NOT PRECEDENTIAL

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE THIRD CIRCUIT

______________

No . 1 9

- 2 2 9 3

______________

KIM E. KNIGHT,

Individually and as personal

representative of the Estate of Shawn E. Knight, deceased,

A p p e l l a n t

v

.

AND REW BOBANIC, in his official and individual capacities;

ADAM JANOSKO, in his official and individu al capacities;

JAMES L. GARLOCK, in his official and individual capacities;

T'ODD M. PORTER, in his individual and official capacities

______________

On Ap peal from the United States District Court

f

or t he W e stern District of Pennsylvania

(D.C. No

. 2

- 1 5

- c v

- 0 0 8 2 0 )

Honorable M a r k R

. H o r n a k

, C h i e f D istrict Judge

______________

S ubmit t ed under Third Circuit L

. A

. R

. 34.1(a)

F e b r u a r y 7

, 2 0 2 0

BEFORE: S H W A R T Z

, S C I R I C A

, an d COWEN

, Circuit Judge s

(Fi led: April 22, 2020 )

______________

OPINION ∗

______________

∗ This dis p o sition is not a n opinion of the full Court and pursuant t o I.O.P . 5.7

does not co nsti tute bin ding precedent.2 COWEN

, Circuit Judge

.

P l a i n t i f f K i m E

. K n i g h t a p p e a l s f r o m t h e o r d e r o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s D i s t r i c t C o u r t

f

o r t h e W e s t e r n D i s t r i c t o f P e n n s y l v a n i a g r a n t i n g t h e m o t i o n f o r s u m m a r y j u d g m e n t f i l e d

b y D e f e n d a n t s A n d r e w B o b a n i c a n d A d a m J a n o s k o

. W e w i l l a f f

i r m

.

I

.

O n J u n e 2 8

, 2 0 1 3

, S h a w n K n i g h t w a s s h o t a n d k i l l e d a t h i s h o m e b y P e n n s y l v a n i a

S t a t e P o l i c e T r o o p e r s B o b a n i c a n d J a n o s k o

, w h o w e r e r e s p o n d i n g t o a r e p o r t o f a

d o m e s t i c d i s p u t e m a d e b y S h a w n K n i g h t ’ s d a u g h t e r

, A m a n d a K n i g h t

. K i m K n i g h t

,

S h a w n K n i g h t ’ s w i f e

, f i l e d t h i s 4 2 U

. S

. C

. § 1 9 8 3 a c t i o n a g a i n s t A p p e l l e e s

, a l l e g i n g a n

e x c e s s i v e f o r c e c l a i m u n d e r t h e F o u r t h A m e n d m e n t

. 1

A p p e l l e e s m o v e d f o r s u m m a r y j u d g m e n t

. A p p l y i n g t h e second “ c l e a r l y

e s t a b l i s h e d r i g h t ” p r o n g o f t h e q u a l i f i e d i m m u n i t y d o c t r i n e

, t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t g r a n t e d

t h e i r m o t i o n

. A f t e r e x t e n s i v e l y s u m m a r i z i n g t h e u n d e r l y i n g ( undisputed a n d d i s p u t e d )

f

a c t s

, t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t o f f

e r e d t h e f o l l o w i n g f o r m u l a t i o n o f t h e r i g h t a t i s s u e i n t h i s c a s e :

H e e d i n g t h e S u p r e m e C o u r t ’ s r e c e n t a d m o n i t i o n s t o t h e t r i a l c o u r t

