Opinion ID: 382677
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Prosecutorial Liability Under Section 1983.

Text: 16 13. The next task on review is to determine whether the district court correctly dismissed the complaint against the prosecutors. The district court based its dismissal on prosecutorial immunity. In Imbler v. Pachtman, the Supreme Court outlined the contours of the immunity applicable to state prosecutors under section 1983 and held that prosecutors are absolutely immune from liability in initiating a prosecution and presenting the State's case. 424 U.S. 409, 430-31, 96 S.Ct. 984, 995, 47 L.Ed.2d 128 (1975). Thus, we must first determine whether the allegations against the state prosecutors here fit within the Imbler test of initiating and presenting the State's case. If we conclude affirmatively, the shield of absolute immunity attaches and our inquiry is at an end. 17 14. Henderson alleges that the prosecutors knew that his clothing was removed from the police locker, and that the clothing evidence would have acquitted him yet failed to take any corrective action. Henderson further alleges that this violates official responsibilities. 18 15. The handling of evidence is clearly within the sweep of initiating and presenting the State's case, and the prosecutor is immune from Section 1983 liability for such decisions. Imbler v. Pachtman, 424 U.S. 409, n. 33 at 431, 96 S.Ct. 984, n. 33 at 995, 47 L.Ed.2d 128 (1975). But the facts here alleged, knowing failure to preserve exculpatory evidence which was removed the morning of trial, present a more difficult question of whether such prosecutorial omission is within the absolutely protected scope of presenting the State's case. The Imbler Court recognized that determining when the prosecutor acts in his advocate's role-which has absolute immunity-and when he acts in his administrative or investigative roles would be a difficult task. Id. But although the facts here present a very close question, it is difficult to characterize a prosecutor's knowing failure to stop the removal of exculpatory material as presenting the State's case. Therefore, the prosecutorial act is protected from § 1983 liability by qualified, not absolute, immunity. Forsyth v. Kleindienst, 599 F.2d 1203, 1211-16 (3d Cir. 1979). 19 16. Therefore, the district court erred in dismissing the action against the prosecutors on the basis of absolute immunity. 3 20 17. The order of the district court dismissing the action against the campus police officer, Foster, and against the assistant district attorneys will be reversed. The district court's order will in all other respects be affirmed. 21