2008 D e c i sion s O p inion s of the U nit e d S t at e s C our t of Appe al s for the Thir d C ir c uit 11-17-2008 

# Rob e r t M c C ann v

. Anthon y B ello s P r e c e de nt i al or N on-P r e c e de nt i al : N on-P r e c e de nt i al D ocke t N o . 08-1369

F o llow thi s and a dd it ion al work s at : http://d i git alc ommon s .l a w . vi ll anova . e du/thir dc ir c uit_2008

Thi s de c i sion i s br ou ght t o you for f r e e and ope n a c c e s s b y the O p inion s of the U nit e d S t at e s C our t of Appe al s for the Thir d C ir c uit at V i ll anova U nive r sity S choo l of L a

w Di git al Reposit ory

. It h as be e n a c c ept e d for inclusion in 2008 D e c i sion s b y an author i z e d a dmini s tr at or of V i ll anova U nive r sity S choo l of L a

w Di git al Reposit ory

. F or mor e inform at ion, p le as e c ont a ct Be n j amin . C arl s on@l a

w . vi ll anova . e du . Re c omme nde d C it at ion " Ro be r t M c C ann v

. Anthon y Be llos " (2008). 2008 D e cisio n s . P ape r 222. http://d i git alc ommon s .l a

w . vi ll anova . e du/thir dc ir c uit_2008/222NOT 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- 1369

___________ RO BE RT M CC ANN, A ppel l ant

v. W I NSLO W TOW NSH I P; W I NSLO W TOW NSH I P P OLI CE D EPARTM ENT; OF F I CE R MARK P AS S E RE L L A; CH I E F ANT HONY B E L L OS ; OF F I CE R P OC OC HI

____________________________________ O n A p p ea l from the U n it ed S tat es D istri ct C o u rt

fort he D i s t r i ctof N ew J er s ey ( D . N . J . C i vi l A ct i on N o. 06- cv- 03189) D i s t r i ctJ udge: H onor abl e N oel H . H i l l m an

____________________________________ Subm i tt ed Pur s uantt o T hi r d C i r cui tL A R 34. 1( a)

N ovember14, 2008 B efore: F ISH E R , JO R D A N and V A N A N T W E R P E N , C i rcui tJudg es.

( Fi l ed: N ovember17, 2008 )

___________ OP I NI ON

___________ P E R C UR I AM R ober tM cC ann, pr ocee di ng pr o s e, appea l s an or derof 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 eygr ant i ng s um m aryj udgm enti n hi s ci vi l r i ght s act i onT h e t h i r t i e t h d a y f e l l o n S a tu r d a y, J a n u a r y 1 9 , 2 0 0 8 . B e c a u s e M o n d a y, 1 Ja n u a ry2 1 , 2 0 0 8 , w a s M a rtin L u th e r K in g , Jr. D a y , M c C a n n h a d u n til Ja n u a ry2 2 to f ile h is n o tice o f

a p p e a l. 2 i n favorof W i ns l ow T ow ns hi p, t he W i ns l ow T ow ns hi p Pol i ce D epart m ent , tw o pol i ce o ff icers, and the p o li ce ch ief. W e w il l aff irm the D istri ct C o u rt ’s ord er. W e mustfi r s taddr es s ourj ur i s di ct i on t o ent ert ai n t hi s appea l . T he A ppel l ees arg u e tha t M cC an n ’s ap p ea l i s u n ti m elyb ec au se th e D istri ct C o u rtg ran ted s u m m ary ju d g m e n t o n D e c e m b e r 2 0 , 2 0 0 7 , an d M c C a n n d id n o t f ile h is n o tice o f

