## United States Court of App eals

F O R T H E E I G H T H C I R C U I T



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No. 1 1- 24 39

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Mar io Mo li na -Go m es , as Tru st ee *
fo r th e Nex t o f Kin of M ari o *

Mo li na -Cam

po s, Dec eas ed

, *

*
Pl ai nt iff -Ap pe ll an t, *

* App eal fro m

th e Uni te d S ta te s

v. * Dis tri ct Co ur t fo r th e Dis tri ct of

* Mi nn es ot a Jo el W el in sk i, In di vi du al ly and in *
His Offic ia l Ca pa ci ty as a Ci ty of *

Owato nn a Po li ce Offi cer, *

*
Defen da nt -Ap pe ll ee. *

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Su bm it te d: Marc h 1 5, 2 01 2
Fi le d: Apri l 3 0, 2 01 2

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Befo re MUR PHY, BRIGHT, an d GRUENDER, Ci rcu it Ju dg es

.



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MURP HY, Circ ui t J ud ge

.

As pa rt of a na rco t i c s in ve st ig at io n, Owato nn a po li ce arra ng ed fo r an

un de rco ve r of

fic er to m ak e a pa y m en t to Mar io Mo li na Cam po s fo r dr ug s su pp li ed

to an in fo rm an t. The tra ns act io n di d no t go as pl an n e d

, h o w e v e r. Mo li na Cam po s

at te m pt ed to dr iv e away, dr ag gi ng al on g th e un de rco ve r of fic er, an d ram m ed an

un m ark ed po li ce ve hi cl e bl oc ki ng hi s pa th

. At th at po in t Serg ean t Jo el W el in sk i sh otMo li na Cam po s wit h hi s se rv ic e rev ol ve r. Mo li na Cam po s di ed at th e sc en e. Mar io

M o l in a Gom es , as tru st ee fo r th e ne xt of ki n of Mo li na Cam po s, br ou gh t th is 4 2

U.S.C. § 19 83 act io n al le gi ng th at W el in sk i ha d us ed ex ces si ve fo rce in vi ol at io n of

th e Fo ur th Am en dm en t. The di st ric t co ur t gr an te d su m m ary jud gm en t to th e of

fic er 1

on th e b as is of q ua li fie d i m m un it y , and Mo li na Gom es ap pe al s. We affir m

.

The Owato nn a po li ce ha d be en to ld by th e in fo rm an t th at Mo li na Cam po s was

s u p p l yin g dr ug s to hi m an d ot he r de al ers an d th at he owe d Mo li na Cam po s so me

m on ey

. Mem

be rs of a dr ug ta sk fo rce se t up a m eet in g at whi ch an un de rco ve r of fic er

w a s t o g iv e Mo li na Cam po s th e m on ey owe d by th e in fo rm an t, an d ot he r of fic ers

wou ld be pr es en t to m ak e an arre s t

. The tra ns act io n was pl an ne d to ta ke pl ace at a

ga s st at io n lo cat ed in Dod ge Ci ty, Mi nn es ot a ne ar th e in te rs ect io n of co un ty ro ad s 34

an d 25

. Mu ch of th e en co un te r be twee n th e po li ce an d Mo li na Cam po s was reco rd ed
by a vi de o cam era m ou nt ed in on e of th e ta sk fo rce cars an d by a hi dd en m ic ro ph on e

wor n b y th e u nd erco ve r ag en t.

Afte r Mo li na Cam

po s arri ve d a t t h e g as st at io n, th e un de rco ve r ag en t

ap pr oa ch ed hi s car, pl aced th e dr ug m on ey in th e b a c k s e a t

, an d sp ok e to Mo li na

Cam po s th ro ug h th e rear win do w. As he was ta lk in g, Mo li na Cam po s be ga n to dr iv e

fo rward

. Fear in g Mol in a Cam po s wou ld es cap e, on e of th e ot he r of fic ers dr ov e hi s

un m ark ed car to bl oc k hi m fro m be hi nd whi le Serg ean t W el in sk i m ov ed hi s ve hi cl e

in fro nt of Mo li na Cam

po s. At t h e s am e ti m e th e un de rco ve r of fic er op en ed th e

dr iv ers do or an d or de red Mo li na Cam po s to ge t o u t o f h i s car. Bo xe d in by th e

po li ce, Mo li na Cam

po s fir st rev ers ed

, dr ag gi ng al on g th e un de rco ve r of fic er who fel l

to th e gr ou nd bl eed in g, an d th en at te m pt ed to dr iv e aro un d W el in sk i's ve hi cl e,

he ad in g t owa rd co un ty road 34

.

The Hon or ab le Jo hn R. Tun he im

, Uni te d St at es Dis tri ct Ju dg e fo r th e Dis tri ct 1

of Mi nn es ot a.

