FI LED U. S . COURT OF AP PE ALS E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT M ar c h 7, 2006 T HOM AS K. KAHN CL E RK [ DO NO T P UB L I S H] I N THE UN I TE D STATE S C OU RT OF APPE ALS F O R T H E E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT

________________________ N o. 05- 14291 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D . C . D o c k e tN o . 0 5 - 0 0 0 6 8 - C V - J - 2 5 - MMH W I L L I A M S T E P H E N H A L L , P la in tif f- A p p e lla n t,

v ersu s H . R . S M I T H , L . D . K I T C H E N , e t a l., D e fe n d a n ts - A p p e lle e s .

________________________ A pp ea l fr om the U ni t ed S t at es D i stri ctC ou rt forthe M i ddl e D i s tr i c tof F l or i da

_________________________ ( M ar c h 7, 2006) B efo re D U B IN A , B L A C K an d H U L L , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M:2

W i l l i a m S t e phe n H a l l a ppe a l s the di s tr i c tc our t ’ s di s m i s s a l of hi s c om pl a i nt forfa i l ur e t o s t a t e ac l a i m . H a l l f i l e d ac om pl a i ntpur s ua ntt o 42 U . S . C . § 1983 a ga i ns tpol i c e of

f i c e r s H . R . S m i th, L . D . K i t c he n, M . S . B oz e m a n ( the O f f i c e r s ) , a nd the C i ty of

J a c ks onvi l l e , F l or i da( the C i ty ) , a l l e gi ng: ( 1) the O f f i c e r s ’ a c ti ons in fo r c ib ly e n te r in g h is r e s id e n c e w ith o u t aw arr a n t a n d arr e s tin g h im v io la te d h is F o u r th a n d F o u r te e n th A m e n d m e n t r ig h ts u n d e rc o lo ro f s ta te la w ; a n d ( 2 ) th e C ity de l i be r a t e l y c hos e nott o a de qua t e l y tr a i n a nd s upe r vi s e i t s e m pl oy e e s , c a us i ng the O f f ic e r s to v io la te h is c o n s titu tio n a l r ig h ts . H a ll a s s e r ts th e d is tr ic t c o u r t e rr e d in di s m i s s i ng hi s c om pl a i ntw i thoutc ons i de r i ng a l l of the e vi de nc e , na m e l y , the p o lic e r e c o r d o f

h is a rr e s t a n d atap e o f

a9 1 1 c a ll, w h ic h , h e a lle g e s , s h o w e d : ( 1) the O f

f i c e r s w e r e notj us ti f

i e d i n e nt e r i ng a nd s e ar c hi ng hi s apar tm e nt , ( 2) he w a s fa l s e l y a rr e s t e d, a nd ( 3) the C i ty ha d a n of f i c i a l pol i c y of

i na de qua t e l y tr a i ni ng a n d s u p e r v is in g its e m p lo y e e s . T h e d is tr ic t c o u r t d id n o t e rr , a n d w e a f f ir m . I . DI S C US S I ON W e r e vi e w agr a ntof

am oti on t o di s m i s s forfa i l ur e t o s t a t e ac l a i m de novo, a c c e pti ng the a l l e ga ti ons i n the c om pl a i nta s true a nd c ons trui ng the m i n the l i ght m ostfa vo rabl e t o the pl ai nt i ff. Spai n v . B row n & Wi l l i am s on T obac c o C or

p. , 363 F . 3d 1183, 1187 ( 11th C i r . 2004) . “ ‘ [ A ] c om pl a i nts houl d notbe di s m i s s e d for fa i l ur e t o s t a t e ac l a i m unl e s s i ta ppe ar s be y ond adoubttha tthe pl a i nti f f c a n pr ove3

n o s e t o f fa c ts in s u p p o r t o f

h is c la im w h ic h w o u ld e n title h im to r e lie f . M arsh v. B ut l e rC ount

y , A la. , 268 F . 3d 1014, 1022 ( 11th C i r . 2001) ( e n ba nc ) ( c i t a ti on o m itte d ) . A . C la i m s a g a i n stth e O f f i cers

“ In o rd er t o p rev ai l o n a ci v i l ri g h t s acti o n u n d er § 1 9 8 3 , a p l ai n ti ff m u st s how tha the ors he w a s de pr i ve d of afe de r a l r i ghtby ape r s on a c ti ng unde rc ol or of st at e l aw . ” G ri

