Opinion ID: 2979965
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Defendant Officers

Text: The district court granted summary judgment to Fisher, Pinkelton, Scott, Wright, Mallery, Smith and Brooks after finding that none of these officers used any amount of force on Lee that rose to the level of excessive force. Lee, 596 F. Supp. 2d at 1116. On appeal, Plaintiffs do not argue that any one of these Defendants used excessive force, instead, they argue that summary judgment was inappropriate because the officers could still have been liable for failing to prevent the use of excessive force against Lee. It is indeed possible to hold a police officer liable under § 1983 for failing to act to prevent the use of force when certain circumstances are met, see, e.g., Smoak v. Hall, 460 F.3d 768, 784 (6th Cir. 2006), but that presupposes that another officer used excessive force against the claimant. Here, the jury found that none of the other officers (Mays, Scruggs or Cregan) used excessive force against Lee and, as will be seen in Part II.C. infra, we decline to disturb that finding. Because we may affirm the district court’s grant of summary judgment on grounds other -9- No. 09-6083 Bud Lee, et al v. Metro. Govt. of Nashville, et al than those employed by the district court, see Thornton v. Fed. Express Corp., 530 F.3d 451, 456 n.2 (6th Cir. 2008), and because the jury’s verdict forecloses holding these officers liable for failing to act, we AFFIRM the district court’s grant of summary judgment as to these Defendants.