Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca10-90-01335/USCOURTS-ca10-90-01335-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 550
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Civil Rights (U.S. defendant)
Cause of Action: 

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UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS 

TENTH CIRCUIT 

MANUEL SESARIO DEPINEDA, ) 

) 

Plaintiff - Appellant, ) 

) 

FILED 

Un,red Seara Court of Appeals 

Tenth Circuit 

JUN 1 ;j 1991 

&OBERT L. HOECKER 

Clerk 

v. ) 

) 

MANUEL MARTINEZ, Manager of ) 

No. 90-1335 

(D.C. No. 90-F-1578) 

(District of Colorado) 

Safety; D. HIDLEBRANT, 69-95 ) 

D.P.D.; CALVIN HEMPHILL, 75-63 ) 

D. P. D. ; SANDRA YOUNG; ) 

D. PONTERELLI, 71-76 D.P.D.; J. ) 

ROCK, 73-13 D.P.D.; FEDERICO PENA, ) 

Mayor, ) 

) 

Defendants - Appellees. ) 

) 

) 

ORDER AND JUDGMENT* 

Before McKAY, SEYMOUR, and EBEL, Circuit Judges. 

After examining the briefs and appellate record, this panel 

has determined unanimously that oral argument would not materially 

assist the determination of this appeal. See Fed. R. App. P. 

34(a); 10th Cir. R. 34.1.9. The case is therefore ordered submitted without oral argument. 

* This order and judgment has no precedential value and shall 

not be cited, or used by any court within the Tenth Circuit, 

except for purposes of establishing the doctrines of the law of 

the case, res judicata, or collateral estoppal. 10th Cir. R. 

36.3. 

Appellate Case: 90-1335 Document: 010110119445 Date Filed: 06/13/1991 Page: 1 
♦ 

Plaintiff, an inmate at the Fremont Correctional Facility in 

Colorado, appeals the district court's dismissal of his pro~ 

complaint brought pursuant to 42 U.S.C. S 1983 (1988). 

Plaintiff alleges that he was deprived of his civil rights 

during his arrest and trial. In the complaint, plaintiff states 

that Sandra Young, a private citizen, and D. Hidlebrant, a Denver 

police officer, committed perjury at his trial. He also alleged 

that Calvin Hemphill, a detective with the Denver Police Department, coerced Ms. Young to commit perjury and that Mr. Hemphill 

conspired with Detective Pontarelli and Officer Rock of the Denver 

Police Department to murder him during his arrest. Finally, 

plaintiff stated that Federico Pena, Mayor of Denver, and Manuel 

Martinez, Manager of Safety for the City and County of Denver, are 

liable for their failure to correct the actions of the officers 

and detectives. 

To state a claim under 42 u.s.c. S 1983, a plaintiff must 

allege that the defendants deprived him of a right secured by the 

Constitution and laws of the United States while acting under 

color of state law. Adickes v. S.H. Kress & Co., 398 U.S. 144, 

150 (1970). Dismissal is appropriate if plaintiff can prove no 

set of facts that would entitle him to relief. Meade v. Grubbs, 

841 F.2d 1512, 1526 (10th Cir. 1988). The allegations are to be 

construed in the light most favorable to plaintiff. Id. Prose 

complaints are interpreted liberally. Collins v. Cundyf 603 F.2d 

825, 827 (10th Cir. 1979). 

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Appellate Case: 90-1335 Document: 010110119445 Date Filed: 06/13/1991 Page: 2 
.. In his complaint, plaintiff stated that Sandra Young committed perjury at his trial after the police and the prosecution 

threatened to "turn her in" to Nebraska authorities where she was 

allegedly wanted for armed robbery. Complaint, Depineda v. 

Martinez, 90-F-1578 at 2 (Aug. 30, 1990). He also contended that 

Officer Hidlebrant knowingly committed perjury at his preliminary 

hearing. Id. at 2b. Under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, however, plaintiff 

may not assert a claim for damages against a police officer for 

giving perjured testimony at the defendant's criminal trial. 

Brisco v. LaHue, 460 U.S. 325 (1983). Nor does section 1983 

authorize a damages claim against private witnesses. Id. at 329. 

Plaintiff alleged that Detectives Ponterelli and Hemphill and 

Officer Rock conspired to murder him. He stated in his complaint 

that they came to his home and told his wife they had a warrant 

and orders to "shoot to kill" because he was considered armed and 

dangerous. Complaint, Depineda v. Martinez, 90-F-1578 at 3 

(Aug. 30, 1990). Plaintiff, however, did not allege specific 

facts showing agreement and concerted action among them. These 

conclusory allegations of a conspiracy are insufficient to state a 

claim under section 1983. Durre v. Dempsey, 869 F.2d 543, 545 

(10th Cir. 1989); Sooner Prods. Co. v. McBride, 708 F.2d 510, 512 

(10th Cir. 1983). 

Plaintiff also stated that Detectives Ponterelli and Hemphill 

and Officer Rock conducted an illegal search of his home. Plaintiff sued these co-defendants in their capacities as members of 

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Appellate Case: 90-1335 Document: 010110119445 Date Filed: 06/13/1991 Page: 3 
the Denver Police Department. Plaintiff, however, did not allege 

that the individual detectives and officer were acting pursuant to 

the kind of official policy that is the predicate for municipal 

liability under section 1983. See Monnell v. New York City Dept. 

of Social Services, 436 U.S. 658, 690 (1978). 

Plaintiff named Mayor Pena and Manuel Martinez as co-defendants based on their positions as supervisors of the officers and 

detectives. Plaintiff, however, failed to allege that they personally deprived him of federally protected rights. Section 1983 

does not impose liability vicariously nor does it create a federal 

law of respondeat superior. Id. at 692-94; Pembaur v. City of 

Cincinnati, 475 U.S. 469, 479 (1986). 

The district court's order is AFFIRMED. The mandate shall 

issue forthwith. 

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Entered for the Court 

Monroe G. McKay 

Circuit Judge 

Appellate Case: 90-1335 Document: 010110119445 Date Filed: 06/13/1991 Page: 4