f f i n v. C i t y of Opa -L ocka , 2 6 1 F .3 d 1 2 9 5 , 1 3 0 3 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 1 ) . T h e F o u r th A m e n d m e n t p r o v id e s : “T h e r ig h t o f th e p e o p le to b e s e c u r e in th e ir p erso n s, h o u ses, p ap ers, an d effects, ag ai n stu n reaso n ab l e search es an d sei zu res, shal l no tbe vi ol at ed . . . . ” U . S . C on st . am end. IV . H ow ever , “ a w arra nt l es s e ntry by cr i m i nal l aw enforce m entoffi ci al s m ay be l egal w hen there i s c om pel l i ng need for off i ci alac ti on and n o t i m e t o sec ure aw arra nt . ” Uni te d State s v . H ol l ow ay , 290 F .3 d 1 3 3 1 , 1 3 3 4 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 2 ) ( in te r n a l q u o ta tio n s a n d c ita tio n s o m itte d ) . W e have hel d “ w hen exi gentci rc um st ance s dem and an i m m edi at e r es po nse, parti cul ar l y w here there i s danger t o h um an l i fe , prot ec ti on of the pu bl i c bec om es para m ou ntand can j usti fy a l i m i t ed, w arra nt l es s i ntrusi on i nt o the ho m e. ” I d . (uph ol di ng a w arra nt l es s s earc h thatw as base d o n an ano nym ou s 911 ca l l , coup l ed w ith th e p o lic e o f

f ic e r s ’ p e r s o n a l o b s e r v a n c e s u p o n arr iv in g a t th e s c e n e ) .4

F ur the r m or e , “ pr obabl e c a us e c ons ti tut e s a n abs ol ut e bart o . . . § 1983 cl ai m s a l l egi ng fa l se arre st. . . . ” R ank i n v . E v ans , 13 3 F . 3d 14 25 , 14 35 (11th C i r. 1998) . P r obabl e c a us e e xi s t s w he n a n arr e s ti s “ obj e c ti ve l y r e a s onabl e unde rthe t ot al i ty of the ci rc um st ance s. ” I d . ( in te r n a l q u o ta tio n s a n d c ita tio n s o m itte d ) . T h er e is p ro b ab le ca u se “w h en th e fac ts an d circ u m stan ce s w ith in th e o ff icer ’s k n o w le d g e , o f

w h ic h h e o rs h e h a s r e a s o n ab ly tru s tw o r th y in fo r m a tio n , w o u ld cause aprud entpers on t o b el i eve, un der the ci rc um st ance s s ho w n, thatthe suspec t has c om m i tt ed, i s c om m i tti ng , or i s abo utt o com m i tan offe nse. ” I d. (i nt er nal ci t ati on s a nd qu ot ati on s om i tt ed). In addi ti on , qu al i fi ed i m m un i ty provi des com pl et e prot ec ti on for gov er nm entoffi ci al s s ued i n thei r i nd i vi du alcapaci ti es as l on g as thei r c on du ctvi ol at es no “ cl earl y e st abl i shed st atut ory or c on sti tut i on al ri gh t s of w hi ch a r ea sonabl e per son w ou l d h ave kno w n. ” Wi l l i am s v . C on sol i da ted C ity o f J a c ks o n v ille , 341 F . 3d 1261, 1267 ( 11th C i r . 2003) ( i nt e r na l quot a ti ons a nd ci t ati on s om i tt ed). In eval uati ng w hether a n o ff i ci ali s e nt i t l ed t o q ual i fi ed im m u n ity , a s ath r e s h o ld m a tte r , w e m u s t d e te r m in e “w h e th e r[ th e ] p la in tif f 's al l egati on s, i f true, es t abl i sh a c on sti tut i on alvi ol ati on . ” I d. a t 1 2 6 8 . W i th r e s pe c tt o H a l l ’ s c l a i m s tha tthe O f f i c e r s unl a w f

ul l y e nt e r e d a nd s e ar c h e d h is a p ar tm e n t a n d u n la w f u lly arr e s te d h im , th e d is tr ic t c o u r t d id n o t e rrin c o n c lu d in g h is c o m p la in t fa ile d to a lle g e fa c ts s h o w in g th e O f f ic e r s v io la te d h is5

c o n s titu tio n a l r ig h ts . C o n s tru in g th e c o m p la in t in th e lig h t m o s t fa v o r ab le to H a ll, i ts how s the O f

f i c e r s : ( 1) r e c e i ve d a911 c a l ls t a ti ng afe m a l e w a s be i ng be a t e n; ( 2 ) u p o n a rr iv in g , h e ar d y e llin g a n d afe m a le c r y in g in s id e o f H a ll’s ap ar tm e n t; ( 3) dr e w the i rguns , poi nt e d the m a tH a l l ’ s door , a nd t ol d hi m t o ope n i t ; a nd ( 4) us e d ake y t o ope n H a l l ’ s doora f t e rH a l l ha d r e f

