NOT P RE CE DE NT I AL UN I TED STATES CO UR T OF A PP EALS F O R T H E T H IR D C IR C U IT

___________ N o. 08- 2907

___________ EVANS F ANO R, A ppel l ant v . O FFICE R C A R L O S A L V A R A D O , i ndi vi dual l yand i n hi s capa ci t yas an off i cerw i th t he Ne wa r k P o l i c e De p a r t me n t ; NEWA RK P OLI CE DE P ARTM ENT ; CI TY OF NEWA RK

___________________________________ O n A p p ea l from the U n it ed S tat es D istri ct C o u rt f o rt h e D i s t r i c to f

N e w J e r s e y ( D . N . J . C i vi l N o. 05- cv- 05536) D i s t r i ctJ udge: H onor abl e Pet erG . Sher i dan

______________________________ S u b m itte d P u rs u a n t to T h ir d C ir c u it L A R 3 4 .1

A ugus t13, 2010 B efor e: R E N D E L L , H A R D I M A N and A L D I SE R T , C i r cui tJ udges

( O pi ni on fi l ed: Sept ember13, 2010)

_________ OP I NI ON

_________ P E R C UR I AM E vans Fanor , pr ocee di ng pr o s e, appea l s a j udgm entof the U ni t ed St at es D i s t r i ct C our tfort he D i s t r i ctof N ew J er s eyi n favorof O ffi cerC ar l os A l var ado, the C i t yof N e w a r k , N e w J e r s e y , a n d t h e N e w a r k P o l i c e D e p a r t m e n ti n h i s c i v i l r i g h t s a c t i o n . We2

wi l l a f f i r m. F an o r w as e m p loy ed as a p ati en t adv o ca te i n a h o sp it al em erg en cyroo m . In M ar ch 2004, a nur s e as ked O ffi cerA l var ado, w ho br oughtpr i s oner - pat i ent s t o t he hos pi t al , t o m ove aw ayw hi l e s he tr eat ed a pa t i ent . O ffi cerA l var ado w oul d notdo s o and h is s u p e ri o r w a s c o n ta c te d . A c c o rd in g to F a n o r, O f f ic e r A lv a ra d o b e c a m e b e llig e re n t. Fanorcl ai m ed that , aft ert hi s i nci dent , O ffi cerA l var ado bel i t t l ed hi m w hen he br ought p ri s o n e rs to th e h o s p ita l. O f f ic e r A lv a ra d o d e n ie s h a ra s s in g F a n o r. O n M ay8, 2004, Fanort ol d O ffi cerA l var ado, w ho w as t al ki ng on hi s cel l phone, t o getoff of

hi s phone bec aus e Fanorbel i eved thatcel l phones w er e pr ohi bi t ed i n t he ar ea w her e O ffi cerA l var ado w as t al ki ng. T he part i es di s put e w hathappene d next . Fanor al l eged thatO ffi cerA l var ado poked hi m , gr abbed hi m and pi nched hi s s ki n, and tw i s t ed hi s arm i n or dert o handcuf f hi m . O ffi cerA l var ado s t at ed thatFanorappr oache d hi m i n a h o s tile , th re a te n in g m a n n e r a n d w o u ld n o t s to p y e llin g a f te r h e w a rn e d F a n o r t o s to p . O ffi cerA l var ado arr es t ed Fanoron char ges of t err or i s t i c thr eat s , obs t ruct i on of admi ni s t r at i on of the l aw , r es i s t i ng arr es t , and di s or der l yconduct . T he di s or der l yconduct charge w as di sm i ssed i n m un i ci pal court . F ano r w as not i nd i ct ed o n the ot her charges. F a n o r f ile d a p ro s e c o m p la in t a g a in s t O f f ic e r A lv a ra d o p u rs u a n t to 4 2 U .S .C . § 1 98 3, rai si ng cl ai m s of fals e arr est , fal se i m pri sonm ent, m al i ci ou s prosecut i on , and use of exc es s i ve for ce. H e al s o cl ai m ed thatthe C i t yof N ew ark and the N ew ark Pol i ce D epart m enthad a pol i cyorcus t om of s uppor t i ng anyact i on t aken byi t s offi cer s , thatt heFanoral s o fi l ed a mot i on fora mi s t r i al , w hi ch the D i s t r i ctC our tcons t rued as m ot i on 1 forr el i ef f

