Opinion ID: 2227497
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Application of Law to Facts of These Cases

Text: The gist of Tittle's negligence complaint is that the police defendants failed to forward information pertinent to the decedent's alleged suicidal tendencies, and that the jail defendants failed to appropriately monitor him in the jail cell, or otherwise failed to respond to his medical needs. At the time these acts took place, Tittle was in the custody of the jail defendants who were not enforcing a law within the meaning of the Tort Claims Act and, therefore, were not immune from tort liability. Because genuine issues of material fact exist about whether the jail defendants, in fact, breached any private duty owed by them to Tittle, summary judgment is not appropriate. With regard to the police defendants, the facts are undisputed that they were not engaged in providing custodial confinement of the deceased, but instead were engaged in the performance of their public duty of investigating the circumstances surrounding the decedent's alleged commission of the crime of rape. Their conduct in carrying out that investigation by interviewing the decedent and his mother did not violate any private duty owed to the decedent. Thus, the entry of summary judgment in their favor was appropriate. The gist of Sauders' negligence action is that the jail defendants failed to (1) monitor the decedent adequately and (2) recognize his tendency toward self-destructive behavior. These alleged failures occurred while the decedent was confined to a jail cell. Accordingly, the Tort Claims Act does not provide immunity to these defendants. Because there remain genuine issues of material fact about whether the jail defendants breached any private duty owed by them to Sowles, summary judgment is inappropriate.