Opinion ID: 556408
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Confrontation with Police and Subsequent Arrest

Text: 4 The violent confrontation that led to this suit occurred in a diner in the early morning of July 28, 1981. All of the parties to the dispute had been frequenting bars prior to their arrival at the diner. Plaintiffs Gentile and Rydstrom entered the diner first, accompanied by two female companions who were behaving in a loud and obnoxious manner. Plaintiffs' female companions subjected the individual defendants and their sole female companion to obscene remarks upon their initial entry into the diner, and then further harassed them after they were seated by throwing food at their table. Defendants Sisino, Christ, Rogers and Prim--all County policemen who were not in uniform--responded to this provocation by warning plaintiffs and then by using force. Plaintiffs claimed at trial that none of the defendants identified themselves as policemen in approaching them, while defendants testified that before the onset of the fight one of the officers had displayed his badge and asked plaintiffs to stop behaving in a disorderly manner. 5 In the course of the fight between plaintiffs and defendants, officer Rogers' gun fell to the ground. Plaintiffs testified that after recovering his gun Rogers pointed it at Rydstrom's head and threatened to shoot, an allegation denied by defendants. The fight eventually extended out into the parking lot in front of the diner, where plaintiff Gentile picked up and retained possession of Officer Sisino's wallet from the ground, allegedly believing that it belonged to Rydstrom. Sisino subsequently claimed that the wallet and accompanying identification were stolen from him as he was lying on his back outside the diner. 6 Shortly after plaintiffs drove away from the diner, uniformed County police arrived, responding to a call made by a diner employee. Although the police stopped plaintiffs' car near the diner, the commanding officer at the scene, Sergeant Dillworth, allowed plaintiffs to leave, believing that they were not criminally liable for their conduct at the diner. None of the four defendant officers, at least two of whom had suffered serious injuries, asked that plaintiffs be arrested for assault or robbery or even held for questioning. 7 Three days later, on July 31, 1981, plaintiffs were arrested after Sisino told his superiors that his badge had been stolen. Shortly after the incident, the Internal Affairs Division of the County Police Department began a departmental investigation. While Sergeant Dillworth was later charged with neglecting his duty for failing to detain plaintiffs, none of the four defendants actually involved in the fighting was charged with any wrong-doing. On November 27, 1981, plaintiffs were indicted on two counts of robbery against Sisino and three counts of assault against Sisino, Christ and Rogers.