a p p e a l u n til Jan u ary3 1 , 2 0 0 8 , b ey o n d the re q u isi te 30 -da yti m e to a p p ea l. S ee 2 8 U . S . C . § 2 1 0 7 (a); Fed. R . A pp. P. 4( a) ( 1) ( A ) . M cC ann, how ever , fi l ed a l et t eri n D i s t r i ctC our ton 1 J anuary14, 2008, i ndi cat i ng hi s i nt entt o appea l . I n hi s l ett er , M cC ann pr ovi ded cha nge of addr es s i nform at i on t o t he C l erk’ s O ffi ce “ s o t hat[he c oul d] r ece i ve a c opyof the or der ” gr ant i ng s um m aryj udgm ent . L et t erfi l ed 1/ 14/ 08. M cC ann furt hers t at ed, “[t ] he p rob lem is th at I w an t t o ap p ea l th e d ec isi o n an d o n lyh av e h ea rd th at su m m ary j udgementw as gr ant ed fort he def endant s as I have noty etr ece i ved a c opyof that deci s i on i n w hi ch I am goi ng t o need f orthe appe al pr oces s . ” Let t erfi l ed 1/ 14/ 08. B eca us e M cC ann’ s l et t erw as fi l ed w i t hi n t he 30- dayt i m e per i od forfi l i ng an appe al and s t at es hi s i nt entt o appea l t he or dergr ant i ng s um m aryj udgm ent , w e cons t rue hi s l ett eras a tim e lyn o tice o f

a p p e a l. M cC ann’ s cl ai m s ar i s e fr om s ever al tr aff i c s t ops byO ffi cer s Pas s ar el l a and Pi zzi co of the W i ns l ow T ow ns hi p Pol i ce D epart m ent . W e exe r ci s e pl enaryr evi ew over3

t he D i s t r i ctC our t ’ s or dergr ant i ng s um m aryj udgm ent , and w e r evi ew the fa ct s i n t he l i ghtm os tfavor abl e t o M cC ann, t he non- m ovi ng par t y . L aur en W . ex r el . J ean W . v. D ef lam inis, 4 8 0 F . 3 d 2 5 9 , 2 6 5 -66 (3d C ir . 2 0 0 7 ). T h e re co rd re flec ts th at on A p ri l 27 , 2 0 0 6 , O ff icer P assa rell a sto p p ed M cC an n ’s b ro th e r, M ic h a e l D ic k e rs o n , w h e n h e n o tic e d th a t D ic k e rs o n w a s n o t w e a ri n g h is s e a tb e lt. O ffi cerPi zzi co arr i ved att he s cene forbackup. D i cker s on, w ho i s A fr i can A m er i can, beca m e annoy ed and c l ai m ed thatt he s t op w as bas ed on hi s r ace . D i cker s on cal l ed M cC ann and a s ked hi m t o pi ck hi m up beca us e he be l i eved the off i cer s w er e goi ng t o t ow hi s t ruck. W hen M cC ann arr i ved, O ffi cerPi zzi co as ked hi m t o w ai ton t he s i de of the ro a d u n til th e yw e re f

in ish e d w ith th e sto p . D ick e rso n re c e iv e d a c itatio n f o r f a ili n g to w e a r h is s e a t b e lt, f

a ili n g to p ro d u c e a d riv e r’s lice n se u p o n re q u e st, a n d f ra u d u len tly di s pl ay i ng an i ns pect i on s t i ckeron hi s vehi cl e. O ffi cerPas s ar el l a then appr oache d M cC ann and a s ked hi m w ho he w as . M cC ann t es t i fi ed athi s depos i t i on t hathe r epl i ed thathe w as notpartof the tr aff i c s t op, and that O f f ice r P a ss a re lla re sp o n d e d th a t h e still w a n ted to k n o w w h o h e w a s. M c C a n n to ld O ffi cerPas s ar el l a thathe w as a C ounci l m an fr om C hes i l hur s t , and thathi s br otherhad as ked hi m t o come t o t he s cene t o gi ve hi m a r i de. M cC ann furt hert es t i fi ed thatO ffi cer P assar el l a repl i ed thathe d i d n ot “gi ve a d am n ab ou tthat, ” t hat the p eop l e i n C hesi l hu rs t w er e s tupi d, and that“y ou peopl e don’ tknow how t o do anyt hi ng overther e. ” C ert i f. of D . R agones e i n Suppor tof M ot i on forSum m aryJ udgm ent , E x. B at38. A ccor di ng t o t he4

