## 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 0- 14 76

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Ran dy Phi li p R au , *

* App el la nt

, *

* 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 M in ne so ta

. Mi ch ael Davi d R ob ert s an d *
Ci ty of Mi nn eap ol is

, *

* App el le es

. *

__ __ __ __ __ _

Su bm it te d: Nov em

be r 16 , 20 10
Fi le d: May 19, 2 01 1

__ __ __ __ __ _

Befo re SM ITH, BEAM an d B ENTON, Ci rcu it Ju dg es

.

__ __ __ __ __ _

SMI TH, Circ ui t J ud ge

.

Ran dy Rau su ed Mi ch ael R o b e r ts an d th e Ci ty of Mi nn eap ol is ("C it y ") fo r

in juri es Rau su st ai ne d in an as sa ul t th at Ro be r ts —an of f-d ut y Ci ty po li ce

of fic er— a l le ge dl y co m

m it te d. Rau 's co m

pl ai nt ag ai ns t Ro be rts al le ge d ex ces si ve

fo rce pu rs ua nt to 42 U.S.C. § 19 83 an d as sa ul t an d ba tt ery un de r Mi nn es ot a la w. The

co m pl ai nt al so al le ge d th at th e Ci ty was vi cari ou sl y li ab le fo r th e as sa ul t an d ba tt ery

un de r Mi nn es ot a la w. The di st ric t co ur t gr an te d th e C it y 's m ot io n fo r su m m ary 1

The Hon or ab le Ri ch ard H. Ky le

, 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.jud gm en t wit h res pe ct to th e vi cari ou s li ab il it y cl ai m s ag ai ns t th e Ci ty; di sm is se d th e

§ 19 83 cl ai m ag ai ns t Ro b e r t s ; a n d rem an de d th e as sa ul t an d ba tt ery cl ai m s ag ai ns t

Ro be rts to th e Mi nn es ot a st at e co ur t. On ap pe al

, Rau se ek s rev ers al of th e co ur t's

de ci si on to gr an t su m

m ary jud gm en t fo r th e Ci ty on hi s clai m s of vic ari ou s lia bi li ty

fo r th e as sa ul t an d b at te ry . For th e fo ll owi ng reas on s, we af fir m

.

I. Bac kg ro un d

On Jul y 11 , 20 06 , Rob ert s wo rk ed as a po li ce o ffi cer f or th e Ci ty. Rau own s

an d op erat es a ga s st at io n an d car was h c a l l e d "Th e Perf ect Carwa sh " in Bro ok lyn

Cen te r, Mi nn es ot a. Ro be rts 's po li ce de pa rtment ti m e card sh ows th at he cl oc ke d ou t

at 8: 00 p.m

. At ap pr ox im at el y 9: 00 p.m ., Ro be rts tra ve le d to The Perf ect Carwa sh in

hi s pe rs on al ve hi cl e, wit h hi s wife dr iv in g, to bu y ga so li ne

. Ro be rts

, st il l weari ng hi s

po li ce-i ss ue d un ifo rm , ba dg e, ut il it y be lt

, an d fir earm , st ay ed in th e ve hi cl e, whi le hi s
wife pr ep ared to fu el th e car. Ro be rts 's wife wen t in si de to pr ep ay fo r th e fu el an d

th en ret u r ne d to th e ve hi cl e an d at te m pt ed to pu m

p th e ga s; ho wev er, th e pu m p

po ss ib ly m al fu nc ti on ed

, as Ro be rts co ul d no t tel l if it had act ua ll y pu m pe d th e ga s.

Ro be rts ex it ed th e ve hi cl e an d com pl ai ne d to th e cas hi er, Jas on St ev en s. The

two m en di sp ut ed whe th er th e ga s ha d act ua ll y be en di sp en se d. Una bl e to res ol ve th e
di sp ut e hi m se lf, Stev en s went in si de th e st or e to ge t Rau, who was i n a ba ck of fic e.

