Opinion ID: 170333
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Factual Background: The Confrontation Between the Bradfords and the Deputies

Text: On August 16, 2003, Deputy Wiggins observed Debra Bradford, the Bradfords' daughter-in-law, allegedly speeding. Debra refused to stop, despite Deputy Wiggins's lights and siren, and finally pulled into the driveway of the home she shared with her spouse, Michael Bradford (Jack and Colleen Bradford's son). Debra refused to give Deputy Wiggins her driver's license or registration or get out of the car, screaming for Michael, who was inside. Michael, who has a history of weapons and assault offenses, a fact with which local police, including Deputy Wiggins, were familiar, emerged from the house screaming profanities. Deputy Wiggins instructed Michael to return inside, and proceeded to call for back-up. After Michael returned inside the home, he called his mother, Colleen Bradford, and asked her to come witness the events. Deputy Wiggins's first back-up  Deputy Womack and another officer  arrived and assisted Deputy Womack in getting Debra out of the car. (DVD, Title 2, dash cam time 20:07:00. [1] ) Shortly thereafter, Colleen and Jack Bradford arrived on the scene. By that time, several other armed officers and police vehicles had positioned themselves outside the home. The videos, officer incident reports, and the Bradfords' plea hearing testimony show that the officers repeatedly ordered the Bradfords to leave. The video also shows the Bradfords animatedly waving their arms as they spoke to the officers about drawing Michael out of the residence. Michael eventually emerged from the home, approaching the officers with his hands in the air, saying, Shoot me. Aplts' App. at 195 (Plea Hearing, dated Feb. 11, 2004). As Michael approached the police with hands still in the air, an officer then aggressively ran from the back and side of Michael, tackled him, and hand-cuffed him (see id. at 196; DVD, Title 1, 20:21:00). The DVD is not clear, and the parties contest exactly what occurred during Michael's take-down and arrest. The Bradfords allege that while they were stunned by the attack [on Michael] they stepped aside to get a view of Michael and the officer on the ground. Aplt's Br. at 20. A second later they allege Deputy Wiggins started pushing them back from the scene, yelling, Back off, back off, now! You both want to go to jail! . . . Back off! Id. The Bradfords claim that Deputy Womack helped Deputy Wiggins in restraining them, pushing Colleen to the ground, while Deputy Wiggins body-slammed Jack. They maintain that nothing in the video suggests they were even remotely tumultuous or violent towards anyone. Id. Deputies Wiggins and Womack offer a very different version of events. They allege that when Michael was tackled, the Bradfords tried to push their way past the officer's. Aples' Br. at 7. Deputy Womack claims that he extended his arm to prevent Ms. Bradford from getting any closer. They further state that they put Mr. Bradford in a wrist lock and took Ms. Bradford by the elbow and started pulling them away from Michael and the officers arresting him, Ms. Bradford, they claim, resisted and tripped, then fell to her backside on the ground, where another police officer placed her right arm in a twist lock and escorted her to the car. Id. at 7-8. Michael was then placed in the police car for transport, and everyone left the scene. The dashboard camera videos from Deputy Wiggins's and Deputy Womack's cars are hard to see and have intermittent sound. However, the tapes appear to show Michael calmly coming out of the house with his hands in the air, a police officer tackling him to the ground from behind, and the Bradfords running towards their son and being pushed back, out of frame, by the police. As the district court noted, for the purposes of summary judgment, we review the evidence in the light most favorable to the Bradfords. Simpson v. Univ. of Cola, 500 F.3d 1170, 1179 (10th Cir.2007); Aplts' App. at 402 (Dist. Ct. Order at 2, dated June 16, 2006).