p o lice re p o rt, M c C a n n to o k O f f ice r P a ss a re lla’s n a m e a n d b a d g e n u m b e r, an d to ld h im th a t h e ille g a lly sto p p e d D ic k e rs o n , a n d th a t h e p la n n e d to f ile a c o m p la in t a g a in s t h im . M cC ann then w entt o t he Pol i ce D epart m entand fi l ed a c om pl ai nt , s t at i ng thatO ffi cer Pas s ar el l a w as combat i ve and de r ogat oryt o D i cker s on dur i ng the tr aff i c s t op and not i ng h is ow n ex ch an g e o f w o rds w ith the o ff icer. A few w eeks l at er , on M ay17, 2006, O ffi cerPi zzi co pul l ed M cC ann overand i s s ued hi m a ci t at i on fordr i vi ng w i th a br oken t ai l l i ght . M cC ann fi l ed a c om pl ai nt agai ns tO ffi cerPi zzi co bec aus e he be l i eved the s t op w as i n r et al i at i on forthe compl ai nt he had f i l ed aga i ns tO ffi cerPas s ar el l a. I n hi s compl ai ntagai ns tO ffi cerPi zzi co, M cC ann s t at ed thats he appe ar ed outof now her e and f l as hed herl i ght s i m m edi at el y . H e s t at ed th a t th e o f

f ice r n e v e r g o t clo se e n o u g h to h is v e h icle to n o tice a sm a ll h o le in th e taillig h t, and thats he onl ynot i ced the hol e af t erthe s t op. A ft ers he s t opped the vehi cl e, M cC ann h e a rd O f f ic e r P iz z ic o c a ll s o m e o n e a n d s ta te , “ I g o t h im .” C e rt if. o f D . R a g o n e s e , E x . B at74, E x. D . M cC ann s t at ed thatO ffi cerPas s er el l a w as atthe pol i ce s t at i on w hen he arr i ved ther e af

t ert he s t op, and thathe fe l tthathe w as bei ng t ar get ed bec aus e of hi s r ace . A thi s depos i t i on, M cC ann t es t i fi ed thathe di d notthi nk hi s l eftt ai l l i ghthad vi s i bl e damage, and thatt he r i ghts i de mi ghthave ha d a not i cea bl e cr ack. M cC ann l at er s t at ed thathe w as nots ur e w hi ch s i de w as cr acke d, and thatone s i de w as “vi s i bl ygone. ” C er t i f. of D . R agones e, E x. B at73. H e furt hert es t i fi ed thatO ffi cerPi zzi co neve r fo ll o w ed h is ve h icl e o r w as in b ac k o f it . M cC an n stat ed that, af ter she p u ll ed h im o v er,5

s he s t opped att he r earof hi s vehi cl e and l ooked ati t . M cC ann as ked the off i ceri f he c o u l d l o o k , a n d s h e r e p l i e d , “ y e s , c o me l o o k . I s t o p p e d y o u f o rth a t . ” Ce r t i f. o f