r om t he j udgm ent . T he D i s t r i ctC our tr ej ect ed Fanor ’ s ar gum entthata new tr ia l w a s w a rr a n te d b e c a u s e h e m e n tio n e d a s e ttle m e n t o f f e r i n h is c lo s in g s ta te m e n t. F a n o r h a s n o t ap p e a led th e D istric t C o u rt’s p o st-ju d g m e n t o rd e r o r ra ise d a n iss u e a s to h is c lo s in g s ta te m e n t in h is b ri e f. T h u s , w e w ill n o t c o n s id e r t h is q u e s tio n . 3 C i t yand Pol i ce D epart m enthad know l edge of pr i ors i m i l ari nci dent s i nvol vi ng O ffi cer A lv a ra d o , an d th a t th e C itya n d P o lice D e p a rtm e n t f a iled to tra in , d isc ip lin e , o r c o n tro l it s p e rs o n n e l. T he D i s t r i ctC our tgr ant ed s um m aryj udgm enti n favorof O ffi cerA l var ado on F a n o r’s e x c e ss iv e f

o rc e c laim , ex p lain in g th a t th e p o k e s a n d p in c h F a n o r a lleg e d ly s uffe r ed di d notcons t i tut e exc es s i ve for ce. T he D i s t r i ctC our tal s o rul ed thatthe C i t yof N ew ark and the N ew ark Pol i ce D epart m entw er e ent i t l ed t o s um m aryj udgm enton Fanor ’ s m uni ci pal l i abi l i t ycl ai m s . T he D i s t r i ctC our texpl ai ned thatFanorhad not i dent i fi ed a pol i cyof del i ber at e i ndi ffe r ence t o cons t i tut i onal r i ght s and thatthe evi dence e s ta b lis h e d th a t c o m p la in ts a g a in s t p o lic e o f f ic e rs f o r e x c e s s iv e f

o rc e a re in v e s tig a te d . T h e D istric t C o u rt f

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f ice r A lv a ra d o h a d p ro b a b le c a u se to arr es tFanorw as a ques t i on fort he j ury . Fanor ’ s r emai ni ng cl ai m s pr ocee ded t o t r i al and t he j ur yr etur ned a ve r di cti n favorof O ffi cerA l var ado. T hi s appea l fol l ow ed. 1 Al t h o u g h F a n o rh a s n o ti n c l u d e d i n h i s b r i e f a s t a t e me n to f

i s s u e s f o ro u rr e v i e w, he pr i m ar i l yar gues t hatt he D i s t r i ctC our ti m pr oper l yexcl uded evi dence attr i al . T he D i s t r i ctC our tgr ant ed O ffi cerA l var ado’ s m ot i ons i n l i m i ne t o excl ude ce r t ai n evi dence and w e r evi ew t hes e rul i ngs forabus e of di s cr et i on. For r es tv. B el oi tC orp. , 424 F. 3d4

