Opinion ID: 391404
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Coerced Plea Claim

Text: 97 Barker alleges that the combined actions of Agent Ballas, Officer Norman, and AUSA Miller operated to coerce him into entering a guilty plea to the Kansas firearms violation. This appears to be precisely the same argument that he urged with no success in trying to withdraw his guilty plea. See Barker v. United States, 579 F.2d 1219 (10th Cir. 1978). Collateral estoppel may in some circumstances bar civil rights claims whose central issues have been determined in a prior criminal proceeding. See Allen v. McCurry, 449 U.S. 90, 101 S.Ct. 411, 66 L.Ed.2d 308 (1980); compare Martin v. Delcambre, 578 F.2d 1164 (5th Cir. 1978), with Courtney v. Reeves, 635 F.2d 326, 329 (5th Cir. 1981). That doctrine, however, is an affirmative defense that must be pleaded by the defendant who seeks to assert it. See generally 10 C. Wright & A. Miller, Federal Practice and Procedure § 2735 (1973). Agent Ballas and Officer Norman have not yet pleaded collateral estoppel; neither have they urged it as a ground for summary judgment, and the district court did not base its decision on that ground. We therefore do not consider it in reviewing the grant of summary judgment on the coerced plea cause of action. 98 The first and dispositive question is whether there is a genuine issue of fact as to whether the two defendants engaged in the complained-of conduct. The only arguable support in the record for Barker's bald allegation that the defendants conspired to coerce him into pleading guilty is that portion of Barker's verified complaint wherein he purports to quote what he says was an affidavit given by Keller in the Kansas plea withdrawal hearing. Even were this purported quotation from an affidavit competent for Rule 56 purposes which it is not, being hearsay we do not believe that this, standing alone, would be sufficient to raise a genuine issue of fact as to whether the defendants engaged in the alleged conspiracy. Even if all the facts suggested by Barker were adduced by affidavit or deposition, they would show no more than that Officer Norman and Agent Ballas cooperated with AUSA Miller to build the strongest possible case against Barker. There is no suggestion of any evidentiary material by which Barker might prove that Officer Norman or Agent Ballas engaged in the complained-of conduct i. e., a conspiracy to overcome Barker's free will and to deprive Barker of a fair trial by coercing him to plead guilty. Barker's pleadings and summary judgment materials, whether competent for Rule 56(e) purposes or not, are insufficient to raise a fact issue on this claim because they contain nothing more than bare allegations that all of the defendants 'conspired' to deprive him of his constitutional rights, Henzel v. Gerstein, 608 F.2d 654, 659 (5th Cir. 1980). 99 In these circumstances and on this record, there is no genuine issue of material fact as to whether either defendant had engaged in the complained-of conduct. Accordingly, we affirm the grant of summary judgment in favor of both defendants on this cause of action, though not on grounds of qualified immunity.