D. R agones e, E x. B at73. O ffi cerPi zzi co gave M cC ann a t i cketforfai l ur e t o m ai nt ai n a le n s , w h ic h h e “ p le a d e d d o w n a s to h a v e n o p o in ts .” C e rt if. o f D . R a g o n e s e , E x . B a t 7 5 . M cC ann appe ar s t o have t ol d O ffi cerPi zzi co dur i ng the s t op thathe pl anned t o fi l e a co m p lai n t aga inst he r. O n J une 30, 2006, O ffi cerPas s ar el l a s t opped M cC ann’ s vehi cl e. A ccor di ng t o t he pol i ce r epor t , M cC ann w as dr i vi ng s t r ai ghtacr os s a l i ghtand then dart ed t o t he l eft caus i ng t he oncomi ng t r aff i c t o s t op. O ffi cerPas s ar el l a gave M cC ann ci t at i ons forfai l i ng t o y i el d and forfai l i ng t o m ai nt ai n the vehi cl e’ s l amps. M cC ann t es t i fi ed thathe gotout o f h is v e h icle to se e if

th e taillig h ts w e re w o rk in g . H e tap p e d th e m to c h e c k if th e lig h ts w er e fa ul t y , and the l i ght s w entoutbr i efl yand then ca m e bac k on. A ft ert he tr aff

i c s t op, M cC ann, al ong w i t h hi s pas s enger , w entt o a W i ns l ow T o w n sh ip m u n icip a l b u ild in g to d u m p g a rb a g e f ro m th e v e h icle . H e a lso in ten d e d to f ile anothercompl ai ntatt he pol i ce s t at i on, w hi ch w as i n t he s ame pl ace . M cC ann t es t i fi ed t hatO ffi cerPas s ar el l a fol l ow ed hi m t o t he muni ci pal bui l di ng aft erthe tr aff i c s t op, and obj ect ed t o hi s us e of the dumpst erbeca us e he w as nota t ow ns hi p r es i dent . A ft er M c Ca n n ’ s p a s s e n g e rc o n f i r me d t h a th e wa s a r e s i d e n t , a n d th a tth e tr a s h b e l o n g e d t o h i m, t heyw er e abl e t o dum p t he tr as h. M cC ann furt hert es t i fi ed thathe s ai d t o O ffi cer Pas s ar el l a, “[y ] ou’ r e j us tnotgoi ng t o gi ve me a br eak, ar e y ou?” C ert i f. of D . R agones e,M cC an n also co m p lai n ed o f h ara ssm en t t o the C am d en C o u n tyP rose cu tor’s 2 O f f ice , w h ich in iti a ted a c rim in a l in v e stig a tio n a n d f o u n d in su f

f icie n t ev id e n c e to pr os ecut e. T he Pr os ecut or ’ s O ffi ce not ed i n a l ett ert o M cC ann thathi s t ai l l i ghtw as br oken w hen O ffi cerPi zzi co s t opped hi s vehi cl e, and thathe had a dm i t t ed thathe had m ade a n i l l egal l efttur n att he t i m e thatO ffi cerPas s ar el l a s t opped hi m . T he W i ns l ow T o w n sh ip P o li ce D ep artm en t al so fo u n d insu ff ici en t evid en ce to p rov e M cC an n ’s al l egat i ons i n i t s i nt ernal i nves t i gat i on. 6 E x . B a t1 2 1 . Of

f i c e rP a s s a r e l l a r e p l i e d , “ [ n ] o . I f y o u d o n ’ tl i k e i t , s u e me . ” Ce r t i f. o f D. R agones e, E x. B at121. M cC ann fi l ed anothercompl ai ntagai ns tO ffi cerPas s ar el l a, s t at i ng t hatt he off

i cerw as r et al i at i ng agai ns thi m beca us e he ha d fi l ed hi s ear l i er c o m p lain t, an d th a t th e a d m in istra tio n w a s c o n d o n in g a p ra c tice o f ra c ism . S h o rtly th e re a f ter , M c C a n n f

iled h is c iv il righ ts a c tio n in D istric t C o u rt. 2 In o rd e r to p ro v e th a t O f f ice rs P a ss a re lla a n d P izz ico re talia ted a g a in st M c C a n n in v io latio n o f

