CARRAWAY v. PEREZ et al, No. 1:2017cv22929 - Document 23 (S.D. Fla. 2019)
Court Description: ORDER Granting 16 Defendants' Motion to Dismiss. Signed by Senior Judge James Lawrence King on 11/8/2019. See attached document for full details. (jw)
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CARRAWAY v. PEREZ et al Doc. 23 UN ITED STA TES DIST RICT C O UR T SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA M IA M I DIV ISIO N CASE No.1:17-cv-22929rJEK TERRY CARR AW A Y ,aspersonal representasive forthe estate ofhis deceased son,K EN TRILL CA RR AW A Y , Plaintiff, V. JUAN J.PEREZ,in hisofficialcapacity asChiefofPoliceofM iam iDadeCounty,Florida; GEOR GE EU G EN E;and M IA M ID A DE CO UN TY , apoliticalsubdivision oftheStateofFlorida, D efendants. O R DER G R AN TIN G DEFEN D A NT S'M O TIO N TO D ISM ISS TH IS M A TTER isbefore the Courton thè M otion to D ism issfiled by Defendants Miami-DadeCounty(thetccounty'')andJuanJ.Perez(tsDirectorPerez'')onAugust21,2019 (DE 16)(thedtl M otion''l.l 1.BAcxcRouko he case arises from a M ay 2016 incidentin w hich K entrillCarraw ay w as allegbdly shot ' . andltilledbyMiami-DadeCountypoliceofficerGeorgeEugene.Compl.!2,DE 1.Plaintiff,as personalrepresentative ofK entrillCarraw ay's estate,now bringsthis action againstthe County, . DirectorPerez,and OfficerEugeneasserting claimsfordrprivation ofcivilrightsunder42 U.S.C.j19839wrongfuldeath,amongothers.Acc6rdingtotheallégationsintheComplaint,on M ay 19,201f,Kentrill,Carraway wascongregating with friendsin thebackyard ofaproperty in . (. . , ' )'TheCourthasalsoqopsideredPlaintiffsResponsç,filedSeptember13,2019(DE 19),and Defendants'Reply,filedSeptember26,2019(DE 22). . Dockets.Justia.com M iami-Dade CountyAhelpapolicecartscharged up avacantlottow ardthebackyrd wherethese youngblackmenwerecongregating.''Id.!! 17-18.dsW ith gunëdrawn,theMiamiDadePolice, includinggofficerEuce l beca ove lcommands...orderinc hem tohaltandout theirarms.h h-e ne -'e. h-e nt -' l h-e t Jk , ' .. up.''Id.! 18.Carrawaybegantorunfrom theoffiters.Id ! 19.AfterCarrawayhadrun approxim ately fifteen yards,two officers(dopened fire,''and OfficerEugençEsshotCarraway in . ' : ! theback twice,killinghim .''1d. Plaintifffiledthisaction on August2,2017.SeeDE 1. On February j,2018, *theCotu' t stqyedtheactionpendingresolution o/theunderlyingcriminalandadministrativeproceedings relatedto thç incident.SeeDE 8. On August1,2019,theCourtlifted the stay,reopened the , î s- caseforfurtherproceedings,and ordered theCountk and DirçctorPerezto m spondto the complaint.seeDE 15.2 DefendantsthentilebtheinstantM otion seekingdisntissalofseveralcountsinPlaintiff's Com plaintforfailureto state aclaim .First,they arguethatallclaim sagainstDirectorPerez in hisofficialcapacity(C ,ounts1,IV,VII1,andX)shbuldbedismissedasduplicativeoftheclaims agéinsttheCountyitself.Astothej 1983claim againsttheCounty(Count111),Defendants arguçthattheConplaintfailstopleadsufficientfactsshowing(a)thqtOfticerEugeneused excessiveforceinkiolation oftheFourthAmendmentor(b)thattheCountyhadatspolicy, custom ,orpractice''thatcausedany such Fourth Am eùdm eptkiblation a,requiredto holdthe CotmtyliablçunderMonellv.DepartmentofàocialServices,436U.S.658(1978).Finally, Defendantsseekdismissaloftheremainingstate1aw tortclaims(CountsVI1,VII1,1X,andX), arguingthatsuch claim saresubsumed by Plaintiff'swrongfuldeath claim asam >tteroflaw, and thatthey failto allegç the requisite elem entstm derFlorida law in any event. aOfscerEugene w asnotordeted to respond to the Com plaintasthe docketdoesnotreflectthat service has been effectuated on him ,and he has nototherwise entered an appearance in the case. In response?Plaintiffconcedesthatthe claimsagainstDirectorPerezGsshould be dismissed asredundaig''and thatthestate1aw tol4claim sshouldbeGtsubsum ed intothewrongf'ul . deathclaim,''thuswaqantingdismissalofCotmtj1,1V,V1I,VI11,IX,andX.SeeResp.!4.3 However,PlaintiffmaintainsthattheM otion shouldbedeniedastothej1983claim againstthe