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Nature of Suit Code: 440
Nature of Suit: Other Civil Rights
Cause of Action: 

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IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT

No. 15-40947

MARIA DEL REFUGIO ESCAMILLA, Individually and as representative of 

and on behalf of the Estate of Rafael Solis, Sr., Deceased; ALMA GAYTAN 

GONZALEZ, as next friend of R.E.S. and J.E.S., minor children, 

 Plaintiffs - Appellees

v.

JOEL JORGE CAVAZOS; GERARDO GONZALEZ; ROLANDO CANTU; 

JOHN JIMENEZ; RAMIRO RENDON; CARLOS DIAZ; JUAN ROQUE, 

 Defendants - Appellants

Appeals from the United States District Court

for the Southern District of Texas

USDC No. 5:11-CV-13

Before DAVIS, SOUTHWICK, and COSTA, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM:*

Rafael Edgardo Solis, Sr. died in pretrial custody at the Webb County 

Jail. The plaintiffs brought suit alleging the defendants, a group of Webb 

County jailors, caused Solis’s death by applying excessive force in violation of 

 

* Pursuant to 5TH CIR. R. 47.5, the court has determined that this opinion should not 

be published and is not precedent except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH 

CIR. R. 47.5.4.

United States Court of Appeals

Fifth Circuit

FILED

April 12, 2016

Lyle W. Cayce

Clerk

 Case: 15-40947 Document: 00513462145 Page: 1 Date Filed: 04/12/2016
No. 15-40947

2

the Fourteenth Amendment. The defendants now seek to appeal the district 

court’s order denying summary judgment.

The defendants claim that we have jurisdiction over the district court’s 

denial of summary judgment based on qualified immunity, pursuant to 28 

U.S.C. § 1291. While we generally lack jurisdiction over a denial of summary 

judgment, we can immediately review a denial based on qualified immunity. 

See Kinney v. Weaver, 367 F.3d 337, 346 (5th Cir. 2004).

The defendants’ claim is unavailing. The defense of qualified immunity 

was not properly presented to the district court. The defendants argue they 

raised qualified immunity by arguing they acted in good faith. The defendants 

confuse the good faith standard in excessive force determinations with a 

defendant’s burden to plead good faith as part of a qualified immunity defense. 

Compare Wilkins v. Gaddy, 559 U.S. 34, 37 (2010) (good faith in excessive force 

claims), with Bazan ex rel. Bazan v. Hidalgo Cnty., 246 F.3d 481, 489 (5th Cir. 

2001) (good faith in qualified immunity).

Regardless, the district court did not rule on qualified immunity. 

Accordingly, we lack appellate jurisdiction at this time.

DISMISSED.

 Case: 15-40947 Document: 00513462145 Page: 2 Date Filed: 04/12/2016