Opinion ID: 428601
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Malloy

Text: 8 The trial court concluded that, under Imbler v. Pachtman, 424 U.S. 409, 96 S.Ct. 984, 47 L.Ed.2d 128 (1976), Deputy District Attorney Malloy was protected from damage liability under Sec. 1983 by either absolute or qualified immunity. Ybarra contends that, when Malloy authorized the release of the mobile home, he was acting in an investigative capacity, which warrants only qualified immunity. He also contends that a genuine issue of material fact exists as to whether Malloy is entitled to even qualified immunity. We conclude the district court was correct in holding that Malloy is absolutely immune, as a matter of law, from damages liability under Sec. 1983. 9 The leading case on the scope of prosecutorial immunity is Imbler v. Pachtman, 424 U.S. 409, 96 S.Ct. 984, 47 L.Ed.2d 128 (1976), in which the complaint, filed under Sec. 1983, alleged that the prosecutor knowingly introduced perjured testimony. The Supreme Court held the prosecutor was absolutely immune from a Sec. 1983 suit for damages for his quasi-judicial activity. Id. at 430-31, 96 S.Ct. at 994-95. In so holding, the Court concluded that the public trust of the prosecutor's office would suffer if the prosecutor, in making his or her decisions, were constrained by the threat of potential liability in a suit for damages. Id. at 424-25, 96 S.Ct. at 992-93. The Court relied on a statement by Judge Learned Hand: 10 As is so often the case, the answer must be found in a balance between the evils inevitable in either alternative. In this instance it has been thought in the end better to leave unredressed the wrongs done by dishonest officers than to subject those who try to do their duty to the constant dread of retaliation. 11 Id. at 428, 96 S.Ct. at 994 (quoting Gregorie v. Biddle, 177 F.2d 579, 581 (2d Cir.1949), cert. denied, 339 U.S. 949, 70 S.Ct. 803, 94 L.Ed. 1363 (1950)). The Court emphasized, however, that criminal sanctions are available to deter prosecutorial misconduct or to punish that which occurs. Id. 424 U.S. at 428-29, 96 S.Ct. at 994. 12 Absolute prosecutorial immunity exists if the prosecutor acts within the scope of his or her authority and in a quasi-judicial capacity. Id. at 430-31, 96 S.Ct. at 994-95; Beard v. Udall, 648 F.2d 1264, 1271 (9th Cir.1981) (per curiam). The focus of the analysis, particularly under the second prong, is on the nature or function of the prosecutor's activity. See Imbler, 424 U.S. at 430-31, 96 S.Ct. at 994-95; Mancini v. Lester, 630 F.2d 990, 992 (3d Cir.1980). If the prosecutor acts as an advocate in initiating a prosecution and in presenting the state's case, absolute immunity is warranted. Imbler, 424 U.S. at 430-31, 96 S.Ct. at 994-95. The Court, however, left open the question of whether absolute immunity attaches to a prosecutor's acts that are functionally administrative or investigative. Id. at 430-31, 96 S.Ct. at 994-95. Beard, 648 F.2d at 1271 n. 8. Thus, we hold that the decision to release evidence, under the circumstances of this case, was an exercise of the prosecutorial function entitled to absolute immunity under the reasoning of Freeman. Freeman on Behalf of the Sanctuary v. Hittle, 708 F.2d 442, 443 (9th Cir.1983) (per curiam). 13 Here Ybarra alleged that Malloy knowingly breached his duty to preserve exculpatory material and that such a breach constitutes a denial of due process under Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83, 87, 83 S.Ct. 1194, 1196, 10 L.Ed.2d 215 (1963). Under the first prong of the test, Ybarra contends that Malloy's action cannot fall within his scope of authority because it is unconstitutional. 14 The same argument was advanced and rejected in Briggs v. Goodwin, 569 F.2d 10, 15-16 (D.C.Cir.1977), cert. denied, 437 U.S. 904, 98 S.Ct. 3089, 57 L.Ed.2d 1133 (1978). There the court correctly concluded that such logic would totally abrogate the immunity doctrine because any allegation that an official, acting under color of law, has deprived someone of his rights necessarily implies that ... the official exceeded his authority. Id. at 15. As a result, the court held that the proper test for detaining scope of authority is whether the prosecutor performed a kind of act not  'manifestly or palpably beyond his authority', but rather 'having more or less connection with the general matters committed to his control or supervision.'  Id. at 16 (quoting Spalding v. Vilas, 161 U.S. 483, 498, 16 S.Ct. 631, 637, 40 L.Ed. 780 (1896)). Such a test is consistent with our recent decision in Beard, 648 F.2d at 1271. Applying this guideline here, we conclude that, when Malloy gave the order to release Ybarra's trailer, he was acting well within his authority as a deputy district attorney, empowered to preserve or to release the alleged crime scene as evidence. 15 Ybarra's second contention concerns the second prong of the test--whether the challenged activity is quasi-judicial. He argues that Malloy is entitled to only qualified immunity because the release of the mobile home was not a quasi-judicial act. In support, Ybarra contends that the release occurred before the start of grand jury proceedings or any other formal incident of prosecution, and that Malloy's order was ministerial. 16 We conclude first that the precise timing of the release is not dispositive on the question of the nature of the activity. A similar argument was rejected in Briggs because it was recognized that the advocate's role could entail certain 'actions preliminary to the initiation of a prosecution and actions apart from the courtroom.'  