County,arguingthat(a)theEsfactsallegedintheComplaintsupportthecontentionthattheuseof l deadlyforcewasunreasonableandexcessive,''id !5,and(b)theComplaintadequatelyalleges tàatSdM iamiDadePoticehasthecustom ofnotproperlytrqininganddisciplingingqofficers,in particularwith regàrdtotheproperuseoffirearms,comm unication skills,tacticsskills,and decisionmaldngskills,''id !22.4 II.LEGAL STkNDARD PTo slzrvivea motionto dism iss,a complaintm ustcontain sufficientfactualm atter, acceptedastrue,to:stateactaim torelie'fthatisplausibleon itsface.r'Ashcroftv.Iqbal,556 . . . ' , UkS.662,678(2009)(quoiingBellAtl.Corp.v.Twolnbl y,550U.S.544,570(2007)).Tomeet 1 . thisSsplausibility''kandard,aplaintiffmustpleadtlfactualcbntentthatallowsthe cotlrtto draw thereasonableinferencethatthedefendantisliableforthem isconductalleged.''Iqbal,556U .S. ' at678. W hilethis Stdoesnotrequire tdetailed factualallegations,'...itdem andsm ore than an unaborned,the-defenéant-unlae lly-ha= ed-meaccusation.''Id.(quoting Twombly,550U.S. at555).A complaintmustcontain (tmorethanlabelsandconclusions,andaformulaicrçcitation ofthe elem eptsofaca. useofaction willnotdo.'' Twolnbly,550 U.S.at555;Iqbal,556 U .S.at 1 . 3W hile Plaintiff states in passing thatthe M otion should be denibd as to CountV Il,Plaintiffhas . already çoncéded thatthesestatq1aw tottclaimsshould bè subsum ed into thewrongf'uldeath claim and offetsnoreason why thisparticularçlaim should betreated differently. 4A lthqugh Plaintiffalso argues thatthe M otion should be denied asto the wrongfuldeath claim in CountV,iheM otion doesnotappearto seek dismissalofthisclaim .Therefôre,thisorder ' onlyaddressçsthej,1983claim atissueinCount111. 678(ls-fhreadbarerecitalsoftheelementsofacauseofaction,supportedbymeyeconclusory ' . statements,donotjuft' ièe.'').Assuch,Etconclttsoryallegations,tmwm-ranteddeductionsoffacts orlegalcpnclusionsmasquerading asfactswillnotpreventdismissal.''OxfordAsset.Mgmt,L/t ;l v.Jaharis,297F.3d 1182,1188(11thCir.2002). 111. D ISCU SSIO N J $1Toimposesectiùn 1983liabilityonamunicipality,aplaintifftnustshow:(1)thathis constitutionalrightswereviolated;(2)thatthemunicipalityhad acustom orpolicythat constituteddeliberateindifferepcetothatconstitutionalright;and(3)thatthepolicyo. rcustom causedtheviolation.''Casadov.M iami-DadeC@.,340F.Supp.3d 1320,1326(S.D.Fla.2018) ' %. (quotingMcDowellv.Brown,392F.3d 1283,1289(11th Cir.2004)).Here,theComplaint àllegesthatCarraway'sFourth Am endm entrightto be freefrom excessiveforcewasviolated whenOffcerEugeneshothim intileback,seeCompl.!66,andthattheCountyhad &Gipolicy, custom orusage''whrreby ittGhired officerswho weresubstandard and who werenotproperly trainedanddisciplinçd,including (Eugenej,wholackedsufficienttrainingontheproperklseof firearms,communicationskills,defqctivetactibsskills,anddecisionmakingskillsr''id.!70. W here,asherè,the alleged constitutionalviolation is excessive fom e underthe Fourth ' J Am endm ent,the claim m ustbe analyzed underthç Foul-th A m endm ent's Screasonablene:s'' slandard.SeeGraham v.Connor,490U.S.386,395(1989).Thus,theissueistswhetherthe ' . ' - ' officers'actionsareSobjectivelyreasonable'in lightofthetactsandcircumstances.cqnfronting ' them ,w' ithoutregardto theirunderlying intentorm otivation.''Cordovesv. M iam i-D ade Cfy.,92 F.Supp.3d 1221,1235(quoting Grqham,490U.S.at397).Thistsrequirescaref'ulconsideration ofa num beroffactors,including Cthe severity ofthe crim e atissue,whetherthe suspectposes an ipmediatethreattothesafety ofthe offkersorothers,and whetherheisactively resisting arrest orattemptingtoevadearrestbyflight.'''Id.