Opinion ID: 203339
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Defendants' DVD

Text: As an initial matter, there is some question surrounding the admissibility of a Spanish-language DVD submitted by the defendants without any accompanying affidavits. The DVD is a segment of a local news program that played footage of the day's events. In their motion for summary judgment, the defendants relied heavily on the DVD. Citing to the Supreme Court's decision in Scott v. Harris, ___ U.S. ___, 127 S.Ct. 1769, 167 L.Ed.2d 686 (2007), the defendants argued that the video disproves the plaintiffs' factual allegations of interference with news gathering and use of excessive force. Although the plaintiffs did not file a motion to strike the DVD evidence, they disputed the DVD's authenticity in their opposition to summary judgment. [1] Specifically, the plaintiffs asserted that the DVD appeared to be heavily edited, and the lack of any affidavits attesting to the DVD's authenticity required a finding that the evidence was not proper for consideration at summary judgment. In its order, the district court noted the plaintiffs' objections to the DVD and stated: We, therefore, base our discussion on Plaintiffs' version of the facts. Asociación de Periodistas de Puerto Rico v. Mueller, No. 06-1931, slip op. at 12 (D.P.R. June 12, 2007). Although the court did not formally strike the DVD from the record, we think it reasonable to conclude that the district court excluded it in its consideration of the summary judgment motion. Accordingly, we likewise decline to consider the DVD in our review. Cf. Livick v. Gillette Co., 524 F.3d 24, 28 (1st Cir.2008) ([W]e will not disturb the district court's [decision to exclude evidence] unless the record demonstrates an error of law or a serious lapse of judgment on the part of the court.). We make no ruling on the admissibility of a properly authenticated DVD on remand.