,

c o n s i d e r i n g t h e a b o v e m a t e r i a l f a c t s ( b o t h u n d i s p u t e d a n d t h o s e t h a t a r e

d i s p u t e d a s v i e w e d i n f a v o r o f P l a i n t i f f

) t h e C o u r t f o r m u l a t e s t h e r i g h t a t

i s s u e a s f o l l o w s : t h e r i g h t o f a n i n d i v i d u a l t o b e f r e e f r o m t h e i n f l i c t i o n o f

d e a d l y f o r c e b y a p o l i c e o f f

i c e r

, w h e r e s u c h d e a d l y f o r c e w a s e m p l o y e d

w i t h o u t w a r n i n g o r h e s i t a t i o n f r o m t h e o f f

i c e r

, a n d w h e r e t h e i n d i v i d u a l

h i m s e l f i s i n h i s h o m e

, l a w f u l l y a r m e d

, s u s p e c t e d o f d o m e s t i c v i o l e n c e

, h a s

r a i s e d a t l e a s t s l i g h t l y ( b u t n o t aimed ) o n e o f h i s w e a p o n s

, a s h e w a s

q u i c k l y a p p r o a c h i n g t h e o f f

i c e r s f r o m t h e i n t e r i o r o f h i s h o m e

.

1 Appellant initially asserted additional claims against th e two Appellees as we l l as

two other state troop ers. However, s he subsequently withdre w those claims.3 K n i g h t v

. B o b a n i c

, N o

. 2 : 1 5

- c v

- 0 0 8 2 0

, 2 0 1 9 W L 2 1 5 1 2 9 3

, a t * 9 ( W

. D

. P a

. M a y 1 7

,

2 0 1 9 ) ( f o o t n o t e o m i t t e d )

. T h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t t h e n t h o r o u g h l y e x a m i n e d S u p r e m e C o u r t

a n d T h i r d C i r c u i t “ e x c e s s i v e f o r c e ” p r e c e d e n t a s w e l l a s e x c e s s i v e f o r c e d e c i s i o n s f r o m

o t h e r c i r c u i t a n d d i s t r i c t c o u r t s

. I n t h e e n d

, i t c o n c l u d e d t h a t n e i t h e r c o n t r o l l i n g l e g a l

a u t h o r i t y n o r a r o b u s t c o n s e n s u s o f p e r s u a s i v e l e g a l a u t h o r i t y c l e a r l y e s t a b l i s h e d

, a s o f

t h e d a t e o f t h e s h o o t i n g

, t h a t a l l r e a s o n a b l e p o l i c e o f f

i c e r s w o u l d h a v e k n o w n t h a t

A p p e l l e e s ’ c o n d u c t i n t h i s c a s e w a s u n c o n s t i t u t i o n a l

.

I I

.

W h i l e a c k n o w l e d g i n g t h a t “ t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t p r o v i d e d a n e x t e n s i v e a n d w e l l

- r e a d

O p i n i o n

, ” A p p e l l a n t c o n t e n d s t h a t i t “ m i s i n t e r p r e t e d t h e a p p l i c a b l e c a s e l a w i n l i g h t o f

t h e f a c t s p r e s e n t i n t h i s m a t t e r

, s p e c i f i c a l l y t h a t t h e r e w a s a d i s p u t e o f m a t e r i a l f a c t s

r e g a r d i n g t h e s h o o t i n g o f S h a w n K n i g h t

, i n c l u d i n g t h e p o s i t i o n i n g o f S h a w n K n i g h t ’ s

w e a p o n s a n d w h e t h e r t h e D e f e n d a n t s c o u l d h a v e t a k e n r e a s o n a b l e s t e p s w h i c h c o u l d

h a v e p r e v e n t e d t h e s h o o t i n g

. ” 2 ( A p p e l l a n t ’ s B r i e f a t 8

. ) W e

, h o w e v e r

, c o n c l u d e t h a t t h e

D i s t r i c t C o u r t d i d n o t c o m m i t a n y r e v e r s i b l e e r r o r b y g r a n t i n g A p p e l l e e s ’ m o t i o n f o r

s u m m a r y j u d g m e n t o n q u a l i f i e d i m m u n i t y g r o u n d s

.

