UNPUBLISHED

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT

ALVA TAYLOR BROWN, as personal

representative of the Estate of

Luther L. Taylor, Jr.,

Plaintiff-Appellee,

v.

E. BART DANIEL; DALE L.

DUTREMBLE; JOHN M. BARTON,

No. 99-1678

Defendants-Appellants,

and

MICHAEL A. CLEMENS; RONALD L.

COBB,

Defendants,

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Movant.
ALVA TAYLOR BROWN, as personal

representative of the Estate of

Luther L. Taylor, Jr.,

Plaintiff-Appellee,

v.

MICHAEL A. CLEMENS,

Defendant-Appellant,

No. 99-1679

and

E. BART DANIEL; DALE L.

DUTREMBLE; JOHN M. BARTON,

RONALD L. COBB,

Defendants,

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Movant.

ALVA TAYLOR BROWN, as personal

representative of the Estate of

Luther L. Taylor, Jr.,

Plaintiff-Appellee,

v.

RONALD L. COBB,

Defendant-Appellant,

No. 99-1680

and

E. BART DANIEL; DALE L.

DUTREMBLE; JOHN M. BARTON,

MICHAEL A. CLEMENS,

Defendants,

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Movant.

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Appeals from the United States District Court

for the District of South Carolina, at Columbia.

Charles H. Haden II, Chief District Judge,

sitting by designation.

(CA-98-265-3-11)

Argued: January 27, 2000

Decided: September 29, 2000

Before NIEMEYER, Circuit Judge, HAMILTON,

Senior Circuit Judge, and Frederic N. SMALKIN,

United States District Judge for the District of Maryland,

sitting by designation.

_________________________________________________________________

Reversed and remanded by unpublished per curiam opinion.

_________________________________________________________________

COUNSEL

ARGUED: Sandra Jane Senn, SANDRA J. SENN, P.A., Charleston,

South Carolina; James Mixon Griffin, SIMMONS, GRIFFIN &

LYDON, L.L.P., Columbia, South Carolina, for Appellants. Arthur K.

Aiken, COLLINS & LACY, P.C., Columbia, South Carolina, for

Appellee. ON BRIEF: Stephanie P. McDonald, SANDRA J. SENN,

P.A., Charleston, South Carolina; Kate Schmutz, Charleston, South

Carolina, for Appellants.

_________________________________________________________________

Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit. See

Local Rule 36(c).

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OPINION

PER CURIAM:

This civil action stems from "Operation Lost Trust," a criminal

investigation into political corruption in the South Carolina Statehouse in the early 1990s. Luther Taylor -- among others -- was

investigated and prosecuted for various criminal offenses.1

On January 30, 1998, the estate of Luther Taylor 2 filed this action

under the authority of Bivens v. Six Unknown Named Agents of the

Fed. Bureau of Narcotics, 403 U.S. 388 (1971), for alleged constitutional violations that occurred against Mr. Taylor in connection with

the Operation. Defendants are current and former United States Attorney Bart Daniel and Assistant United States Attorneys Dale DuTremble and John Barton ("the prosecutors"), FBI Special Agent Michael

Clemens, and private citizen/FBI informant Ronald Cobb. Taylor's

estate asserts two constitutional violations: (1) a Fifth Amendment

malicious prosecution claim against all defendants; and (2) a Sixth

Amendment "right to a fair trial" claim against the prosecutors and

Agent Clemens for alleged failure to turn over exculpatory Brady3

material.

Defendants asserted absolute and qualified immunity defenses, and

moved the district court, pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure

12(b)(6), to dismiss the case on account of these defenses. On March

12, 1999, the district court denied, without prejudice, defendants'

motions to dismiss and stayed the case, placing it on the inactive

docket pending resolution of criminal prosecutions of other Operation

Lost Trust defendants. Some of these defendants have been convicted

and have appealed their convictions to this Court. For example, Mr.

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1 A more detailed account of the underlying criminal case, which

involved many defendants, investigations, and prosecutions over a period

of years, is found in United States v. Derrick , 163 F.3d 799 (4th Cir.

