Opinion ID: 76222
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Pepper-Spraying

Text: 31 In his affidavit submitted in opposition to the motions for summary judgment, McCormick claims that he had his back to the door when Officer Welker entered the Laundry to find Capuano's assailant. McCormick says that he was unaware that a police officer was in the Laundry and that he made no verbal or visual contact with Officer Welker before receiving a burst of pepper spray to the face. McCormick contends that he was pepper-sprayed when he turned to face an unknown person who was shouting, Hey, hey, hey. According to McCormick's affidavit opposing summary judgment, he would have submitted to Officer Welker had he been asked to do so. 14 32 Assuming — as we must at summary judgment — McCormick's version of the events leading to the first application of pepper spray, McCormick has stated no constitutional violation. When Officer Welker first confronted McCormick inside the Laundry, he already had seen Capuano's bleeding head wound and had probable cause to believe that McCormick had committed a violent felony. Upon seeing McCormick armed with the stick inside the Laundry, Officer Welker — who responded alone to this scene of violence — could have reasonably determined that McCormick still posed a threat of further violence. Officer Welker's use of a nonlethal weapon that would impose no lasting injury on McCormick was proportional to the threat posed by McCormick. Vinyard, 311 F.3d at 1348 ([P]epper spray is a very reasonable alternative to escalating a physical struggle with an arrestee.). 33 McCormick argues that the Constitution plainly prohibited an application of pepper spray to a suspect of a violent felony without first giving the suspect a warning and an opportunity to submit. We read no such requirement into the Constitution. We have discovered — and McCormick has argued — no constitutional requirement for Officer Welker to give advance warning to McCormick that pepper spray would be used if McCormick did not immediately submit to Officer Welker's authority. 15 The constitutional requirement that the use of force be reasonable includes no requirement to warn a violent felon — in circumstances like these — that the use of pepper spray is forthcoming. 34 Pepper spray is an especially noninvasive weapon and may be one very safe and effective method of handling a violent suspect who may cause further harm to himself or others. Shock and surprise may be proper and useful tools in avoiding unnecessary injury to everyone involved when dealing with potentially violent suspects. Given that pepper spray ordinarily causes only temporary discomfort, it may be reasonably employed against potentially violent suspects, especially those suspects who have already assaulted another person and remain armed. 35 Officer Welker had probable cause to believe that McCormick had committed a violent felony when he saw the bleeding Capuano and good reason to believe McCormick still posed a threat of violence when he saw McCormick armed with the stick. Even assuming McCormick's version of events, Officer Welker's surprise use of pepper spray to subdue McCormick was proportionate to the potential threat and reasonable under the circumstances. 16