I n i t i a l l y

, t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t a p p l i e d t h e p r o p e r l e g a l f r a m e w o r k

. I t i s w e l l

2 The Di strict Court had subject matter jurisdiction p ursuant t o 2 8 U.S.C. § 133 1,

and w e possess appellate jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291. T his Court exercise s

plenary review o ver a District Co urt ’ s grant of a su mmary judgment motio n. See, e.g.

, Reedy v. Evanson

, 615 F.3d 197, 210 (3 d Cir. 2010). Summary judgment is proper if the

moving party shows that there is no genuine dispute of material fact a n d that the movant

is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. See Fed. R. Civ. P

. 56 (a). The evidence in the

record must be viewed in the light m ost favor abl e to the non

- moving party

. See, e.g.

, Merkle v. Upper Dublin Sc h. Dist. , 211 F.3d 782, 788 (3d C ir. 2000).4 e s t a b l i s h e d t h a t a p l a i n t i f f a s s e r t i n g a F o u r t h A m e n d m e n t c l a i m s o f e x c e s s i v e f o r c e m u s t

d e m o n s t r a t e t h a t t h i s u s e o f f o r c e w a s u n r e a s o n a b l e

. S e e

, e

. g

. , L a m o n t v

. N e w J e r s e y

,

6 3 7 F

. 3 d 1 7 7

, 1 8 2

- 8 3 ( 3 d C i r

. 2 0 1 1 )

. A r i g h t i s c l e a r l y e s t a b l i s h e d f o r p u r p o s e s o f t h e

q u a l i f i e d i m m u n i t y d o c t r i n e o n l y i f e v e r y r e a s o n a b l e o f f

i c i a l w o u l d h a v e u n d e r s t o o d t h a t

h i s o r h e r c o n d u c t i n f r i n g e s t h a t r i g h t

. Z a l o g a v

. B o r o u g h o f M o o s i c

, 8 4 1 F

. 3 d 1 7 0

, 1 7 5

( 3 d C i r

. 2 0 1 6 )

. A c c o r d i n g t o A p p e l l a n t

, t h e f a c t s o f t h i s c a s e p r e s e n t a n o b v i o u s c i v i l

r i g h t s v i o l a t i o n

. W h i l e s h e p o i n t s o u t t h a t t h e S u p r e m e C o u r t “ d o e s n o t r e q u i r e a c a s e

d i r e c t l y o n p o i n t f o r a r i g h t t o b e c l e a r l y e s t a b l i s h e d

, ” s h e a l s o r e c o g n i z e s t h a t t h e

“ e x i s t i n g p r e c e d e n t m u s t h a v e p l a c e d t h e s t a t u t o r y o r constitutional q u e s t i o n b e y o n d

d e b a t e

. ” ( A p p e l l a n t ’ s B r i e f a t 1 0 ( q u o t i n g W h i t e v

. P a u l y

, 1 3 7 S

. C t

. 5 4 8

, 5 5 1 ( 2 0 1 7 )

( p e r c u r i a m ) )

. ) “ [ T ] h e C o u r t h e l d t h a t

, ‘ [ u ] s e o f e x c e s s i v e f o r c e i s a n a r e a o f t h e l a w i n

w h i c h t h e r e s u l t d e

p e n d s v e r y m u c h o n t h e f a c t s o f e a c h c a s e

, a n d t h u s p o l i c e o f f

i c e r s

a r e e n t i t l e d t o q u a l i f i e d i m m u n i t y u n l e s s e x i s t i n g p r e c e d e n t s q u a r e l y g o v e r n s t h e s p e c i f i c

f

a c t s a t i s s u e

. ’ ” ( I d

. ( q u o t i n g K i s e l a v

. H u g h e s

, 1 3 8 S

. C t

. 1 1 4 8

, 1 1 5 3 ( 2 0 1 8 ) ( p e r

c u r i a m ) ) ( a l t e r a t i o n i n o r i g i n a l )

