Thornhill v. Aylor et al

Filing 172

MEMORANDUM OPINION. Signed by District Judge Glen E. Conrad on 10/19/17. (jcj)

I THE UNI
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TED STATES DI
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FOR THE W ESTERN D I
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OCT 19 2 1
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SH ERRY LY' N TH O RNH I
N
LL,
f her el a asA dm i s r t r oft
or s f nd
nit a o
he
Es a e ofhe s Shawn Chr s o
tt
r on,
i t pherBen'
y,
de e ed,i vi lyand on be fof
c as ndi dual
hal
al ot r smia l st t d,
l he s i lry iua e
Pl i if
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CLERK

Ci lA c i N o. l
vi ton
3: 5CV00024

M E M O M N DU M O PI O N
NI
By:H on.G l n E. lad
e
Corr
Unie Stt DititJ
td a es src udge

F.G LEN N A Y LO R,e al,
t .
D e e nt .
f nda s

Pl i i fShe r Lynn Thor l,on be l ofhe s fa asa i sr t oft es a e of
a ntf
ry
nhil
ha f
r el nd
dm ni t a or he t t

he s Sha ChrsopherBer fl t saci purua t 42 U. C.j 1 a Vigi a
r on, wn it
ry, ied hi ton s nt o
S.
983 nd r ni

Co e j 801 5 ,t s q,a an tt eCe ta Vign aRe in lJ i Auhoiy (h S t o iy',
d
. - 0 t e . g i s h n rl r ii go a al t rt te d h rt '
Au
)
Su rntnda F.Glr Ayl ,and s ve ale oye s a t Ce r lVig ni Re onalJ i
pe i e nt
em
or
e r mpl e t he nta r i a gi
al

(i
'
CVRJ',aii ou ofBer sde t whiei cusod
') rsng t
ry' ah l n t y.Thec ei pr e l bef et c t
as s esnty or he our
o def nda s moton f r c i r ton oft i moton t c riy t t Supr m e Co tof
n e nt ' i or e onsde a i
her
i o e tf o he
e
ur

Vig na t e q e to o wh t e r go a j i a to iisa d tere o e sa e e tte t
r i i h u sin f eh r e in l al uh rte n h i mply e r n ild o
s r gn i uniyunde Vigi a lw. Fort r a o sa e be o t moton wilbe de ed.
ove ei mm t
r r ni a
he e s ns t t d l w, he
i
l
ni
Fact and ProceduralB ackqround
ual

The cou' pr vi l s m ma i e t f t i t s c s . See Thor l v.Ayl ,No.
l e ousy u
t
rz d he acs n hi a e
nhil
or

3:5 CV- 0 2 , 01 U.. s.
1 - 0 0 4 2 6 S Dit LEXI 2 5 , t* -0 ( . Va F b.1 , 01 ) Asr lva t
S 01 3 a 2 1 W D. . e 9 2 6 . ee n
her on Augus 27, 2015, Thor l f l an am ended cl acton com pl nt agai t el
e,
t
nhil ied
ass i
ai
ns even

de e nt . D ef nt t n fl d s r t m oto t dim i s w hi h t co tgr nt d i pa t
f nda s
enda s he ie epa a e
i ns o s s , c he ur a e n r

a denid i pa t Onl Countl,ase tng acai f da
nd
e n r. y
1 s ri
l m or mage unde 42 U. C.j1 a
s
r
S.
983, nd

Count11 algi wr ulde h i vi ai ofVigi a Code j8. - rman pe ng
1, le ng ongf at n olton
r ni
0150, e i ndi
a ns t Aut iy, yl , t e oft e pl yee .
gai t he
hort A or and hr e he m o s
O n Apr l 4, 201 t r a ni def nda s fl d a m oton t c r iy t f l i
i
7, he em i ng
e nt ie
i o e tf he olow ng
que ton of s a e 1 w t t Supr m e Cour of V igi a: A r t A ut r t a is e pl es
si
t t a o he
e
t
r ni
e he
ho iy nd t m oye

e ild t s r i or gove nmen a i uniy unde t l
ntte o ove e gn
r
t l mm t
r he aws of t Comm onweat of
he
lh
V igi a? O n M a 25,201 t co tde e t m oton.
r ni
y
7, he ur ni d he
i