1998), cert. denied, 119 S. Ct. 1808 (1999). Mr. Taylor was convicted,

but his conviction was overturned on appeal because of defective jury

instructions. See id. at 803.

2 Mr. Taylor passed away on March 23, 1997.

3 Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83 (1963).

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Blanding was, on retrial, convicted in August, 1999, and sentenced in

December, 1999, on two counts of attempted extortion, and his appeal

is now pending in this Court. See 1999 WL 28149602 (Dec. 14,

1999). On April 30, 1999, the district court denied the prosecutors'

motion to reconsider. All defendants filed a timely appeal. For the

reasons set forth below, we shall reverse the district court's order, and

remand the case with instructions.

I. Appealability of District Court's Order 

As an initial matter, we must determine our jurisdiction to consider

this appeal. It is a well-settled principle that denial of an immunity

claim is an appealable interlocutory decision. See Nixon v. Fitzgerald,

457 U.S. 731 (1982) (absolute immunity), and Mitchell v. Forsyth,

472 U.S. 511 (1985) (qualified immunity). The rub in this case is that

the district court did not deny immunity outright, but denied defendants' motions to dismiss on immunity grounds "without prejudice,"

and stayed the case. Thus, the district court did not finally deny defendants' immunity claims, but postponed its decision for what was then

-- and remains -- an indefinite period of time.

We believe that the ongoing specter of litigation in this high-profile

case places a sufficient burden on government officials to justify

appellate review of this order of the district court prior to final judgment. See Mitchell, 472 U.S. 511. Indeed, quick resolution -- and

hence appealability -- of orders denying immunity is encouraged,

because the defense is intended to protect government officials

against being enmeshed in lengthy litigation that might be terminated

upon adjudication of the immunity issues. In this case, under the order

in question, defendants must live with this litigation hanging over

their heads almost indefinitely, until some future time when various

criminal prosecutions finally will have been concluded, which could

take years. Accordingly, under the unique circumstances of this case,

we conclude that the district court's order denying defendants'

motions to dismiss on immunity grounds is appealable, even though

it was entered "without prejudice."

II. Immunity Issues

Given that counsel have briefed the immunity issues on the merits,

and that these issues are plain, involve pure legal questions, and are

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governed by well-settled law, we shall address the merits of the

immunity defenses raised against Taylor's federal claims of malicious

prosecution and failure to turn over exculpatory Brady material.

A. Immunity in General

The right to absolute or qualified immunity, which protects government officials from liability for money damages, is determined by

examining "the nature of the function performed, not the identity of

the actor who performed it." Forrester v. White, 484 U.S. 219, 229

(1988). To determine the proper scope of immunity for the federal

officials in this Bivens action, we shall refer to case law regarding

immunity of state officials from suit under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, because

the analysis is the same. See Wilson v. Layne , 626 U.S. 603 (1999)

(noting that "qualified immunity analysis is identical under either

[§ 1983 or Bivens] cause of action").

B. Absolute Immunity

Prosecutors are entitled to absolute immunity from civil liability

for alleged conduct "intimately associated with the judicial phase of

the criminal process." Imbler v. Pachtman, 424 U.S. 409, 430 (1976).

Therefore, to the extent Taylor's estate alleges that the prosecutors

engaged in misconduct during the prosecution of this case (e.g., that

the prosecutors knowingly used perjured testimony and otherwise

maliciously prosecuted Taylor), the prosecutors are absolutely

immune. Moreover, the prosecutors are entitled to absolute immunity

from civil liability for the allegation that they withheld exculpatory

Brady material. See Carter v. Burch, 34 F.3d 257, 263 (4th Cir. 1994)

(holding prosecutor entitled to absolute immunity for "allegation that

he withheld materially exculpatory evidence"), cert. denied, 513 U.S.

1150 (1995).

Appellant argues that Agent Clemens also is entitled to absolute

immunity on the claim that he withheld exculpatory Brady material

from the prosecutors. The Court disagrees. This court, sitting en banc,

has held that, although an FBI agent's failure to turn over exculpatory

material directly to the defense is covered by absolute immunity,4 an

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4 Thus, to the extent that Taylor's estate claims Brady violations based

on an assertion that Agent Clemens failed to turn over material directly

to the defense, Agent Clemens is entitled to absolute immunity.

