Opinion ID: 183408
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: analysis

Text: In determining whether qualified immunity applies, this court employs a two-step test, considering (1) whether, viewing the allegations in the light most favorable to the injured party, a constitutional right has been violated; and (2) whether that right was clearly established. Dorsey v. Barber, 517 F.3d 389, 394 (6th Cir. 2008). We have discretion to undertake the steps in either order. Pearson v. Callahan, 129 S. Ct. 808, 818 (2009). It is clearly established that “the First Amendment prohibits government officials from subjecting an individual to retaliatory actions, including criminal prosecutions, for speaking out.” Hartman v. Moore, 547 U.S. 250, 256 (2006). To state a prima facie First Amendment retaliation claim, Everson must establish (1) protected speech; (2) injury as a result of defendant’s actions; and (3) causation. See Mt. Healthy City Sch. Dist. Bd. of Educ. v. Doyle, 429 U.S. 274, 287 (1977). -5- No. 09-2183 Everson v. Calhoun County Picketts first argues that Everson’s allegations do not constitute a prima facie retaliation claim because they fail to establish a lack of probable cause, an element of causation. He is correct that § 1983 claims for retaliatory prosecution and arrest fail as a matter of law if the defendant had probable cause. See Hartman, 547 U.S. at 261-62 (Bivens claim for retaliatory prosecution); Barnes v. Wright, 449 F.3d 709, 720 (6th Cir. 2006) (retaliatory arrest). Probable cause exists when an officer has reasonably trustworthy information sufficient to warrant a prudent person in believing that a suspect has committed a crime. Gardenhire v. Schubert, 205 F.3d 303, 315 (6th Cir. 2000). In determining whether probable cause existed in this case, we examine the totality of the circumstances from the perspective of the arresting officer at the time of the arrest. Parsons v. City of Pontiac, 533 F.3d 492, 501 (6th Cir. 2008). In § 1983 actions, the existence of probable cause is a jury question unless only one reasonable determination is possible. Id. (citing Fridley v. Horrighs, 291 F.3d 867, 872 (6th Cir. 2002)). In this case, there are genuine disputes of material fact about whether Picketts intentionally changed Lemonious’s statement in his report, spoke privately with Mrs. Fitzpatrick in her home at length before she gave her formal statement, and influenced the content of Mrs. Fitzpatrick’s statement. Viewing the facts in the light most favorable to Everson, a reasonable jury could find that, at the time Picketts sought an arrest warrant for Everson, the information he had collected against her was not reasonably trustworthy. Because more than one reasonable determination as to probable cause is possible, it is therefore appropriate to allow the case to proceed to trial. Picketts’s argument that this court should accept the prosecutor’s and state court’s findings of probable cause as evidence that probable cause existed is inapposite. Because these probable -6- No. 09-2183 Everson v. Calhoun County cause determinations were based only on the evidence that Picketts included in his report—which did not describe the circumstances, as alleged by the plaintiff, surrounding Lemonious’s and Mrs. Fitzpatrick’s statements—we do not find them probative to the issue of whether Picketts had sufficient reasonably trustworthy information at the time of the arrest. Picketts also contends that the district court’s finding that genuine issues of material fact exist was erroneous because it relied on a series of unreasonable adverse inferences and omitted a number of relevant facts. But the “contention that the district court erred in finding a genuine issue of fact for trial is not the type of legal question which we may entertain on an interlocutory basis.” Gregory, 444 F.3d at 743. Although this court has recognized an apparent exception “‘where the trial court’s determination that a fact is subject to reasonable dispute is blatantly and demonstrably false,’” Moldowan, 578 F.3d at 370 (quoting Wysong v. Heath, 260 F. App’x 848, 853 (6th Cir. 2008)) (internal quotation marks omitted), that exception does not apply here. The district court noted the following disputed facts, among others: (1) when Picketts opened his investigation into Everson; (2) whether Lemonious told Picketts that Everson said she had not been raped; and (3) when and how Mrs. Fitzpatrick surfaced as a witness. All of these facts are material to the existence of probable cause. These facts are also genuinely in dispute: each party answers these questions differently, each party’s allegations of fact are supported by witness statements, and no objective evidence makes one party’s allegations obviously false. Cf. Scott v. Harris, 550 U.S. 372, 380-81 (2007) (finding no genuine dispute of material fact where video evidence blatantly contradicted the plaintiff’s allegation that he was driving carefully). Because the district court’s finding of genuine -7- No. 09-2183 Everson v. Calhoun County issues of material fact was not blatantly and demonstrably false, we lack jurisdiction to undertake further review in this regard.