On Se e r 30,201 a de ii wa is i Ha e m v.Oui
pt mbe
7,
c son s s ued n l e
nones No.5: 7- v,
1 c

00003,201 U. DitLEXI 1 38( . Va.Se .30, 7 ,ga i s r gni
7 S. s.
S 61 W D.
pt 201 ) rntng oveei mmuniyt
t o

a Vign a r go a j i a to iy a d g a tn te d fn a tsmoi n t d s s fr lc o
r ii e in l al uh rt n rn ig h ee d n ' to o imis o a k f

j rs ito l lg to t d cso i Hae m,te d fn a t fld te i sa tmoi n f r
u idcin. n ih f he e iin n le h ee d n s ie h n tn to o
r c i r ton oft c r ' M a 25, 7 opi on a or rde ng t rc r ii a i m oton.
e ons de a i
he ou ts y
201
ni nd de nyi hei e tf c ton
i
O n Oc obe l 201 t pa tes a a e be o e t c r f a he r ng o t m o i a t
t r 7, 7, he r i ppe r d f r he ou t or
a i n he ton, nd he
m a t ri n0w rpe f r vi w .
te s
i 0r e e
Di cuss on
s i

Rul 5: oft Rul s oft Supr m e Cour ofV igi a pr dest tt Supr m e Cour
e 40 he e
he
e
t
r ni ovi ha he
e
t
of V igi a C ay i is di c e i a we ques i of l w c tf e t i by ...a Unie St t
r ni t
m
n t s r ton ns r
tons a erii d o t
t d a es
di ti tc r . Suc a w e m ay be f i he ...i a que ton ofV igi a 1 w i de e m i tve i
sr c ou t
h ns r
um s d
f
si
r ni a s t r na i n
a pr ce ng pendi be o e t c ri yi cou ' a i a ar t e i no contoli
ny o edi
ng f r he e tf ng
l nd t ppe s her s
t
r lng

pr c dentonpoi i t de sonsoft ( e Cour ofVigi a o t Cour ofAppeasof
ee
ntn he cii
he Suprme
t r niq r he
t
l
V i g ni ' I denyi t def nda s m oton t ce tf t c tf
r i a. n
'
ng he e nt ' i o riy, he our ound t t t quesi n t
ha he
to he
def nda s s
e nt oughtt c r iy was no de e m i tve a t tt e s i pr e tw as s tci nt
o e tf
t t r na i nd ha he xi tng ec den
ufi e
t deci t ques i
o
de he
ton.
U nder t frs ratonal t courtobs
he i t i e, he
erved t i had aleady r ed t t pl ntf
hat t
r
ul hat he ai if

saed a pl i e c am unde M o lv.De rme ofSoc a Se vies ofNe Yor 436 U .
tt
ausbl l i
r nel
na t nt
il r c .
w
k,
S.

658,690 ( 978 . W het rt Aut rt a ise oye ha sat s ri i
1 )
he he ho iy nd t mpl es ve t e oveegn mmuniy wil
t l
no i pa t t M one l cl i , whi h pe m is s t a i t l al govemm e unis lke t
t m c he
l am
c
r t uis ga ns oc
l nt t i he
A ut iy a r quies a s i of de i r t i fe e e, m e ng m or t n m e e
hor t nd e r
how ng
lbe a e ndi f r nc
ani
e ha
r

neg i nce. Vigi a l do not g a s r i n i
lge
r ni aw es
r nt ove e g mmuniy t sa e ofi a s ac us d of an
t o t t fcil c e
i e i lt 4 orac s c tt tng gr s neglg e Se e. ,Conpac v.M a 906 F.Supp.
nt ntona ol
t ons iu i
os
i enc . es g.
e
nn,

1
025, 1 ( D. Va. 1 ; Tomln v. M c nze, 468 S. 2d 882, 88 ( l 6)
047 E.
995)
i
Ke i
E.
4 Va. 99 .
A c or ngl t cou t f
c di y, he
r ound t t by pl us bl s a i a M onel c a m , t s a e s ve e g
ha ,
a i y t tng
l l i he t t o r i n
i m uniy i s wasnotc e di pos tve
m
t s ue
as - s ii .

