Opinion ID: 159615
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Wrongful Detention Claim

Text: 25 In denying Agent Childers's motion for summary judgment on the claim arising out of Ms. McFarland's October 25, 1996 detention, the district court cited evidence indicating that Ms. McFarland did not consent to the questioning at the Coal County Sheriff's office: 26 [Ms. McFarland] testifies that during the questioning by [Agent Childers], she asked to leave to go home and [Agent Childers] did not permit her to do so, facts which [Agent Childers] disputes. This action, if it occurred, transforms the investigative detention into a full-blown arrest, without any basis for doing so at that time given [Agent Childers's] testimony that Plaintiff was not a suspect in the murder under investigation. Taking [Ms. McFarland's] version of the facts as true as the non-moving party, which this Court is compelled to do for purposes of summary judgment, [Ms. McFarland's] conduct may rise to the level of a Fourth Amendment constitutional violation, given her explanation for the detention in light of the facts. This Court stresses that this conclusion is largely based upon [Agent Childers's] own testimony concerning her motivations for [Ms. McFarland's] detention. 27 Aplt's App. at 440 (Dist. Ct. Order, filed Feb. 4, 1999). 28 In her appellate brief, Agent Childers does not specifically address this evidence that the questioning of Ms. McFarland was not consensual. Instead, she merely identifies counter evidence: [a]ll of the officers involved have testified that during that initial contact, Plaintiff was not under arrest and was advised of such. Aplt's Br. at 18. She further argues that, even if the encounter was not consensual, the Coal County Sheriff rather than Agent Childers should be held responsible for it. By advancing this argument, Agent Childers in effect challenges the district court's finding that there is evidence in the record supporting the contention that Agent Childers prevented Ms. McFarland from leaving the Sheriff's office, thus rendering the encounter nonconsensual and allowing it to be characterized as an arrest. 1 29 Accordingly, Agent Childers's appellate argument requests this court to review the record to determine if the district court correctly interpreted th[e] facts to find a genuine dispute as to whether her encounter with Ms. McFarland was consensual. See Armijo, 159 F.3d at 1259. We lack jurisdiction over this kind of appeal of the denial of qualified immunity. See Johnson, 515 U.S. at 311; Armijo, 159 F.3d at 1259. Thus, Agent Childers's challenge to the denial of qualified immunity as to Ms McFarland's claim that she was wrongfully detained on October 25, 1996 will be dismissed. 30