Opinion ID: 177847
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Qualified Immunity Applied to State Law Claims

Text: Pietroski also contends that he is entitled to qualified immunity against Raiche's excessive force claims asserted under state law. Our above analysis compels us to hold otherwise. Nevertheless, we will briefly address each state claim.
The MCRA is the state analog to § 1983 and provides a cause of action for an individual whose rights under the constitution or laws of either the United States or the Commonwealth of Massachusetts have been interfered with by threats, intimidation or coercion. Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 12, §§ 11H & I. Most importantly here, the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts has held that MCRA claims are subject to the same standard of immunity for police officers that is used for claims asserted under § 1983. Duarte v. Healy, 405 Mass. 43, 46, 537 N.E.2d 1230 (1989); see also Dean v. City of Worcester, 924 F.2d 364, 369-70 (1st Cir.1991). Raiche's MCRA claim, like his § 1983 claim, is based on the allegation that Pietroski used excessive force to arrest Raiche. Because we have already determined that Pietroski is not protected by qualified immunity with respect to the § 1983 excessive force claim, we likewise conclude that he is not entitled to qualified immunity against the MCRA claim alleging excessive force.
Massachusetts law allows for assault and battery claims against police officers who use excessive force in conducting an arrest. See Powers v. Sturtevant, 199 Mass. 265, 85 N.E. 84, 84 (1908) (holding that defendant officer had not the right to use unreasonable or excessive force and if he did, he is liable to the plaintiff for any injury suffered in consequence thereof); see also Dean, 924 F.2d at 369. However, Massachusetts law also allows an officer to use reasonable force in conducting a lawful arrest: reasonable force is a valid defense to assault and battery. See Dean, 924 F.2d at 369. Where a plaintiff alleges both a § 1983 excessive force claim and common law claims for assault and battery, our determination of the reasonableness of the force used under § 1983 controls our determination of the reasonableness of the force used under the common law assault and battery claims. See id. We have already held that Pietroski used excessive force; therefore, we must uphold the jury's verdict that Pietroski committed assault and battery. Pietroski also asserts that he is entitled to state qualified immunity against Raiche's common law claims of assault and battery. Massachusetts law is unsettled regarding the existence of a state-law concept analogous to federal qualified immunity. See Foster v. McGrail, 844 F.Supp. 16, 29 (D.Mass.1994). Despite uncertainty regarding the existence of state qualified immunity, we do not need to address this issue because we have already found that Pietroski is not entitled to qualified immunity at all. In conclusion, Pietroski is not entitled to qualified immunity against Raiche's excessive force claims made under state law for precisely the same reasons that he is not entitled to qualified immunity against Raiche's excessive force claim made under § 1983. We therefore affirm the denial of Pietroski's motion for judgment as a matter of law on the state law excessive force claims.