us e d t o l e tthe m i n. I n l i ghtof these ci rc um st ance s, the po l i ce offi ce rs w er e j usti fi ed i n ent er i ng H al l ’ s r es i dence w i thoutaw arr a nt , a s the y w e r e unabl e t o ve r i f y tha te ve r y one i ns i de the apar tm e nt w a s s a fe . Se e H ol l ow ay , 2 9 0 F .3 d a t 1 3 3 4 . F u r th e r m o r e , th e c o m p la in t s h o w s th a t, a f te rb e in g to ld s e v e r a l tim e s to g e t to th e g r o u n d , th e p o lic e o f f ic e r s u s e d fo r c e to pl ac e H al l on the grou nd , bu tH al l di d n otal l ege thathe suff er ed any i nj uri es d u ri n g h i s arrest . B ecau se resi sti n g an o ffi cer w i th o u tv i o l en ce t o h i s p erso n i s a c r im e in F lo r id a , p r o b ab le c a u s e e x is te d fo rH a ll’s arr e s t. S e e R a n k in , 13 3 F . 3d at 1 4 3 5 ; § 8 4 3 .0 2 , F la . S ta t. M o r e o v e r , th e ju d ic ia lly - r e c o g n iz e d fa c t th a t H a ll s ubs e que nt l y pl e d no c ont e s ta nd w a s a dj udge d gui l ty de m ons tr a t e s hi s de t e nti on w a s n o t u n r e a s o n ab le o ru n la w f u l. A c c o r d in g ly , th e d is tr ic t c o u r t d id n o t e rrin f i ndi ng e xi ge ntc i r c um s t a nc e s e xi s t e d forthe w arr a nt l e s s e ntr y a nd the s ubs e que nt arre stw as re as on abl e. F i nal l y, beca use H al l fa i l ed t o est abl i sh he w as depri ved o f aconsti tut i on al r ig h t, th e d is tr ic t c o u r t d id n o t e rrin c o n c lu d in g th e O f f ic e r s w e r e e n title d to6

q u a lif ie d im m u n ity . S e e Wi l l i a ms , 3 4 1 F .3 d a t 1 2 6 8 . A d d itio n a lly , a lth o u g h H a ll as se rt s the di stri ctcourterre d i n fai l i ng t o con si der a l l of the evi dence, the di stri ct c o u r t w a s n o t p e r m itte d to c o n s id e re v id e n c e o u ts id e o f th e p le a d in g s in d e te r m in in g w h e th e rto g r a n t th e d e fe n d a n t’s m o tio n to d is m is s . See F e d. R . C i v. P . 12( b) . F ur the r , e ve n a c c e pti ng a l l of H a l l ’ s a l l e ga ti ons a s true , the y do not e s t abl i s h the O f

f i c e r s w e r e notj us ti f

i e d i n e nt e r i ng H a l l ’ s apar tm e nta nd arr e s ti ng h i m fo rr e s i s ti n g th e m. B . C la im s a g a in s t th e C ity

“ [I ] ti s w el l es t abl i shed thata m un i ci pal i ty m ay no tbe hel d l i abl e und er se cti on 19 83 on a theory of r es po nd ea tsuperi or. ” D av i s v . D e Kal b C ount y Sc h. D is t. , 2 3 3 F .3 d 1 3 6 7 , 1 3 7 5 (1 1 th C ir. 2 0 0 0 ). T h e S u p re m e C o u rt re q u ires “a p l ai n ti ff seek i n g t o i m p o se l i ab i l i ty o n a m u n i ci p al i ty u n d er § 1 9 8 3 t o i d en ti fy a m un i ci pal‘ po l i cy ’ or ‘ cust om ’ thatcaused the pl ai nt i ff' s i nj ury. ” B o a rdo f C o u n ty Co m m ’ rs o

f Br y a n Co u n t

y , O k l . v . Bro wn , 11 7 S . C t . 13 82 , 13 88 (199 7). In a d d itio n , ap la in tif

f m u s t s h o w “am u n ic ip a l a c tio n w a s ta k e n w ith . . . d e lib e r a te i nd i ff er ence t o i t s kno w n o r obv i ou s c on se qu ence s. ” D a v is , 233 F . 3d a t1375- 76. V a g u e a n d c o n c lu s o r y a lle g a tio n s w ill n o t s u p p o rt ac la im u n d e r§ 1 9 8 3 . See M a rsh , 26 8 F . 3d at10 36 n. 16 (hol di ng un supp ort ed concl usi on s of l aw or m i xed7

q u e s ti o n s o f

fa c ta n d l a w h a v e l o n g b e e n r e c o g n i z e d a s n o tt o p r e v e n taFe d . R. C iv . P . 1 2 ( b ) d is m is s a l) . B e c a us e H a l l a l l e ge d no fa c tua l s uppor tforhi s c onc l us or y s t a t e m e nttha tthe C ity h a d ap o lic y o rc u s to m o f g r o s s ly in a d e q u a te s u p e r v is io n a n d tr a in in g o f its e m pl oy e e s , the di s tr i c tc our tdi d note rri n di s m i s s i ng H a l l ’ s c l a i m s a ga i ns tthe C ity . I I . C ON C L US I ON T h e d is tr ic t c o u r t d id n o t e rrin d is m is s in g H a ll’s c o m p la in t fo rfa ilu r e to s t a t e ac l a i m. AF F I R ME D.