. ) A s t h e S u p r e m e C o u r t e x p l a i n e d i n W h i t e

, c l e a r l y

e s t a b l i s h e d l a w s h o u l d n o t b e d e f i n e d a t a h i g h l e v e l o f g e n e r a l i t y a n d m u s t b e f r a m e d i n

t e r m s o f t h e s p e c i f i c f a c t s a t i s s u e

. S e e

, e

. g

. , W h i t e

, 1 3 7 S

. C t

. a t 5 5 2 ( c r i t i c i z i n g c i r c u i t

c o u r t f o r r e l y i n g o n g e n e r a l e x c e s s i v e f o r c e p r i n c i p l e s a n d f o r f a i l i n g t o i d e n t i f y p r i o r

c a s e i n w h i c h o f f

i c e r a c t i n g u n d e r s i m i l a r c i r c u m s t a n c e s a s d e f e n d a n t w a s h e l d t o h a v e

v i o l a t e d F o u r t h A m e n d m e n t )

.

A p p e l l a n t a s s e r t s t h a t t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t e n g a g e d i n i m p r o p e r f a c t

- f i n d i n g i n f a v o r

o f A p p e l l e e s w i t h r e s p e c t t o w h e t h e r S h a w n K n i g h t h a d o n e o f t h e g u n s r a i s e d b e c a u s e5 h e p u s h e d o p e n t h e s c r e e n d o o r

. H o w e v e r

, i t i s u n d i s p u t e d t h a t S h a w n K n i g h t w a s

h o l d i n g a r e v o l v e r i n e a c h h a n d a n d t h e n o p e n e d t h e s c r e e n d o o r t h a t l e d t o t h e f r o n t

p o r c h

. “ F o r h i m t o p u s h t h a t s c r e e n d o o r o p e n

, h e w o u l d h a v e n e e d e d t o r a i s e o n e o f h i s

h a n d s

, w h i c h w a s h o l d i n g a revolver

, a t l e a s t s l i g h t l y

. ” K n i g h t

, 2 0 1 9 W L 2 1 5 1 2 9 3

, a t * 8

( n o t i n g i n t e r a l i a t h a t K i m K n i g h t i n d i c a t e d a t d e p o s i t i o n t h a t S h a w n K n i g h t p u s h e d o p e n

s c r e e n d o o r w i t h l e f t h a n d )

. I n a n y e v e n t

, t h e r e c o r d s u p p o r t s t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t ’ s

c o n c l u s i o n t h a t S h a w n K n i g h t

, a t m o s t

, r a i s e d o n e o f t h e w e a p o n s s l i g h t l y f o r j u s t a

m o m e n t o f t i m e

.

A c c o r d i n g t o A p p e l l a n t

, o u r 2 0 0 2 r u l i n g i n C u r l e y v

. K l e m

, 2 9 8 F

. 3 d 2 7 1 ( 3 d C i r

.

2 0 0 2 )

, “ s q u a r e l y g o v e r n s ” t h e f a c t s i n t h i s c a s e

. T h e d e f e n d a n t s t a t e t r o o p e r i n C u r l e y

s h o t a n d s e r i o u s l y i n j u r e d t h e p l a i n t i f f

, a p o l i c e o f f

i c e r w h o m h e m i s t o o k f o r a n a r m e d

c r i m i n a l s u s p e c t ( w h o h a d a l r e a d y k i l l e d h i m s e l f )

. I d

. a t 2 7 3

- 7 4

. A d m i t t e d l y

, w e f o u n d

t h a t t h e r e w a s a f a c t u a l d i s p u t e a s t o w h e t h e r t h e p l a i n t i f f h a d p o i n t e d h i s g u n a t t h e

d e f e n d a n t ( w h i l e t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t h e r e a s s u m e d t h a t S h a w n K n i g h t d i d n o t a i m h i s

w e a p o n s a t A p p e l l e e s )

. I d

. a t 2 8 2

- 8 3

. F u r t h e r m o r e

, t h e r e w a s a g e n u i n e i s s u e o f m a t e r i a l

f

a c t a s t o w h e t h e r t h e p l a i n t i f f h a d l o o k e d i n s i d e t h e v e h i c l e s t o l e n b y t h e s u s p e c t

