintiff has likewise provided no evidence to implicate Defendant’s involvement. In fact, 2 based on the record, Defendant’s only involvement in this case is limited to her initial written 3 report of the incident in the lunch room. (Id.). Accordingly, Defendant is entitled to summary 4 judgment on Plaintiff’s remaining Fourteenth Amendment due process claim. See Taylor, 880 5 F.2d at 1045. 6 IV. 7 8 9 10 11 CONCLUSION IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Plaintiff’s Motion for Summary Judgment, (ECF No. 52), is DENIED. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Defendant’s Counter Motion for Summary Judgement, (ECF No. 56), is GRANTED. The Clerk of the Court shall enter judgment accordingly and close the case. 12 13 19 DATED this _____ day of March, 2018. 14 15 16 ___________________________________ Gloria M. Navarro, Chief Judge United States District Judge 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Page 6 of 6

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