569 F.2d at 23 (quoting Imbler, 424 U.S. at 431 n. 33, 96 S.Ct. at 995 n. 33). Secondly, we note that the ministerial-discretionary analysis urged upon us by Ybarra has given way to the functional analysis set forth in Imbler. Id. at 16 n. 7. The proper focus, it must be emphasized, is on the nature of the challenged activity. 17 Employing this functional analysis, we conclude that Malloy's release of the mobile home was a quasi-judicial act that entitled him to absolute immunity. The fact is that Malloy authorized the release of the home after Ybarra was placed in custody and after the police had concluded their investigation of the alleged crime scene. At that point, the inquiry by Reno police as to whether Malloy wished the mobile home secured and preserved as evidence was directed to Malloy as both an advocate in preparation of his prosecution of Ybarra, and as an officer of the court whose duty to do justice encompassed at least a duty to inform Ybarra of evidence Malloy knew to be exculpatory. See Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83, 87, 83 S.Ct. 1194, 1196, 10 L.Ed.2d 215 (1963). Hence, we need not reach the merits of the Brady question 2 to find Malloy absolutely immune from Sec. 1983 damage liability. 18 First, we hold that, insofar as Malloy's decision to release the home can be characterized as investigative, as Ybarra contends, our recent decision in Freeman bars relief. In Freeman we held, [i]nvestigative functions carried out pursuant to the preparation of a prosecutor's case also enjoy absolute immunity. 703 F.2d at 443 (citations omitted). 19 Second, we note that the Imbler court recognized that [p]reparation, both for the initiation of the criminal process and for a trial, may require the obtaining, reviewing, and evaluating of evidence. At some point, and with respect to some decisions, the prosecutor no doubt functions as an administrator rather than as an officer of the court. 424 U.S. at 431 n. 33, 96 S.Ct. at 995 n. 33. In acting either to preserve or release evidence, the primary consideration, viewed objectively, is whether the prosecutor needs the evidence to prosecute. Clearly this consideration concerning the sufficiency of available evidence cannot be characterized as merely administrative or, as suggested by Freeman, merely investigative. This decision goes to the heart of the advocate's role in initiating a prosecution and in presenting the State's case. Imbler, 424 U.S. at 431, 96 S.Ct. at 995. See also Simons v. Bellinger, 643 F.2d 774, 784-85 (D.C.Cir.1980) (immunity attaches when activity focuses on particular criminal proceeding). Malloy's concern over the administrative problems associated with preserving the home as evidence does not strip the act of its prosecutorial functions. 3 The analysis is objective; we are not concerned with Malloy's thought process or his intent. Thus, we hold that, insofar as the decision to release the home can be characterized as administrative, as Ybarra contends, the reasoning behind Freeman also applies. Because the function was carried out pursuant to the preparation of the prosecutor's case, it also warrants absolute immunity. 20 Moreover, assuming arguendo Malloy had a duty to preserve the evidence under these facts, that duty would arise from his role as an officer of the court charged to do justice. See Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83, 87, 83 S.Ct. 1194, 1196, 10 L.Ed.2d 215 (1963). An act or an omission concerning such a duty cannot be construed as only administrative or investigative; it too is necessarily related to Malloy's preparation to prosecute. See Imbler, 424 U.S. at 431 n. 33, 96 S.Ct. at 995 n. 33. 21 Finally, we agree with the district court that Ybarra's claim is the type of claim against which the Imbler court wished to immunize. As the district court stated, 22 In this case, the gravamen of the plaintiffs' claim [is] that the prosecutor suppressed or failed to preserve potential evidence thereby denying the plaintiff due process and a fair trial. The plaintiff is trying to subject the prosecutor to liability and damages for his subsequent imprisonment. In order to prevail, plaintiff must prove that he was denied a fair trial by the suppression of evidence which would in effect require a virtual retrial of the criminal offense in a new forum and the resolution of some highly technical issues by a lay jury. This is exactly the type of claim the United States Supreme Court, in its wisdom, wanted to prevent and recognized would be better handled by various post trial remedies available to those who stand convicted of a criminal offense. 23 We also note that, as in Imbler, 424 U.S. at 428-29, 96 S.Ct. at 994, criminal sanctions for obstruction of justice are available here to punish proven misconduct. 24 Ybarra relies on Henderson v. Fisher, 631 F.2d 1115 (3rd Cir.1980) (per curiam). In Henderson, the court held that the prosecutor's alleged knowing failure to prevent the removal of certain exculpatory material on the day of trial warranted qualified instead of absolute immunity. Id. at 1120. The court reasoned that such a knowing failure could not be construed as presenting the State's case under Imbler. Id. 25 We reject the Henderson court's reasoning because it reflects the scope-of-authority logic rejected in Briggs. In essence, the Henderson court erroneously merged the two prongs of the immunity test by: (1) adopting that illogic and (2) applying, as a remedy, the qualified immunity reserved for non-quasi-judicial activity. In short, the Henderson court ignored the admittedly harsh policy expressed in Imbler of leaving unredressed the wrongs done by dishonest officers [instead of subjecting] those who try to do their duty to the constant dread of retaliation. 424 U.S. at 428, 96 S.Ct. at 994. Thus, Malloy's decision to release the mobile home entitles him to absolute immunity.