W he n Rau be ga n ta lk in g to Ro be rts

, Ro be rts to ld hi m , "I wan t m y $2 5 or gi ve m e m

y [ex pl et iv e] ga s." Rau

, st an di ng ne ar th e ve hi cl e an d th e ga s pu m ps , to ld Ro be rts th at

th e ga s ha d be en di sp en se d. Seei ng th at th e ve hi cl e do or was op en wit h th e ke y in th e ig ni ti on , R au m ov ed to ward th e d o o r

— i n an at te m

pt to sh ow th at th e ga s ha d be en
di sp en se d by st art in g th e ve hi cl e an d ch eck in g th e ga s ga ug e. W he n he di d so , Ro be rts st at ed , "[Y]ou to uc h m y [ex pl et iv e] car an d I' ll bre ak y ou r ne ck ."

As Ro be rts an d Rau co nt in ue d to arg ue , Rau to ld Ro be rts th at he wou ld ha ve

to cal l th e Bro ok lyn Cen te r po l i c e if he wan te d "h is " ga s. At so m e po in t, Rau to ld

Ro be rts th at he was go in g to rem ov e t h e g a s

- p u m p no zzl e fro m th e ga s ta nk of

-2

-Ro be rts 's ve hi c l e

. Ro be rts res po nd ed

, sa y in g, "[D]on 't to uc h m y [ex pl et iv e] car."

Non et he le ss , Rau reac he d to ward th e no zzl e, an d Ro be rts st ru ck or pu sh ed Rau wit h

bo th ha nd s, kn oc ki ng Rau of f hi s feet an d cau si ng hi m to hi t th e ga s pu m p an d an

a d ja c e n t gu ard rai l. Rau to ld Ro be rts th at he was go in g in to th e st or e to cal l 9 1 1

. Ro be rts fol lo wed hi m , yell in g ei th er, "[W] ha t are y ou cal li ng th e [ex pl et iv e] po li ce

fo r? The p ol ic e are he re," o r "Why are you c al li ng th e co ps ? I am th e co ps ."

Afte r cal li ng 91 1, Rau ret ur ne d t o Ro be rts 's ve hi cl e to rem ov e th e ga s- pu m p

no zzl e—c on cern ed th at Ro be rts m ig ht dr iv e of f wit h th e no zzl e st il l att ach ed to hi s

car. Ro be rts ag ai n warn ed Rau no t to to uc h hi s ve hi cl e. W it h l i t tl e or no warn in g,

Ro be rts gr ab be d Rau

, sl am m ed hi m ag ai ns t th e ba ck of hi s v eh ic le

, dr op pe d hi m , pi ck ed hi m up , an d, acco rd in g to Rau

, pu nc he d hi m in th e face

. Acco rd in g t o Rau

, rig ht be fo re Ro be rts pu nc he d hi m , Ro be rts y el le d, "I am so [ex pl et iv e]—fo r 32 y ears

I ha ve de al t wi th y ou whi te , [ex pl et iv e] ho nk ie s an d I' m ti red of i t."

Dur in g th e al te rcat io n, a b ys t an de r, Ben W y so ck i, as ke d Ro be rts whe th er he

was on du ty. Ro be rts fir st an swe red y es

. W he n W y so ck i as ke d hi m ag ai n , Ro be rts

th en an swe red no

.

Rau th en ran in to th e st or e an d call ed 91 1 ag ai n. The Broo kl y n Cen te r po li ce

arri ve d so on th erea fte r bu t m ad e no arre st s. That ni gh t, Rau went to th e ho sp it al fo r

tre at m en t of in

juri es he al le ge dl y su ffer ed as a res ul t of th e in ci de nt

, in cl ud in g a
ch ip pe d to ot h, br ui se s, a sp li t li p, a m in or co nc us si on , ba ck pa in

, ne ck pa in

, an d

an xi et y

.