h is F irst A m e n d m e n t rig h ts, M c C a n n m u st s h o w th a t h e e n g a g e d in cons t i tut i onal l ypr ot ect ed ac t i vi t y , and thathi s pr ot ect ed ac t i vi t yw as a s ubs t ant i al or m ot i vat i ng fac t ori n t he al l eged r et al i at oryact i on. A m br os e v. T ow ns hi p of R obi ns on, 303 F. 3d 488, 493 ( 3d C i r . 2002) . T o es t abl i s h caus at i on, M cC ann maypr ove ei t heran unus ual l ys ugges t i ve t empora l pr oxi m i t ybetw een the pr ot ect ed ac t i vi t yand the al l eged r et al i at i on, ora patt ern of ant agoni s t i c ac t i vi tyal ong w i t h t i m i ng thats ugges t s a ca us al l i nk. D efl ami ni s , 480 F. 3d at267. I n t he abs ence of s uch evi dence , M cC ann musts how t hat the tr i er of factshou l d infer causat i on from the ev i den ce gleaned f rom the record as a w hol e. I d. I f M cC ann makes t hi s s how i ng, the off i cer s m aydefe atM cC ann’ s cas e by7

es t abl i s hi ng t hatt heyw oul d have t aken the s ame act i on even a bs entthe pr ot ect ed conduct . A m br os e, 303 F. 3d at493. In th eir sum m aryjud g m en t m o ti o n , the o ff icers sti p u lat ed that M cC an n ’s compl ai nt s cons t i tut e pr ot ect ed Fi r s tA m endmentact i vi t y . T he off i cer s , how ever , ar gued t hatt he tr aff

i c s t ops w er e mot i vat ed byl egi t i m at e l aw enfor cementpurpos es gi ven the undi s put ed fa ctt hatM cC ann had vi ol at ed the tr aff i c l aw s atthe t i m e of both s t ops , and t hatt her e w as no evi dence s ugges t i ng a r et al i at orym ot i ve thatw oul d al l ow a j uryt o fi nd in M c C a n n ’s f

a v o r. T h e D istric t C o u rt d e c id e d th a t M c C a n n c o u ld n o t sh o w th a t h is fi l i ng of the compl ai nt s w as t he ca us e of the al l eged r et al i at i on, not i ng thatthe t empora l pr oxi m i t ybetw een the fi l i ng of the fi r s tcompl ai ntand the tw o t r aff i c s t ops w as not u n u su a llysu g g e stiv e , an d c o n c lu d in g th a t th e o f f ice rs w o u ld h a v e in iti a ted th e tra f f ic st op s i n the absence o f M cC ann ’s com plai nts . W e agr ee w i t h t he D i s t r i ctC our tthats um m aryj udgm entw as w arr ant ed on M c C a n n ’s r e talia tio n c laim s. W e h a v e n o ted th a t a d istric t co u rt m u st b e c a u tio u s in al l ow i ng a r et al i at i on cl ai m agai ns ta pol i ce of fi cert o pr ocee d t o t r i al , obs ervi ng that offi cer s s houl d notbyr eas on of pot ent i al ci vi l l i abi l i t ybe di s cour aged f r om i nt erveni ng w hen thei rs ervi ces ar e nee ded. Sm i t h v. M ar as co, 318 F. 3d 497, 513 ( 3d C i r . 2003) ; s ee al s o D efl ami ni s , 480 F. 3d at267 ( not i ng pot ent i al chi l l i ng eff ecti f ca us at i on r equi r ement s ar e notenfor ced) . W e r ecogni ze thatM cC ann pr oduced s om e evi dence s ugges t i ng t hatO ffi cer s Pas s er el l a and Pi zzi co i nt ended t o har as s hi m . O ffi cerPi zzi coT her e al s o appea r s t o be no evi dence es t abl i s hi ng thatO ffi cer s Pas s er el l a and 3 Pi zzi co knew t hatM cC ann had f i l ed hi s compl ai nt s . See A m br os e, 303 F. 3d at493 ( hol di ng t hatr et al i at i on cl ai m fai l ed w her e ther e w as no evi dence s how i ng thatan empl oy erw as aw ar e of a n empl oy ee’ s pr ot ect ed conduc t ) . A l t hough the off i cer s have not as s er t ed thatt heyl acke d s uch know l edge, i ti s M cC ann’ s bur den t o es t abl i s h t hatthey w er e aw ar e of the compl ai nt s . I d. 8 r emar ked, “I gothi m ” af t erpul l i ng M cC ann over . I n addi t i on, w hen M cC ann c o m m e n ted , “[ y ]o u ’re ju st n o t g o in g to g iv e m e a b re a k , are y o u ? ” , O f f ice r P a ss a re lla re p lied , “[ n ]o . If