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FBI Agent's failure to turn such material over to prosecutors is covered only by qualified immunity. Jean v. Collins , 155 F.3d 701 (4th

Cir. 1998) (en banc), vacated on other grounds, 119 S. Ct. 2016

(1999). Thus, Agent Clemens is not entitled to absolute immunity on

the claim that he withheld exculpatory material from the prosecutors.

When acting in an investigative role, no government official,

including prosecutors, is entitled to absolute immunity. Buckley v.

Fitzsimmons, 509 U.S. 259 (1993); Burns v. Reed, 500 U.S. 478

(1991). Here, Taylor's estate alleges that the prosecutors and Agent

Clemens did perform investigative functions; for example, that they

planned and conducted "an unlawful and unfair undercover operation

or `sting operation' in knowing violation of the constitutional rights

of their targets. . . ." J.A. p. 16, ¶ 32. Although absolute immunity

does not extend to allegations that the prosecutors and Agent Clemens

acted improperly in their investigative roles, they may be entitled to

qualified immunity for these actions. See, e.g., Burns, 500 U.S. at

486-87.

C. Qualified Immunity

The standard for determining whether governmental officials are

entitled to qualified immunity is an objective one: whether the challenged action violated a federal statutory or constitutional right that

was clearly established at the time it was taken, of which a reasonable

person would have known. See Harlow v. Fitzgerald, 457 U.S. 800,

818 (1982). Because Taylor had no clearly established right to be free

from "malicious prosecution" when the alleged misconduct occurred,

the prosecutors and Agent Clemens are entitled to qualified immunity

on the malicious prosecution claim. See Albright v. Oliver, 510 U.S.

266, 275 (1994); Osborne v. Rose, No. 97-1259, 1998 WL 17044 (4th

Cir. Jan. 20, 1998) (unpublished). Indeed, plaintiff-appellee's attorney

conceded at oral argument that, after careful review of the case law,

he was abandoning the argument on page ten of his brief, arguing that

the right to be free from malicious prosecution was a clearly established federal constitutional right at the time of the alleged misconduct. Thus, the prosecutors and Agent Clemens are entitled to

qualified immunity on the malicious prosecution claim.5

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5 To the extent that the allegation that Agent Clemens perjured himself

in connection with Taylor's trial is not subsumed in the malicious prose-

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There remains the Sixth Amendment "right to a fair trial" claim

that Agent Clemens did not turn over material, exculpatory evidence

to the prosecution. This right was clearly established in this Circuit

at the time of the alleged misconduct in this case. See Goodwin v.

Metts, 885 F.2d 157 (4th Cir. 1989), cert. denied, 494 U.S. 1081

(1990), overruled in part by Albright v. Oliver , 510 U.S. 266 (1994).

Consequently, Agent Clemens is not entitled to qualified immunity on

this claim. Unlike Taylor's estate's malicious prosecution claim, this

claim is not affected by Albright, as Appellant candidly concedes. See

Appellant Reply Br. at 3 (quoting Taylor v. Waters, 81 F.3d 429, 436

n.5 (4th Cir. 1996) for the proposition that "to the extent that Goodwin ruled that the officer's failure to disclose the exculpatory information deprived the § 1983 plaintiffs of their right to a fair trial, its

holding is not affected by Albright.").

Although Agent Clemens is not entitled to absolute or qualified

immunity on the allegations that he failed to turn over exculpatory

Brady material to the prosecution, this claim must fail because a panel

of this Court has already concluded that no such constitutional violations occurred in the prosecution of Taylor and others, as a matter of

law. See United States v. Derrick, 163 F.3d 799 (4th Cir. 1998)

(reversing district court's order dismissing superseding indictments

against Taylor and others, and pointing out error in each of the district

court's findings of a Brady violation).6 See DiMeglio v. Haines,45

F.3d 790, 799 (4th Cir. 1995) (noting that court may dispose of case

on ground that no constitutional violation occurred without addressing

qualified immunity issue). In light of the fact that Taylor's estate's

allegation that Agent Clemens withheld material, exculpatory Brady

evidence from the prosecutors is without doubt based solely on the

findings of Judge Hawkins' Order, see Appellee's Brief at 9, and that

such findings were rejected by this Court in Derrick, this claim

against Agent Clemens must be dismissed.

