Opinion ID: 2996704
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Officer Anderson’s involvement in the arrest

Text: Mr. Morfin maintains that the district court also erred in granting summary judgment to Officer Anderson on Mr. Morfin’s Fourth Amendment claim on the ground that Officer Anderson was not personally involved in the arrest. In his submissions to this court, however, Mr. Morfin barely mentions Officer Anderson and has failed to argue how Officer Anderson’s involvement implicates him in the alleged constitutional violation. Therefore, we could affirm the district court’s judgment in favor of Officer Anderson simply on the basis that Mr. Morfin has waived any argument with respect to Officer Anderson’s liability. See, e.g., Sere v. Bd. of Trustees of the Univ. of Illinois, 852 F.2d 285, 287 (7th Cir. 1988) (noting that the court has “consistently and evenhandedly” applied the waiver doctrine when an appellant fails to present issues, supported by appropriate judicial authority, in his opening brief). However, even a cursory review of the record reveals that Officer Anderson’s only involvement with Mr. Morfin was to transport him from the barbershop to the ECPD for booking. Officer Anderson was Mr. Morfin’s temporary custodian and nothing else. This action, without more, does not suffice to hold Officer Anderson liable for the alleged constitutional violations against Mr. Morfin. See Maltby v. Winston, 36 F.3d 548, 559 (7th Cir. 1994) (holding that sheriff who transported and otherwise acted as custodian of arrestee could not be liable for alleged constitutional violation of arrest without 13 (...continued) Arnott v. Mataya, 995 F.2d 121, 124 (8th Cir. 1993). Because the facts within Officer Kovats’ knowledge at the time of the arrest are a matter of dispute between the parties, summary judgment on the basis of “arguable probable cause” also is inappropriate. No. 02-3113 21 probable cause). We therefore affirm summary judgment in favor of Officer Anderson.