Rau fil ed su it ag ai ns t Ro be rts an d th e C i t y in Mi nn es ot a st at e co ur t. His

co m pl ai nt ag ai ns t Ro be rts al le ge d ex ces si ve fo rce pu rs ua nt to 42 U.S.C. § 19 83 an d

as sa ul t an d ba tt ery pu r s u a n t to Mi nn es ot a la w. The co m pl ai nt al so al le ge d th at th e
Ci ty was vi cari ou sl y li ab le fo r th e as sa ul t an d ba t t e r y. Wi t h Ro be rts 's co ns en t, th e
Ci ty rem ov ed th e act io n to th e di st ric t co ur t. The di st ric t co ur t ha d juris di ct io n ov er

-3

-Rau 's § 198 3 clai m ag ai ns t Rob ert s, and it ex erci se d su pp le m en ta l j ur is di ct io n o ve r

th e as sa ul t an d ba tt ery cl ai m s ag ai ns t Ro be rts an d th e vi cari ou s li ab il it y cl ai m s

a ga in st th e Ci ty. The Ci ty m ov ed fo r su m m ary jud gm en t, arg ui ng th at Rau d i d n o t

br in g hi s § 19 83 cl ai m ag ai ns t th e Ci ty an d th at th e un di sp ut ed ev id en ce sh owe d th at

th e Ci ty cou ld no t b e h el d vi cari ou sl y li ab le for th e as sa ul t an d b at te ry . The d is tri ct

co ur t gr an te d t h e C i t y's moti on wit h res pe ct to th e vi cari ou s li ab il it y cl ai m s, an d it

di sm is se d th e § 19 83 cl ai m ag ai ns t Ro be rts su a sp on te

. Hav in g di sm is se d Rau 's on ly

cl ai m ba se d on fed eral la w, th e § 19 83 cla im , th e co ur t re m an de d R au 's a ss au lt an d

ba tt ery cl ai m s ag ai ns t Ro be rts to th e Mi nn es ot a st at e co ur t.

II. Dis cu ss io n Here, Rau arg ue s th at th e di st ric t co ur t erre d in gr an ti ng th e Ci ty's m ot io n fo r

su m m ary j udgm en t on hi s vi cari ou s li ab il it y cl ai m s ag ai ns t th e Ci ty. Sp eci fic al ly, Rau

arg ue s th at su m

m ary jud gm en t was im

pr op er be cau se a ge nu in e is su e of m at eri al fact

ex is ts reg ard in g whe th er R o b e r t s act ed wit hi n th e co ur se an d sc op e of th e Ci ty's

em pl oym en t wh en he co m

m it te d t he all eg ed to rts . It i s u nd is pu te d t ha t Ro be rts ha d

cl oc ke d ou t of w o rk pr io r to th e in ci de nt . R au , h owe ve r, arg ue s th at a m at eri al fact

rem ai ns un res ol ve d in vo lv in g whe th er Ro be rts was on du ty. Rau so co nt en ds be cau se

Ro be rts to ld a wit ne ss t h at he was on du ty; he was weari ng hi s un ifo rm an d

eq ui pm en t; he "u se d hi s co m m an d vo ic e an d po st ur e"; he t o l d R a u " t he po li ce are
he re" ; an d he "ac te d in hi s cap aci ty as an of fic er in ve st ig at in g a po ss ib le th eft be cau se
he t h o u g h t h i s w i fe di d no t ge t th e ga s sh e pa id fo r." In ad di ti on , Rau arg ue s th at

Ro be rts 's as sa ul t was fo res eeab le ba se d on a well

- k n o w n r i s k of as sa ul t by po li ce

of fic ers , ci ti ng se ve ral cas es in vo lv in g a po li ce of fic er's a ss au lt iv e co nd uc t as

ev id en ce of th is ris k. He al so m ai nt ai ns th at th e po li ce de pa rtment' s writ te n po li cy fo r

of fic ers in un ifo rm sh ows th at th e Ci ty wou ld ha ve co ns id ered Ro be rts to be wor ki ng

an d o n d ut y

whi le weari ng hi s u ni fo rm

.