Unde t s c
r he e ond r tonal, t co tr c ze t t des t a co r r de son i
ai e he ur e ogni d ha
pie
nta y cii n

Dowdy v.Pa
munke Rec' J i Aut ,21 U. Dit LEXI 671 ( D.Va May 1 201 ,
y
l al h. 04 S. s.
S 27 E.
.
5, 4)

trefd r l ititc u t a do eVignaCic i Co r h v r e ta rgo a j ia t o iis
h e e e a d src o rs n n r ii rut u t a e uld h t e in l al uh rte
a e note il d t s r gn i m uniy unde t l ofV igi a. Fi m o e v.Tr nt N o.CL1
r
ntte o ove ei m
t
r he aws
r ni
na r
e ,
5-

000881 a * ( .Ci.Ct Oc.27,201 (ummaii c chit y) Thec tc uredi
, t 2 Va r . t
6) s
rzng as sor .
our onc r n

t er igo t emao iyo c u t t h v a d e s dt eis e fn igt a t eAuh rt ddn t
h ul f h j rt f o rs o a e d rs e h su ,i dn h t h to iy i o
n
s ts yt r quie e f s r gn i uniy unde Vigi a1w t ti beeihe a ç l oft
a if he e r m nt or ove ei mm t
r r ni a ha t
t r n t'
am
he
St t ' or a m uni i l c por ton per o ng a g
ae'
c pa or a i
f nni
over m e f ton. The c t f
n nt unc i
our ound t
he
A ut iy t be ne t r l pa tc a ,t co tr e t t t A u hort w a no a m uni pa
hort o
ihe . n ri ul r he ur ul d ha he t iy s t
ci l
co po a i bec us i wa not c e t d a a body c por t or poltca s vii of t
r r ton
a e t s
rae s
or a e
ii l ubdi s on
he
Com m onw e lh a i l ke t pow e ofe i ntdom a n.
a t nd t ac d he
r m ne
i
l por a l t co tr c ni e t t i 201 a aga n i 201 a bilw a i r
m t nty, he ur e og z d ha , n
4 nd i n
5, l s ntoduc i
ed n

t Vigi aGe rlAse y wiht pur eofgrntngs rin i
he r ni nea smbl t he pos
a i oveeg mmuniyt r ina ji
t o ego l al
a hortes SeeH. 1 Ge Ase ,Reg.Ses.( 201 .H. 1 3,Gen.Ase ,Reg.
ut ii .
B. 50, n. s mb,
s Va. 4) B. 51
,
s mb.

Ses.( 201 . I bot yeas t Vigi a Ge rlAsembl di no pa st bil. The
s Va. 5) n h r, he r ni nea s y d t s he ls
ir
ntoduc i of t e bil cl a l i c t s t t t V igi a Ge r l A s e bl i a a e t t
ton
hos ls e ry ndi a e ha he r ni
ne a
s m y s w r ha

r ona j la hoii do notpose s s fce ati e ofa munii lc porton t be
egi l ai ut rtes
ss ufiint trbuts
cpa or ai o
ves e w ih s r i i m uniy unde Vi gi a l w ,or a e ot m i e not a a m of t s a e.
t d t ove e gn m
t
r r ni a
r he s
n r
he t t

The lgil t e' decson nott ex e s h pr t c i ort a nd t sa u e gr ntng t
e saur s ii
o t nd uc o e ton, o me he t t t a i he

e s n ilatiue o a mu iia c r o ain t r go a j i a to iis c nfr ta te e
se ta t b ts f
r
ncp l o p rto o e in l al uh rte , o ims h t h s
e iis d notha s h i uniy. Sho tPump Town Ct.Cmt De Aut v.Ha 554
ntte o
ve uc mm t
r
r
y. v. h.
hn,

S. 2d 44l,447 ( 2001 k(1 t a e e o a saut y desgnai of c
E.
Va.
)(ûIn he bs nc f ny tt or
i ton
ommuniy
t
de lpme aut ii a k ii ls bdi sons'gheSu e Cour ofVigi ajc udegj
veo nt hortes s poltca u vii , t prme
t
r ni oncl s
t tt gntt i nots h.)
ha he e iyj s uc ' .
'

