Opinion ID: 3000549
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Defendant Officer Peslak

Text: As for the excessive force claim against Officer Peslak, the district court stated that “Gonzalo Duran alleges that Peslak hit and kicked him in the attempt to subdue and arrest him.” District Court Opinion at 83. The district court denied Officer Peslak summary judgment concluding that a reasonable jury could find that “Peslak either intended to cause [Gonzalo] harm or was deliberately indifferent to the risk of causing [him] harm.” District Court Opinion at 85. While on interlocutory appeal from the denial of qualified immunity we must accept the district court’s version of the factual record, we review de novo legal conclusions. See Leaf, 400 F.3d at 1077-78. And the question of reasonableness of force is a legal issue. See Bell, 321 F.3d at 640. In this case, as with Officers Sirgedas and Vitalo and Sergeant Krummick, under the circumstances confronting the officers, it was reasonable for Officer Peslak to hit and kick Gonzalo so as to effectuate the arrest.10 Therefore, Officer 9 As noted in our analysis of the claims against Officers Sirgedas and Vitalo, the unique facts of this case leave us without analogous case law, but the Graham factors support our conclusion. Alternatively, the lack of analogous case law would entitle Sergeant Krummick to qualified immunity. 10 Again, the Graham factors support this conclusion, and the lack of (continued...) Nos. 05-4278 & 05-4590 Page 20 Peslak did not violate Gonzalo’s Fourth Amendment rights and we reverse the district court’s denial of summary judgment to Officer Peslak on Gonzalo’s excessive force claim.