The Ci ty co un te rs th at t h e di st ric t co ur t pr op erl y gr an te d su m m ary jud gm en t

be cau se Rau ha s fai le d to pr ov id e ev id en ce crea ti ng a ge nu in e is su e of m at eri al fact

-4

-whe th er Ro be rts act ed wit hi n th e co ur se an d sc op e of th e Ci ty's em pl oym en t whe n
he co m m it te d th e al le ge d a s sa ul t. Fi rs t, th e Ci ty arg ue s th at Rau ha s pr ov id ed no

ev id en ce sh owi ng th at th e as sa ul t oc cu rred wit hi n th e wor k- rel at ed li m it s of ti m e an d
pl ace. Ro be rts cl oc ke d ou t on e ho ur be fo re th e in ci de nt an d ad mi t t e d t h a t he ha d

co m pl et ed al l wor k fo r th e da y

. Ro be rts was al so ou ts id e of th e Ci ty's juri sd ic ti on as

an of fic er, an d no ev id en ce pl aced hi m at The Perf ect Carwa s h o n po li ce bu si ne ss

. Seco nd

, th e Ci ty arg ue s th at Rau ha s pro vi de d no ev id en ce sh owi ng th at th e as sa ul t

was rel at ed to Ro be rts 's du ti es as a Ci ty em pl oyee. The Ci ty no te s th at

, de sp it e
weari n g h i s un ifo rm an d eq ui pm en t, Ro be rts di d no t pe rfo rm an y po li ce act iv it ie s,

an d Ro be rts 's al le ge d "co m m an d vo ic e an d po st ur e" do no t crea t e a tri ab le is su e of

fact on sc op e of em

pl oym en t. In ad di ti on , t he Ci ty m ai nt ai ns th at Rau 's rel ia nc e on

cas es in vo lv in g po li ce as sa ul ts do es no t sa ti sf y Mi nn es ot a's req ui rem en t th at a pl ai nt iff pr od uc e ev id en ce, su ch as ex pe rt te st im on y , to sh ow fo res eeab il it y ba se d on

a k no wn ri sk of h azar d.

W e rev ie w t he di st ric t co ur t ' s g r a n t of su m m ary jud gm en t de no vo

. Hay ek v.

Ci ty of St

. Pau l

, 48 8 F.3 d 10 49

, 10 54 (8 th Ci r. 20 07 ). "Su m m ary jud gm en t is pr op er if, aft er vi ewin g th e ev id en ce an d dr awin g al l reas on ab le in fere nc es in th e li gh t m os t

fav or ab le to th e no nm ov an t, no ge nu in e is su es of m at eri al fact ex is t an d th e m ov an t

is en ti tl ed to jud gm en t as a m at te r of la w." Id

. "Al th ou gh th e bu rd en of de m on st rat in g

th e ab se nc e of an y ge nu in e is su e o f m at eri al fact res ts on th e m ov an t, a no nm ov an t

m ay no t res t up on m ere de ni al s or al le ga ti on s, bu t m us t in st ead se t fo rth sp eci fic fact s

su ffi ci en t to rai se a ge nu in e is su e fo r tri al ." W in ga te v. Gag e Cn ty

. Sc h. Dis t., No

. 34

, 52 8 F.3 d 10 74

, 10 78 –7 9 (8 th Ci r. 20 08 ). W e ap pl y Mi nn es ot a la w to Rau 's st at e-l aw,
vi cari ou s- li ab il it y cl ai m s ag ai ns t th e Ci ty. Se e Emmene gg er v. Bul l Moo se Tu be Co

. , 32 4 F.3 d 61 6, 62 4 n.9 (8 th Ci r. 20 03 ) ( r e c o gn iz in g th at fed eral co ur ts ap pl y

su bs t an ti ve st at e la w whe n th e di st ric t co ur t to ok th e st at e-l aw cl ai m s un de r it s
di sc ret io na ry

su pp le m en ta l ju ris di ct io n)

.

