Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_11-cv-02241/USCOURTS-casd-3_11-cv-02241-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 440
Nature of Suit: Other Civil Rights
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Civil Rights Act

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

VAN DINH LE, deceased, through his

successor in interest Amy Thu bich Le, AMY

THU BICH LE, KEVIN LE, VIVIAN LE

Plaintiff,

v.

CITY OF ESCONDIDO, JIM MAHER, City

of Escondido Police Chief in his individual

and official capacities, MATTHEW

NELSON, Police Officer, Individually, and

DOES 1 through 10, Jointly and Severally

Defendants. 

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Civil No. 11-2241 BEN (NLS)

ORDER DENYING RESUBMISSION

OF JOINT MOTION FOR ORDER

REQUIRING PRODUCTION OF

MEDICAL EXAMINER RECORDS

[Doc. No. 18]

Plaintiffs filed this action alleging that Defendants used excessive force that resulted in the death

of Plaintiffs’ decedent. Defendants issued a subpoena to the Office of the Medical Examiner for the

taking of the deposition of Deputy Medical Examiner Bethann Schaber and for the production of all

records relating to the investigation of decedent’s death. The Office of the Medical Examiner told

defense counsel that it would not produce the photographs and x-rays responsive to the subpoena

without a court order. The parties filed an initial Joint Motion seeking an order compelling the Office of

the Medical Examiner to produce all records, including the photographs and x-rays, responsive to the

subpoena, subject to a protective order. [Docket No. 16.] The court denied that motion because it was

not apparent that notice was given to the Office of the Medical Examiner. The court could not order a

third party to produce documents without giving that third party either notice of the motion or a chance

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Case 3:11-cv-02241-BEN-NLS Document 19 Filed 08/06/12 Page 1 of 2
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to object to the production. 

The parties refiled the Joint Motion, showing proof of service of the motion on the Office of the

Medical Examiner. The court confirmed with the Office of the Medical Examiner that it did not object

to producing the information; rather, the Office of the Medical Examiner needs a court order to comply

with California law.

California law provides:

. . . no copy, reproduction, or facsimile of any kind shall be made of any

photograph, negative, or print, including instant photographs and video

recordings, of the body, or any portion of the body, of a deceased person,

taken by or for the coroner at the scene of death or in the course of a post

mortem examination or autopsy made by or caused to be made by the

coroner . . . except as a court of this state permits, by order after good

cause has been shown and after written notification of the request for the

court order has been served, at least five days before the order is made,

upon the district attorney of the county in which the post mortem

examination or autopsy has been made or caused to be made.

Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 129. 

It is not apparent that the parties have complied with the notification requirement to the District

Attorney, according to section 129. Therefore, the court DENIES without prejudice the resubmission

of the Joint Motion for Order Requiring Production of Medical Examiner Records. The parties must

show compliance with the state law and that notice of the motion was served on the Office of the

Medical Examiner.

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

DATED: August 6, 2012

Hon. Nita L. Stormes

U.S. Magistrate Judge

United States District Court

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