, w h e r e

h e w o u l d h a v e s e e n t h e s u s p e c t ’ s b o d y

. I d

. a t 2 8 1

. V i e w i n g t h e e v i d e n c e i n t h e l i g h t

m o s t f a v o r a b l e t o A p p e l l a n t

, T r o o p e r B o b a n i c i n i t i a l l y f o r c e d h i s w a y i n t o t h e h o m e

( e v e n t h o u g h t h e a l l e g e d d o m e s t i c v i o l e n c e v i c t i m a n d h e r m o t h e r i n d i c a t e d t h a t t h e

s i t u a t i o n h a d d e e s c a l a t e d a n d t h a t n o f u r t h e r p o l i c e i n v o l v e m e n t w a s n e e d e d )

, a n d

A p p e l l e e s d i d n o t i d e n t i f y t h e m s e l v e s a s p o l i c e o f f

i c e r s o r p r o v i d e a n y s o r t o f w a r n i n g

( w h i c h c o u l d h a v e l e d S h a w n K n i g h t

, w h o w a s s l e e p i n g a t t h e t i m e

, t o b e l i e v e t h a t t h e6 s t a t e t r o o p e r w a s a h o m e i n v a d e r )

. H o w e v e r

, C u r l e y w a s s t i l l a c a s e o f m i s t a k e n i d e n t i t y

,

a n d t h e p l a i n t i f f “ c l a i m s t h a t h i s g u n w a s n e v e r a i m e d i n K l e m ’ s d i r e c t i o n

, t h a t h e h a d

t u r n e d t o r e t r e a t i n a d i r e c t i o n a w a y f r o m K l e m a t t h e t i m e h e w a s f i r e d u p o n

, a n d t h a t

t h e r e w a s a m p l e e v i d e n c e i n d i c a t i n g t h a t h e w a s n o t t h e s u s p e c t

, i n c l u d i n g t h e f a c t t h a t h e

w a s w e a r i n g a s t a n d a r d P o r t A u t h o r i t y p o l i c e u n i f o r m

. ” I d

. a t 2 8 0

. “ B y c o n t r a s t

, i n t h i s

c a s e

, S h a w n K n i g h t w a s e x a c t l y t h e i n d i v i d u a l t h a t t h e T r o o p e r s b e l i e v e d t h a t h e w a s

,

n a m e l y

, a n o w

- a r m e d p r i v a t e c i t i z e n s u s p e c t e d o f e n g a g i n g i n d o m e s t i c v i o l e n c e

, r u s h i n g

o u t o f h i s h o m e i n t h e i r d i r e c t i o n w i t h a g u n i n e a c h h a n d

. ” K n i g h t

, 2 0 1 9 W L 2 1 5 1 2 9 3

,

a t * 1 4

. A c c o r d i n g l y

, w e a g r e e w i t h t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t t h a t “ t h e f a c t s o f C u r l e y a r e

‘ d i s t i n g u i s h a b l e i n a f a i r w a y f r o m t h e f a c t s p r e s e n t e d i n t h e c a s e a t h a n d

, ’ s o C u r l e y d o e s

n o t ‘ c l e a r l y e s t a b l i s h ’ t h e r i g h t a t i s s u e h e r e

. ’ ” I d

. ( q u o t i n g S a u c i e r v

. K a t z

, 5 3 3 U

. S

.

1 9 4

, 2 0 2 ( 2 0 0 1 )

, o v e r r u l e d o n o t h e r g r o u n d s b y P e a r s o n v

. C a l l a h a n

, 5 5 5 U

. S

. 2 2 3

( 2 0 0 9 ) )

.

I I I

.

F o r t h e f o r e g o i n g r e a s o n s

, w e w i l l a f f

i r m t h e o r d e r o f t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t

.