3 4 4 , 3 4 9 (3d C ir . 2 0 0 5 ). F a n o r c o n ten d s th a t O f

f ice r A lv a ra d o ’s I n ter n a l A f f a irs f ile, w h ich p u rp o rte d ly cont ai ned evi dence s how i ng hi s pr i orus e of e xces s i ve for ce, w as i m pr oper l yexcl uded at tr ial . T h e u se o f e x ce ssive fo rce , h o w ev er, w as n o t atissue at tri al as the D istri ct C o u rt gr ant ed s um m aryj udgm enti n favorof O ffi cerA l var ado on thi s cl ai m . Fanoral s o does notdi s put e the D i s t r i ctC our t ’ s fi ndi ng thatO ffi cerA l var ado w as exoner at ed i n t he al l eged pr i ori nci dent s . B eca us e the I nt ernal A ffa i r s fi l e w as notr el evantt o t he i s s ues befor e the j ur y , t he D i s t r i ctC our tdi d notabus e i t s di s cr et i on i n gr ant i ng O ffi cer A l var ado’ s m ot i on t o excl ude thi s evi dence . Fanoral s o ar gues t hathi s expertm edi cal r epor t s , expertm edi cal w i t nes s es , and evi dence of hi s i nj ur i es w er e exc l uded attr i al and thatthe j uryw as unabl e t o geta cl ear pi ctur e of hi s i nj ur i es r es ul t i ng fr om hi s encount erw i t h O ffi cerA l var ado. A s not ed above, Fanor ’ s exce s s i ve for ce c l ai m w as notbefor e the j uryattr i al . M or eover , the me d i c a l r e c o r d s F a n o rs u b mi t t e d p e r t a i n t o tr e a t me n th e r e c e i v e d i n 2 0 0 6 a n d 2 0 0 7 , t wo y e a rs a f ter th e in c id e n t at iss u e . T h e re c o rd s e x c lu d e d b yth e D istric t C o u rt d o n o t sta te t hatFanor ’ s m edi cal i s s ues ar e r el at ed t o t he i nci dentw i t h O ffi cerA l var ado. Fanorhas n o t sho w n that the D istri ct C o u rtab u sed it s d iscreti o n in g ran ti n g O ff icer A lvara d o ’s m ot i on t o excl ude thi s evi dence . Fanorfur t hercont ends t hats t at ement s byN ur s e R ober tR os het ar , Secur i t yO ffi cer E l l i s H aynes , and hos pi t al empl oy ee M ar i a R om er o, w hi ch conf l i ct ed w i t h t hei rtr i alFanorhas fi l ed a mot i on t o expand the r ecor d t o i ncl ude O ffi cerL i j o’ s r epor t . Fanor 2 asse rt s in h is brief tha t th e D istri ct C o u rtC lerk’s O ff ice f ail ed to f il e the rep o rt . F an o r’s asse rt ion is un su p p o rt ed an d this m o ti o n is de n ied. F an o r’s m o ti o n to ex p an d the re co rd t o i n c l u d e a r e p o r tb yOf f i c e rEl l i s Ha yn e s i s a l s o d e n i e d . S e e I n r e Ca p i t a l Ci t i e s / ABC, I nc. ’ s A ppl i cat i on forA cce s s t o Seal ed Tra ns cr i pt s , 913 F. 2d 89, 96 ( 3d C i r . 1990) (no ti n g co u rtca n n o t con side r m aterial o n ap p ea l th at i s o u tsi d e d istri ct co u rtrec o rd). 5 t es t i m ony , w er e i m pr oper l yexcl uded attr i al and that , as a r es ul t , he w as pr ecl uded fr om eff ect i vel ycr os s - exami ni ng t hes e w i t nes s es . T hi s ar gum entl acks m er i t . T he D i s t r i ct C o u rt’s o rd e r g ra n tin g O f f ice r A lv a ra d o ’s m o tio n in lim in e p ro v id e s th a t th e sta tem e n ts of thes e w i t nes s es w oul d notbe admi t t ed i nt o evi dence “butm aybe us ed t o r efr es h a
w i t nes s es [s i c] r ecol l ect i on ort o i m peac h cr edi bi l i t y . ” 5/ 20/ 08 O r derat2. T hus , Fanor w as not pr ecl ud ed from cross -exam i ning t hese w i t nesses w i t h thei r pr i or st at em ents . S im ilarly , F a n o r a rg u e s th a t th e p o lice re p o rt o f O f f ice r L ijo w a s im p ro p e rly excl uded att r i al . H e s t at es t hatO ffi cerL i j o t es t i fi ed thathe di d nothearFanorthr eat en O ffi cerA l var ado, buthi s pol i ce r epor ts t at es ot herw i s e. O ffi cerL i j o’ s r epor ti s not encompas s ed byt he D i s t r i ctC our t ’ s or dergr ant i ng O ffi cerA l var ado’ s m ot i on i n l i m i ne and Fanorhas notci t ed t o t he por t i on of the r ecor d excl udi ng the r epor t . T o t he ext ent t he r epor tw as excl uded, Fanorhas nots how n t hathe w as pr ecl uded fr om i m peac hi ng O ffi cerL i

j o’ s cr edi bi l i t yw i t h t he r eport . I ti s al s o uncl earw hyFanorcompl ai ns about t he exc l us i on of thi s evi dence , w hi ch w oul d appea rt o have be en detr i m ent al t o hi s cas e. 2 Fanoral s o cont ends t hats ever al i m pr opr i et i es occurr ed attr i al . Fi r s t , Fanors t at es t hatO ffi cerA l var ado and hi s at t or neyi m pr oper l yconfe r r ed w i t h hi s w i t nes s es , O ffi cer6