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-In Mi nn es ot a, "[u ]nde r th e do ct rin e o f r e s p on de at su pe rio r, 'an em pl oyer is

vi cari ou sl y li ab le fo r th e to rts of an em pl oyee co m

m it te d wit hi n th e co ur se an d sc op e

of em pl oym en t.'" Fri el er

v. Ca rl so n Mk tg . Grp ., Inc

. , 7 51 N.W .2d 55 8, 5 83 (Mi nn

. 2 0 0 8) (q uo ti ng Sc hn ei de r v. Buc kma n , 43 3 N.W .2d 98

, 10 1 (Mi nn

. 19 88 )). "Su c h

li ab il it y st em s no t f

r o m a n y fau lt of th e em pl oyer, bu t fro m a pu bl ic po li cy
de te rm in at io n th at li ab il it y fo r act s com m itt ed w it hi n th e sc op e of em pl oym en t sh ou ld

be al lo cat ed to th e em

pl oyer as a co st of en ga gi ng in th at bu si ne ss ." Fah re nd or ff ex

re l. Fah re nd or

ff v. N. Homes

, In c. , 59 7 N.W .2d 90 5, 91 0 (Mi nn

. 19 99 ). An em pl oyer
wil l on ly be vi cari ou sl y

li ab le for an em

pl oyee's i nt en ti on al to rt, s uc h a s an as sa ul t,

if "(1 ) 'th e so ur ce of th e [as sa ul t] is rel at ed to th e du ti es of th e em pl oyee,' an d (2 ) 'th e

a s s a u lt oc cu rs wit hi n wor k- rel at ed li m it s of ti m e an d pl ace.'" Id

. (q uo ti ng La ng e v

. Na t'l Bis cu it Co

. , 21 1 N.W .2d 78 3, 78 6 (Mi nn

. 19 73 )). The el em en ts of th e cl ai m are,

im po rta nt ly, co nju nc ti ve

. Abs en ce of ev id en ce to su pp or t ei th er on e of th e La ng e
el em en t s e n a bl es a co ur t to de te rm in e as a m at te r of la w th at th e em pl oyee di d no t

co m m it th e to rt wit hi n th e sc op e of hi s em pl oym en t. C.B. ex re l. L.B. v. Eva ng el ic al

Lu th er an Ch ur ch in Am.

, 72 6 N.W .2d 12 7, 13 5 (Mi nn

. Ct

. App

. 20 07 ) (ci ti ng La ng e , 21 1 N.W.2d a t 7 86 ).

As no te d, th e se co nd La ng e el em en t fo r vi cari ou s li ab il it y req ui res sh owi ng

th at "'t he as sa u l t oc cu r[re d] wit hi n wor k- rel at ed li m it s of ti m e an d pl ace.'"

Fah re nd or

ff

, 59 7 N.W .2d at 91 0 (q uo ti ng L a n g e , 21 1 N.W .2d at 78 6)

. Few

Mi nn es ot a co ur ts ha ve di sc us se d th is el em en t at gr eat le ng th

, as m an y of th e rep or te d

cas es in vo lv e em

pl oyees who are in di sp ut ab ly "at w o r k " a t t h e ti m e th ey al le ge dl y

co m m it te d th e to rt in qu es ti on

. Se e, e.g

. , Fri el er , 75 1 N.W .2d at 56 2, 58 3 (n ot in g th at

th e se co nd L a n g e e l e m en t was un di sp ut ed in a cas e in vo lv in g al le ge d se xu al

ha ras sm en t t ha t o ccu rred at t he work pl ace d ur in g wo rk ho ur s)

.