-2

-As Mo li na Cam po s tri ed to es cap e, Serg ean t W el in sk i go t ou t of hi s ve hi cl e

an d fir ed ei gh t sh ot s at Mo li na Cam po s's car whi ch be ga n to m ak e a sl ow u- tu rn away

fro m co un ty ro ad 34 be fo re co m in g to a st op

. One of th e of fic ers or de red Mo li na

Cam po s to ge t ou t of hi s ve hi cl e. As Mo li na Cam po s co m pl ie d, he co ll ap se d on th e

gr ou nd

. The po li ce cal le d an am bu la nc e an d ad m in is te red CPR, bu t Mo li na Cam po s

st op pe d br eat hi ng be fo re th e am bu la nc e arri ve d. The au di o reco rd in g in di cat es th at

ap pr ox im at el y 3 se co nd s ha d el ap se d be twee n S e r ge an t W el in sk i’s fir st an d fin al

sh ot s.

Mo li na Gom es , as tru st ee fo r th e de ced en t’s ne xt of ki n, fil ed th is § 19 83 cl ai m

ag ai ns t Serg ean t W el in sk i in hi s in di vi du al an d of fic ia l cap aci ti es , cl ai m in g th at th e

se rg ean t ha d us ed ex ces si ve fo rce in vi ol at io n of th e de ced en t’s Fo ur th Am en dm en t rig ht s. W el in sk i m ov ed fo r su m m ary jud gm en t, an d th e di st ric t co ur t co nc lu de d th at

he was en ti tl ed to qu al ifi ed im m un it y be cau se he ha d reas on ab ly be li ev ed th at Mo li na

Cam po s "p os ed a th reat of se rio us ha rm " to ot he rs at th e ti m e he sh ot hi m

. The co ur t

gr an te d su m

m ary jud gm en t to W el in sk i in bo th hi s in di vi du al an d of fic ia l cap aci ti es

. Mo li na Gom es ap pe a l s on ly th e gr an t of qu al ifi ed im m un it y to W el in sk i in hi s

in di vi du al cap aci ty.

W e rev ie w th e di st ric t co ur t's gr an t of qu al ifi ed im m un it y de no vo , vi ewin g th e

fact s in th e li gh t m os t favo rab le to th e n on m ov in g p art y an d dra win g all reas on ab le

in fere nc es in hi s fav o r

. J o h n s o n v. Carr ol l, 65 8 F.3 d 81 9, 82 5 (8 th Ci r. 20 11 ).
Qua li fie d im m

un it y pr ot ect s go ve rn m en t of fic ia ls fro m li ab il it y un de r § 19 83 un le ss

th ei r co nd uc t vi ol at es "cl earl y es ta bl is he d st at ut or y or co ns ti tu ti on al rig ht s of whi ch

a reas on ab le pe rs on wou ld ha ve kn own ." Hop e v. Pel zer, 53 6 U.S. 73 0, 73 9 (2 00 2)
( c i t a ti on om it te d)

. The te st fo r whe th er an of fic er is en ti tl ed to qu al ifi ed im mu n i t y

de pe nd s on : (1 ) whe th er th e fact s al le ge d by t h e p l a i n t iff m ak e ou t a vi ol at io n of a

co ns ti tu ti on al rig ht

, an d (2) whet he r th at rig ht was cl earl y es ta bl is he d at the ti m e of

th e de fen da nt 's al le ge d m is co nd uc t. Pear so n v. Cal la ha n, 55 5 U.S. 22 3, 23 2 (2 00 9)

. A rig ht is cl earl y es ta bl is he d if a reas on ab le of fic er wou ld un de rs ta nd th at hi s co nd uc t

-3

-was un la wfu l. Nan ce v. Sam m is

, 58 6 F.3 d 60 4, 60 9 (8 t h Ci r. 20 09 ). W e m ay

ex erci se ou r di sc ret io n in de ci di ng whi ch of th e two req ui rem en ts to a d d r e s s fir st

. Pear so n, 5 55 U.S. at 2 36

.

Mo li na Gom es cl ai m s Serg ean t W el in sk i vi ol at ed th e Fo ur th Am en dm en t rig ht s of Mo li na Cam

po s by us in g ex ces si ve fo rce in tryin g to arre st hi m

. Thi s cl ai m

is an al y zed u n d e r th e Fo ur th Am en dm en t's ob jecti ve reas on ab le ne ss st an da rd

. Grah am v. Co nn or , 49 0 U.S. 38 6, 38 8– 89 (1 98 9)

. W e ex am in e "wh et he r th e of fic ers '

act io ns are 'ob

jecti ve ly reas on ab le ' in li gh t of th e fact s an d ci rcu m st an ces co nf ro nt in g

th em ." Crai gh ead v. Lee, 39 9 F.3 d 95 4, 96 1 (8 th Ci r. 20 05 ) (ci ta ti on om it te d)