(quotingGraham,490U.S.at396). Based on the w ell-pled allegations in the Com plaint,the Coul'tfinds th&tPlaintiffhas édçquately allegedexcissiveforceinviolation oftheFoul'thAmendment.Accordingtothe Cömplqint,KentrillCqrraway wascongregatingw ith friendsinthebackyard ofaM iam i-Dade County property wherithe officerscharged up toward them .TheComplaintallegesthatthe offcersdid nothaye a warrantto arrestCarraw ay,and nothing else irithç Com plaintsuggests thatCalyaway wassuspected ofhaving com mitted acrim e,m uch lessa seriousone.M oreover, ) theComplaintallegesthatCarraway wasrunning cwly fröm theofficerswhçn hewasshottwice intheback,whichsukgeststhathedidnotposeanimmediatedangertotheofficersatthetime ofthe shooting. Taking these allegationsastrue and view ing them in the lightm ostfavorableto Plaintiff,the CourtfindsthatPlaintiffhasplausibly alleged thatOfficerEugene'suse of dedly I forcewasunreasonableunderthecircum stances. ln supportoftheir M otion to D ism iss,D efendmlts argue thatS'm erely rulm ing away from officersdoesnotineyitably lèadto the conclusipn thatasuspectposed no tluyat.'' Reply at3. Butthestandard on amotion todism issiswhethersuch aconclusion isplausible,notinevitable. Iqbal,556 U .S.at678. D efendants also argue thatthe Com plaintfailsto allege thatCarraw ay wasunanuedatthetiineoftheshopting.Replyà, tj-4.However?Defendantsciteno'caselaw holding thata plaintiffm ustallege thathe w asunarm ed as a prerequisite to stating an excessive force claim ,and the Courtdeclines to adoptsuch a bright-line nzle in the Fourth A m endm ent . context,wheretheuseofforcem ustbe evaluated on agtcase-by-casebasis Cfrom theperspective' Ofareasonab1e o'fficer'on theseene'''Tarpleyv.M iami-DadeC@.,212F.Supp.3d 1271y1283 . . ' (S.D.Fla.2016)(quotingPoslv.City (fFortLauderdale,7F.3d 1552,1559(11thCir.1993)). 5 Nonqtheless,theCourtfnds. thatthej 1983.claim againsttheCountymustbedismissed . becausetheComplaintfailsto qllegefactsshowing thatthe shooting resulted from at'policy or custom''of' M iami-DadeCounty.Asmentionedabove,toimposej1983liabilityonacounty, theplaintiffm ustshow thatthealleged constitutionalviolation wascaused by an offiçial ispolicy''orSlcustom.''SeeGrechv.Clayton C/y.,335F.3d 1326,1329(11th Cir.2003).CTo e' stablish apolicy orcustom ,itisgenerally necessàry to show apersistentand widespread .' , practice.''Depew v.Cit y ofst.M arys,787F.2d 1496,1499(1'1thCir.1986).StRandom actsor isolatedincidentsareusuallyinsufficienttoestablishacustom orpolicy.,, Gomezv.y etroDade . . J C@.,801F.Supp.674,679(S.D.Fla.1992). Here,theComplaintfailstoallegefacts'identifyinganyoftkialùolicyorcustom that caused the alleged shooyiùg ofKentrillCarraway.Specifically,Plaintiffallegesno factsshowing awidespread practiceoffailingto train ordisciplinepoliceofticersthathasresulted in similar shooting incidents. Instead,asD efendants pointout,the Com plaintonly m entions the isolated . . incidentinvolving KenttillCarraway.M oreover,theComplaintoffersnothing morethan labels and conclusipnsregarding aSépolicy''ordtcustom,''particularly with respectto any incidentsthat m ighthaveoccurrèdbeynndtheCarrawayshogting,claiming,forexample,thatthedountyhasa Cspolicy/custom tolerating the'use ofexcessive forceby m em bers ofitspolice departm enty''and a ldpolicy,custom orusage''ofhiring tdsubstandard''police offiçerswho arenotStpröperly''trained anddisciplined.Compl.!!69-'70.Such (çconclusoryallegations,unwarranteddeductip' ns(andq . ' legalconclusionsmalqueradingasfacts''arenotenoughtosurvivedismissrl.OxfordAsset M gm t,297 F.3d at1188. Because Plaintifffailsto allege sufficientfacts identifying a policy or çustom thatcausedtheallegrdFourthAmendmentviolationinthiscase,thej1983claim againstthe County m ustbe dism issed. IV . CO N C LU SIO N Accordingly,itisORDERED,ADJUDGED,AND DECREED thatDefendantj' . V otiontoDismiss(D: 16)be,andthesameherebyis,GRANTED;Counts1, lV,Vfl,Vtll,IX, énd.X inPléintiffsComplaintIDr,1)areherebyDISM ISSED with prejudice;and Countl1Iis t . . DISM ISSRD withoutprejudicetotslearlAmendedCompiaintwithin twenty (20)daysfrom the ' ' date ofthis Order. DONE AND ORDEItEP in Cham bersaitheJam esLawrenceKing FederalJustice Building andUnited SttesCourthouse,M iarpl,Florida,this8th day ofNovem ber,2019. h. ' AM ES LA W RE CE K IN G UNITED STATESDISTRICT JUb A 11counselofrecord 7
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