At le as t on e Mi nn es ot a co ur t ha s di sc us se d whe th er, a n d u n de r wha t

ci rcu m st an ces , a pl ai nt iff can es ta bl is h th is el em en t whe n th e to rt oc cu rred whi le th e

em pl oyee was no t at hi s us ua l p l a c e o f e mplo y m en t. In C.B.

, th e pl ai nt iff su ed a

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-ret ire d pa st or 's ch ur ch fo r se xu al a b us e th at oc cu rred whe n th e pl ai nt iff vi si te d th e

pa st or at hi s farm

. 72 6 N.W .2d at 13 1. The pl ai nt iff vi si te d th e farm on ly fo r pe rs on al

reas on s an d no t "fo r an y type of rel ig io us co un se li ng or an y ot he r reas on co nn ect ed

to [th e pa st or 's] st at us as a ret ire d m in is te r." Id

. at 13 5. On th es e fact s, th e Mi nn es ot a

Co ur t of App eal s fo un d th at th e ch ur ch co ul d no t be vi cari ou sl y li ab le fo r th e pa st or 's

as sa ul t be cau se th e as sa ul t di d no t oc cu r wit hi n wor k- rel at ed li m it s of ti m e an d sp ace.

Id

.

In th e pr es en t cas e , R a u ha s pr od uc ed no ev id en ce sh owi ng th at Ro be rts

as sa ul te d Rau wit hi n Ro be rts 's wor k- rel at ed li m it s of ti m e an d sp ace. The un di sp ut ed

ev id en ce sh ows th at Ro be rts ha d be en of f du ty fo r ap pr ox im at el y on e ho ur whe n he

vi si te d The Perf

ect Car W as h. In ad di ti on , be cau se he was in Bro ok lyn Cen te r, he was

ou t s i d e h is juri sd ic ti on as an of fic er fo r th e Mi nn eap ol is Po li ce Dep art m en t. He

tra ve le d to The Perf

ect Car W as h wit h hi s wife to ge t ga s o l i n e fo r hi s pe rs on al

ve hi cl e. As in C.B.

, th ere is no ev id en ce th at Ro be rts was co nd uc ti ng a n y w or krel at e d a c t i vi ti es

. Rau 's as se rti on s th at Ro be rts was "i nv es ti ga ti ng a po ss ib le th eft "

o f ga so li ne an d "u s[ in g] hi s co m m an d vo ic e an d po st ur e" are un su pp or t e d b y t h e

reco rd

. Lik ewis e, Ro be rts 's st at em en t th at "t he po li ce are he re," m ad e in th e co nt ex t

of hi s he at ed di sp ut e w i t h Rau , c an no t reas on ab ly b e in te rp ret ed as pa rt of a po li ce

in ve st ig at io n. Si m il arl y, w hi le Ro be rts to ld W y so ck i th at he was on du ty, he so on

reca nt ed an d ad m it te d th at he was no t on du ty. Fi n a l l y, th e Mi nn eap ol is Po li ce Dep art m en t's writ te n po li cy th at req ui res of fic ers to wear a un ifo rm an d carr y cert ai n

eq ui pm en t whi le on du ty do es no t pr ov e th at an of fic er in un ifo rm is

, in fact

, on du ty.

W e ho ld th at Rau ha s fai le d to sh ow th at th e as sa ul t oc cu rr e d wit hi n wor k- rel at ed

li m it s o f ti m e an d p la ce.

Bec au se Rau ha s pr ov id ed in su ffi ci en t ev id en ce to es ta bl is h th e se co nd La ng e
el em en t, we de cl in e to ad dr es s Rau 's arg um en t th at th e as sa ul t was fo res eeab le an d,

th eref or e, rel at ed to Ro be rts 's du ti es as a po li ce of fic er. W e co nc lu de th at th e di st ric t

-7

-co ur t d id no t er r in gr an ti ng su m m ary jud gm en t to th e Ci ty on R au 's c la im s t ha t t he

Ci ty w as vi cari ou sl y

li ab le for th e as sa ul t an d b at te ry

.

III. Co nc lu si on

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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