. Our

an al y si s of whe th er th e u s e of fo rce was reas on ab le m us t al lo w "fo r th e fact th at

po li ce of fic ers are of

te n fo rced to m ak e sp li t-s eco nd jud gm en ts —i n ci rc u ms t an ces

t h at are te ns e, un cert ai n, an d rap id ly ev ol vi ng —ab ou t th e am ou nt of fo rce th at is

ne ces sa ry in a p a r ti cu la r si tu at io n." Grah am , 49 0 U.S. at 39 6– 97

. The is su e of

reas on ab le ne ss "m

us t be ex am in ed fro m th e pe rs pe ct iv e of th e fact s kn o w n t o th e

of fic er at th e ti m e of th e in ci de nt ." Nels on v. Cn ty. of W rig ht

, 16 2 F.3 d 98 6, 99 0 (8 th

Ci r. 19 98 ). The u s e o f d ead ly fo rce is no t un co ns ti tu ti on al if th e of fic er ha d
"p ro ba bl e cau se to be li ev e th at th e su sp ect po se [d ] a th reat of se rio us ph y si cal ha rm , ei th er t o t he off

ic er o r ot he rs ." Nan ce, 5 86 F.3d at 6 10 (ci ta ti on om it te d)

.

W e co nc lu de th at Serg ean t W el in sk i's us e of de ad ly fo rce di d n o t v i o l a te

Mo li na Cam

po s’s co ns ti tu ti on al rig ht s. Th e rec kl es s d riv in g b y Mo li na Cam

po s i n

hi s at te m pt to es cap e was a da ng er to th e arre st in g po li ce of fic ers an d to an y dr iv ers

on th e ro ad way

. W he n Mo li na Cam po s sp ed ba ck ward s, he dr ag ge d th e un de rco ve r

of fic er al on g, kn oc ki ng hi m to th e gr ou nd

. He th en cras he d in to a p o l i c e v e h i cl e

be fo re dr iv in g aro un d W el in sk i's ve hi cl e t o w a r d s c ou nt y ro ad 34

. At th e ti m e

W el in sk i fir ed hi s weap on he ha d pr ob ab le cau se to be li ev e t h a t M o li na Cam po s

po se d a th reat of se rio us da ng er to th e of fic ers as well as to ot he r m ot or is ts

. See Sco tt

v. Harri s, 55 0 U.S. 3 80 , 3 83 –8 6 (2 00 7) ; se e al so Sy ke s v. Uni te d St at es , 1 31 S. Ct

. 22 67

, 22 74 (2 01 1) (“ It is well kn own th at whe n of fen de rs us e m ot or ve hi cl es as th ei r

-4

-m ean s of es cap e th ey crea te se rio us po te nt ia l ris k s o f p h ys i cal in jury to ot he rs .”).

W el in sk i m ad e a sp li t se co nd de ci si on to try to pr ev en t Mo li na Cam po s fro m ha rm in g

th e of fic ers or ot he rs in th e area

. H e f i r e d f o r jus t 3 se co nd s an d st op pe d sh oo ti ng

be fo re us in g al l hi s bu ll et s. See San de rs v. Ci ty of Mi nn eap ol is

, 47 4 F.3 d 52 3,

5 2 6 –2 7 (8 th Ci r. 20 07 ). W el in sk i's us e of fo rce un de r th es e qu ic kl y e v o l v i n g

da ng e ro us act io ns by Mo li na Cam po s was "o bjec ti ve ly reas on ab le un de r th e

ci rcu m st an ces as [Welin sk i] pe rcei ve d th em ." S e e H e r na nd ez v. Ja rm an , 34 0 F.3 d

61 7, 6 23 –2 4 (8 th Cir . 20 03 ).

W e al so reject th e tru st ee’s rem ai ni ng arg um en ts

. Alt ho ug h he cl ai m s th at th e

de ced en t’s dr iv in g po se d no da ng er to ot he r m ot or is ts

, th e v i d e o r e co rd in g sh ows

nu m ero us cars pa ss in g al on g co un ty ro ad 34 jus t be fo re Mo li na Cam po s m ov ed in th e

di rect io n of th e ro ad way

. See Sco tt

, 55 0 U

. S

. a t 38 0 (d ecl in in g to ad op t fact ua l

al le ga ti on s “ co nt rad ic te d by th e reco rd ” in ru li ng on a mo t i o n fo r su m m ary jud gm en t). Ev e n i f t h e of fic ers fai le d to id en ti fy th em se lv es be fo re th e sh oo ti ng

be ga n , a s M ol in a Gom es cl ai m s, he ha s no t sh own th at Serg ean t W el in sk i’s us e of

fo rce was un co ns ti tu ti on al g i v e n t h e fas t ev ol vi ng ci rcu m st an ces an d th e of fic er's

reas on ab le be li ef th at Mo li na Cam po s p o s e d a s eri ou s th reat to ot he rs

. See Sch ul z

v. Lo ng , 44 F.3d 64 3, 6 48 –4 9 (8 th Cir . 19 95 ).

Acco rd in gl y , we affi rm

th e jud gm en t o f th e d is tri ct co ur t.

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