E l l i s H aynes and N ur s e R os het ar , befor e theyt es t i fi ed. T he r ecor d r efl ect s thaton t he s econd da yof tr i al , Fanorcal l ed t o t he court ’ s at t ent i on thatO ffi cerA l var ado w as s peaki ng w i t h w i t nes s es befor e theycame i nt o t he court r oom . 6/ 4/ 08 T r ans . at3- 4. T he D i s t r i ctC our tt ol d Fanort hathe coul d cr os s - exami ne O ffi cerA l var ado on thatpoi nt , but Fanorappar ent l ychos e nott o do s o. Fanorhas notexpl ai ned how he w as pr ej udi ced nor h a s h e s h o w n th a t th e D is tr ic t C o u rt a b u s e d its d is c re tio n . Fanorfur t hers t at es t hathe w as pr ecl uded fr om pr ovi di ng hi s w i t nes s , C har l es C o h en , a c o p yo f h is st atem en t or h is de p o sit ion tr an script be fo re h e testi fied . T h e re co rd does notr efl ectt hatFanorw as pr ecl uded fr om doi ng s o. I n addi t i on, t o t he ext entFanor compl ai ns t hathe w as notperm i t t ed t o pr ovi de C ohen hi s s t at ementw hen he t es t i fi ed, t he D i s t r i ctC our ts t at ed i n i t s or dergr ant i ng O ffi cerA l var ado’ s m ot i on i n l i m i ne that C o h e n ’s s ta te m e n t c o u ld b e u s e d to re f re s h h is re c o lle c tio n o r t o im p e a c h h is c re d ib ility. See 5/ 20/ 08 O r derat2. F a n o r a lso a ss e rts th a t, w h ile o n e o f h is w itn e ss e s w a s te stif y in g , O f f ice r L ijo en tered the c o u rtroo m , co n fe rred w ith O ff icer A lvara d o ’s att o rne y , an d then sat fo r a per i od of t i m e i n t he court r oom . Fanors t at es thatO ffi cerL i j o l eftthe court r oom w hen he
w as aboutt o br i ng t he mat t ert o t he court ’ s at t ent i on. T o t he ext entFanorhas notw ai ved this clai m b yfa il ing to raise itin D istri ct C o u rt , the re co rd re flec ts th at th e D istri ct C o u rt gr ant ed Fanor ’ s r eques tt o s eques t erthe w i t nes s es . Fanor , how ever , has nots how n t hat h e w a s p re

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f ice r’s L ijo ’s a lleg e d p re se n c e in th e c o u rtro o m o r th a t h e is7

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o n th is b a s is . F a n o r a lso d o e s n o t ap p e a r to h a v e ra ise d in D istric t C o u rt h is a rg u m e n t in h is br i ef thatt he D i s t r i ctC our ti m pr oper l ychange d t he or derof hi s w i t nes s es and conf us ed th e ju ry . R a th e r, F a n o r a p p e a rs to h a v e a g re e d th a t th e d e f e n se c o u ld p re se n t it s w itn e ss e s b e f

o re h e p re se n ted O f

f ice r A lv a ra d o so th a t th e w itn e ss e s w o u ld n o t h a v e to be ther e l ongert han nec es s ary . 6/ 4/ 08 T r ans . at39. T he r ecor d al s o r efl ect s thatFanor pr es ent ed al l of hi s w i t nes s es befor e the def ens e pr es ent ed i t s cas e and, t o t he ext entt he
w itn esse s w ere n o t i n the o rde r F an o r i n tend ed , the D istri ct C o u rtex p lai n ed to the jury th e re a s o n f

o r t h e c h a n g e in o rd e r. F a n o r a lso c laim s th a t th e D istric t Ju d g e w a s f ru stra ted b yF a n o r’s m ista k e s in ques t i oni ng w i t nes s es and thatt he j ur ym ayhave be en nega t i vel yi nfl uence d. Fanorhas notci t ed anypor t i ons of the tr ans cr i ptr efl ect i ng s uch frus t r at i on. H e has nots how n any e rr o r o n th e p a rt o f

th e D is tr ic t C o u rt . Fi nal l y , Fanorar gues t hats um m aryj udgm entw as i m pr oper l yent er ed forthe N ew ark Pol i ce D epart m enti n l i ghtof the evi dence of r epor t s of exc es s i ve for ce by O ffi cerA l var ado. W e di s agr ee. Fanordi d notpr oduce e vi dence s how i ng thatthe al l eged d ep ri v ati o n o f h is co n sti tuti o n al ri g h ts w as th e re su lto f a p o li cyo r cu stom o f th e N ew ark Pol i ce D epart m ent . M onel l v. D ep’ tof Soc. Ser vs . , 436 U . S. 658, 690- 91 ( 1978) . T o t he contr ary , as not ed byt he D i s t r i ctC our t , the I nt ernal A ffa i r s document s s how that compl ai nt s of m i s conductar e i nves t i gat ed.F a n o r’s m o tio n to f ile a re p lyb rie f

e x c e e d in g th e p e rm itt e d p a g e lim it i s d e n ied a s h is 3 r epl ybr i ef i s i n l ar ge parta r epr oduct i on of hi s openi ng br i ef. 8 Fanor ’ s r emai ni ng cl ai m s of err orar e w i t houtm er i tand do notw arr antdi s cus s i on. A c c o rd in g ly , w e w ill a f f irm th e ju d g m e n t o f

th e D istric t C o u rt. 3