Opinion ID: 294828
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Failure to Take Plaintiffs Before a Magistrate

Text: 52 The record clearly reveals that defendants neither took any of plaintiffs before a judicial officer nor made any attempt to do so. Plaintiffs thus argue that even if the initial arrest was valid under Pierson, the subsequent incarceration is actionable. While the law does not exact constitutional erudition from those unschooled in jurisprudence, plaintiffs contend that we must compel respect for individual liberty to the extent of requiring officials to follow procedures clearly delineated by statutory or common law mandates. In such a situation, plaintiffs argue, the good faith defense of Pierson is inapplicable. See Whirl v. Kern, supra. 53 It is true that unreasonable or unnecessary delay in bringing a prisoner before a magistrate, despite good faith, may give rise to an action for false imprisonment. Cooley v. Stone, 1969, 134 U.S.App.D.C. 317, 414 F.2d 1213; Czap v. Marshall, 7 Cir. 1963, 315 F.2d 766, cert. denied, 375 U.S. 942, 84 S.Ct. 348, 11 L.Ed.2d 273; Moran v. City of Beckley, 4 Cir. 1933, 67 F.2d 161; Fulford v. O'Connor, 1954, 3 Ill. 490, 121 N.E.2d 767; 35 C.J.S. False Imprisonment § 30. The cause of action arises from the uniform requirement, both state and federal, of prompt presentation before a magistrate. See, e. g., Fed.R.Crim.P. 5(a), as construed in Mallory v. United States, 1957, 354 U.S. 449, 77 S.Ct. 1356, 1 L. Ed.2d 1479; Czap v. Marshall, supra, 315 F.2d at 770. 54 Nevertheless, we hold that plaintiffs have failed to state a cause of action under section 1983, for they have not demonstrated a violation of their constitutional rights. As we said in Kulyk v. United States, 5 Cir. 1969, 414 F. 2d 139, 141-142, [t]he right under the federal rules to be promptly taken before a magistrate has not been given constitutional status and has not been applied to persons in state custody. See also Edwards v. Holman, 5 Cir. 1965, 342 F.2d 679, cert. denied, 384 U. S. 1017, 86 S.Ct. 1934, 16 L.Ed.2d 1039. Similarly, even though the failure to take plaintiffs before a magistrate violates Mississippi law, it does not rise to the status of a denial of due process. Scarbrough v. Dutton, 5 Cir. 1968, 393 F.2d 6; Baxter v. Rhay, 9 Cir. 1959, 268 F.2d 40; United States ex rel. Weber v. Ragen, 7 Cir. 1949, 176 F.2d 579, cert. dismissed, 338 U.S. 809, 70 S.Ct. 49, 94 L.Ed. 489. But see Goodwin v. Page, E.D.Okl.1969, 296 F.Supp. 1205, aff'd on other grounds, 10 Cir., 418 F.2d 867. Plaintiffs' federal allegations therefore must fall. 55 The same result does not obtain, however, under plaintiffs' pendent state claim. Mississippi law clearly holds that delay in bringing a prisoner before a magistrate may give rise to an action for false imprisonment. Dunning v. State, 1965, 251 Miss. 766, 171 So.2d 315, cert. denied, 386 U.S. 993, 87 S.Ct. 1310, 18 L.Ed.2d 339; Sheffield v. Reece, 1947, 201 Miss. 133, 28 So.2d 745; Anderson v. Beck, 1886, 64 Miss. 113, 8 So. 167. By statute every person making an arrest shall take the offender before the proper officer without unnecessary delay for examination of his case. Miss.Code Ann. § 2473. What constitutes unreasonable or unnecessary delay, of course, must be determined from the facts and circumstances of each case. See Czap v. Marshall, supra. 56 Defendants have attempted to meet their burden of justification by arguing that the failure was reasonable due to the large number of arrests, the weekend days on which the arrests were made, and the availability of a bonding procedure. 9 However, defendants have not demonstrated that these factors either frustrated any attempt to secure a magistrate or negated the obligation to do so. It is true that a number of those arrested were apparently permitted to make bond and thus to secure their release. As to those prisoners, many of the compelling reasons recognized by Mississippi law for immediate presentation for inquiry into the merits of the accusation disappear. But the Mississippi courts clearly hold that the theoretical availability of a bonding procedure does not immunize the incarceration of those arrested who either cannot make bond immediately or who were not permitted to do so. The sterile opportunity to make bond does not abate the right to a magistratical confrontation. See Sheffield v. Reece, supra, 28 So.2d at 746. It was the duty of the Natchez authorities to attempt to bring those who did not execute bond before a magistrate, rather than to herd them pell mell off to Parchman. Nor was this duty relinquished by the mere fact that there was a large number of arrests on a weekend. Mass arrests may create problems for the arresting officers, but the officers must make a reasonable effort to meet those problems in order to avoid the charge of unnecessary delay. There is nothing in this record to demonstrate that an unsuccessful attempt was made to secure a magistrate for any of the plaintiffs. In fact the record shows that no attempt was made. Similarly, we cannot hold that Mississippi would consider that its laws are so Sabbatized that they are automatically suspended over the weekend. Cf. Sheffield v. Reece, supra, 28 So.2d at 748-749. The case might be different if it were shown that a magistrate was unavailable, but no such showing was made here. Indeed it is questionable whether such a showing could have been made. Magistrates in Mississippi have authority to hear cases on both Saturday and Sunday. See Sheffield v. Reece, supra, 28 So.2d at 748. And there is no justification whatsoever for failure to bring those still incarcerated before a magistrate on Monday, October 4, which was the next date scheduled for a regular session of the local police court. On the basis of these undisputed facts, we hold that plaintiffs' state rights were violated. Judgment is therefore rendered for plaintiffs on liability as a matter of law. 57 Plaintiffs have raised other claims which, they contend, also compel a finding of liability for false imprisonment. 10 These claims do not rise to constitutional dimensions so that we must affirm judgment for defendants under section 1983. We also decline plaintiffs' invitation to nevertheless engage in the complexities surrounding the construction of these numerous Mississippi statutes under our pendent jurisdiction, for we find that plaintiffs' allegations simply constitute cumulative grounds which are subsumed under our basic finding of liability for false imprisonment lodged upon the failure to bring plaintiffs before a magistrate. See UMW v. Gibbs, supra, 383 U.S. at 726, 86 S.Ct. at 1139, 16 L.Ed.2d 218 (Needless decisions of state law should be avoided both as a matter of comity and to promote justice between the parties, by procuring for them a surer-footed reading of applicable law).