y o u d o n ’t like it, su e m e .” T h e re a lso a p p e a rs to b e a q u e stio n a s to w h ethe r O ff

icer P izzico w as a b le t o see the b rok en tai ll igh t on M cC an n ’s ve h icl e b ef o re sh e p u lled h im o v e r. H o w e v e r, as th e D istric t C o u rt n o ted , the tem p o ra l p ro x im ity b e t w e e n t h e c o m p l a i n t s a n d t h e s t o p s i s n o tu n u s u a l l y s u g g e s t i v e , a n d , m o r e i m p o r t a n t l y, t he r ecor d cl ear l yes t abl i s hes t hatM cC ann di d vi ol at e the tr aff i c l aw s , i ncl udi ng a movi ng v io latio n th a t w a s in h e re n tlyd a n g e ro u s. W e c o n c lu d e th a t th e e v id e n c e a s a w h o le f a lls sh o rt o f th a t f ro m w h ich a ju ryc o u ld f in d th a t th e o f

f ice rs is su e d c itatio n s to M c C a n n in r e t a l i a t i o n f

o rh i s c o mp l a i n t s r a t h e rth a n b e c a u s e h e b r o k e th e l a w. 3 M cC an n ’s rem ainin g claim s d o n o t w arran t m u ch d iscu ssion . T h e D istri ct C o u rt p ro p e rlyg ra n ted su m m a ryju d g m e n t o n M c C a n n ’s F o u rth A m e n d m e n t cla im s re late d to the s top s o f h is ve h icl e. S ee U n it ed S tat es v . D elfin-C o li n a, 46 4 F . 3 d 3 9 2 , 3 9 9 (3d C ir . 2006) ( s t at i ng t hatt her e i s no cons t i tut i onal vi ol at i on w her e the r ecor d es t abl i s hes re a s o n a b le g ro u n d s to c o n c lu d e th a t th e s to p p e d in d iv id u a l h a d v io la te d th e tr a f f ic la w s ). Sum m aryj udgm entw as al s o w arr ant ed on anyFour t h A m endmentcl ai m r el at ed t o t he9

stop o f M cC an n ’s bro ther’s v eh icl e b ec au se M cC an n ’s F o u rth A m en d m en t r igh ts w ere noti m pl i cat ed. A l t hough M cC ann s t at es thatO ffi cerPas s er al l a i ns i s t ed thathe i dent i fy hi m s el f, M cC ann has notas s er t ed thathe w as notfr ee t o l eave the s cene . See Fl or i da v. B os t i ck, 501 U . S. 429, 434 ( 1991) . W e al s o agr ee w i t h t he D i s t r i ctC ourtthatther e i s no evi dence s uppor t i ng M cC ann’ s equal pr ot ect i on cl ai m . Fi nal l y , forthe r eas ons s t at ed by th e D istric t C o u rt, P o lice C h ief B e llo s, W in slo w T o w n sh ip , an d th e W in slo w T o w n sh ip P o l i c e De p a r t me n ta r e e n t i t l e d t o j u d g me n ta s a ma t t e ro f l a w. A c c o rd in g ly , w e sh a ll af f irm th e o rd e r o f

th e D istric t C o u rt.