Fial,t e c u trj ce t d fn a t'ag me tta te sae s v rin i n t
n ly h o r ee td he ee d n s r u n h t h tt o eeg mmu iy
g a e t Vig ni s rfs when pe f ng dic ei r a t tows fo t s rf s t
r ntd o r i a he if
ronni
s r tona y c s l
r m he he if o

r go a j i a t oiisa t ere ly e b c u e t s rfs sto a b ad t a o e s e
e in l al u h rte nd h i mpo e s e a s he heif i n o r h t v re s
t e a hortes A lhough a pos i y nove a g e , t co t r c ze t t t m e e
hos ut ii . t
s bl
l r um nt he ur e ogni d ha he r
exi t e of a no lt or do no co pe c r ii a i
senc
ve he y es t m l e tfc ton. l e c r ii to i unne s a y
nde d, e tfca i n s
ce s r
w he e s i c e 1 w pe t t c tt r c a S ea one a prnc pl d co l i ' Se
n xitng as a
nnis he our o ea h ' s d nd i i e nc us on.
r
' e

Lynn v.M onac Rec r M g . l ,953 F.Supp.2( 61 622 ( M d.2013 (ii
rh ovev mt. nc.
1 2,
D.
) ctng
Si on v.DukeEne Cor ,No.98- 90 1 U. App.LEXI 21 ( h Ci.Se .8
mps
my p.
1 6, 999 S.
S 553 4t r pt ,
1 ) Thec trcog ze t thee t e si c elw a e s swhe a e oye ofa
999).
our e ni d ha r, he xitng as a ddrs e
n n mpl e
sae a nc i e ild t s rin i
tt ge y s ntte o oveeg mmuniy,s e,e. ,J mesv.J ne 282 S. 2d 86 (
t e c. a
a ,
E.
4 Va.
1 ) a whehe ane iyori vi li anage oft Co
980 , nd t r ntt ndi dua s
nt he mmonwe t e ildt s ri
alh ntte o oveegn
i
mmuniy f dicei r a t,seAt ns v.Sa no,5 S. 2d 902,9 ( 2001. The
t or s rtonay cs e ki on
ch 41 E.
05 Va. )
cour f t r not d t tt s a gum e pr e s a f c ua i r a no a C s i n ofV i gi a
t ur he
e ha hi r
nt es nt a t l nquiy, nd t û to
que
r ni

lw' f whi h Rul 5: o t Rul oft Su e e Co tofVigi a pr de a ba i f
a ' or c
e 40 f he es he pr m
ur
r ni ovi s
ss or

c riiai See W hily v.Commo alh,538 S. 2d 296,302 ( 2000 (lsl ri
e tfc ton.
te
nwe t
E.
Va. ) çg oveegn
i uniy i a de e i pl pr e i ditnc is soff twhi h,i pr ve c e t a ba t a
mm t s
f nsve ea es ntng si t s ue
ac
c f o d, r a e
ro

pl nifs rgh of rcovey. At ns 541 S. 2d a 905 ( i t t t saus as a
aitf i t e r ' ki on,
);
E. t
notng ha he tt
n
e oye ori tume aiyoft saei us lyaquetonoffc)
mpl e nsr ntlt he tt s ual
si
a t.
The c tc i s t fnd ispror a l i pe s sve. The de son i Hale doe
our ontnue o i t i nayss r ua i
cii n
em
s
not c ng t c ts fndi t tt quesi s htt be c rii i notca e dipostve
ha e he our' i ng ha he
ton oug o
e tfed s
s - s ii .
W hie Haee does a tr t balnc ofdec sons a e sng t quesi t wei t of t
l
l m
le he a e
ii
ddr s i he
ton, he
gh
he
aut iy r m a ns c it ntwih t sc tsr i
hort e i ons s e
t hi our ' ulng.
C oncl i
us on

Fort f e ng r as ns t c r wilde t moton f r c i r to TheCl r
he or goi e o ,he ou t l ny he i or e onsde ai n.
ek
i die t d t s nd ce tfe c e oft sm e o andu opi o a t a ompa ng or rt
s rce o e
riid opi s hi m r m
ni n nd he cc
nyi
de o
al c
1 ouns lofr c d.
e
e or

DATED: i I d yo Oco e, 2017.
Ths Q# a f tb r
Unie St t s D it i tJ
t d a e s rc udge