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cution claim, Clemens is entitled to absolute immunity. See Briscoe v.

Lahue, 460 U.S. 325 (1983) (holding law enforcement officers accused

of perjury at criminal trial absolutely immune from damages liability).

6 Taylor was an original defendant-appellee in the Derrick appeal; after

he passed away, his estate participated in the appeal as amicus curiae.

Derrick, 163 F.3d at 803 n.1.

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Furthermore, in light of the recent opinion of Chief Judge Wilkinson concurring in the judgment of affirmance following remand in

Jean v. Collins, ___ F.3d ___ (4th Cir. 2000) (en banc), the fact that

Mr. Taylor's conviction was not vacated on Brady grounds militates

against a finding that the first prong of Wilson v. Layne, 526 U.S. 603,

609 (1999) -- a constitutionally significant deprivation -- has

occurred in this case. When the first prong is not satisfied, the result

is that qualified immunity is, essentially, established.

D. FBI Informant Cobb

Taylor's estate claims that informant Cobb presented perjured testimony and conspired unlawfully to "sting" and convict Taylor. With

respect to Cobb's testimonial acts, he is entitled to absolute witness

immunity as a matter of law, as Taylor's estate concedes on page nine

of its appellate brief. See Burke v. Miller, 580 F.2d 108, 109 (4th Cir.

1978) (noting that witness who takes stand at instance of prosecution

is absolutely immune from liability for section 1983 damages), cert.

denied, 440 U.S. 930 (1979).

With respect to informant Cobb's alleged non-testimonial wrongful

acts, however, he is not entitled to qualified immunity, because there

is in this realm, a paradox. Although a private actor, like Cobb, may

be deemed a government actor if he sufficiently engaged in federal

action, and thus be exposed to a Bivens suit, he is not entitled to qualified immunity, as a matter of law. See Wyatt v. Cole, 504 U.S. 158,

159 (1992) (holding section 1983 private defendants not entitled to

qualified immunity); Hammons v. Norfolk Southern Corp., 156 F.3d

701 (6th Cir. 1998) (holding that private actor found liable under

Bivens not entitled to qualified immunity). This paradox arises

because the reasons for granting qualified immunity to government

officials do not apply to private parties who have no official acts to

perform. See Wyatt, 504 U.S. at 168. Thus, although Cobb may be a

proper defendant in this Bivens action, he is not entitled to qualified

immunity.7

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7 Cobb may be entitled to assert other defenses, however. See Wyatt,

504 U.S. at 169 ("[w]e do not foreclose the possibility that private defendants . . . could be entitled to an affirmative defense based on good faith

and/or probable cause or that § 1983 suits against private, rather than

governmental, parties could require plaintiffs to carry additional burdens.").

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III. Conclusion

In summary, we conclude that we have jurisdiction to decide this

appeal, and we reverse the district court's March 12, 1999 order that

denied, without prejudice, the defendants' Rule 12(b)(6) motions to

dismiss. We remand this case with the following instructions.

The district court is to dismiss all claims, with prejudice, against

prosecutors Daniel, DuTremble and Barton, on absolute and qualified

immunity grounds.

The district court is to dismiss the malicious prosecution claim,

with prejudice, against Agent Clemens, on qualified immunity

grounds. The district court is also to dismiss the Brady violation

claim, with prejudice, against Agent Clemens, on the grounds that (1)

Clemens is entitled to absolute immunity for any allegation that he

withheld material, exculpatory evidence from the defense; and (2)

Clemens is entitled to qualified immunity on the claim that he withheld material, exculpatory evidence from the prosecutors.

The district court is also to dismiss, with prejudice, the claim

against informant Cobb with respect to his testimonial acts, but is to

withhold qualified immunity on any non-testimonial misconduct.

REVERSED AND REMANDED

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