Opinion ID: 677327
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Events According to the Complaint

Text: 3 On the evening of October 29, 1990, Castro, an elderly widow, was at home in her Amsterdam apartment when the individual defendants, without a warrant and without warning, broke into her apartment. The officers searched Castro for a weapon and proceeded to search her apartment, overturning furniture, removing mattresses, and emptying containers. After 15-20 minutes, the officers left, realizing that they had entered the wrong apartment. 4 Castro alleged that, as a result of these events, she became frightened, experienced heart palpitations and was subjected to extreme embarrassment, humiliation and social opprobrium (Complaint p 22), and that she lost her peace of mind and has suffered greatly (id. p 23). 5 The complaint alleged that the activity of defendants arose out of the negligent and wrongful execution of their acts [ ]at the home of the plaintiff, rather than at the correct home where the entry and search was [sic ] supposed to occur (id. p 11); that solely through the negligence and carelessness of defendants did their actions arise and were carried out in the entry and searching of the wrong home (id. p 12); and that the home/apartment of plaintiff was improperly identified by defendants in the pursuit of the search and seizure (id. p 19). 6 Castro initially brought suit in 1991 against the United States, Montgomery County, New York, and the county sheriff. Her complaint against the United States was dismissed because she had not complied with the FTCA's administrative exhaustion requirements. Castro settled her claims against the county and the sheriff for $5,000. 7 After complying with the FTCA administrative prerequisites, Castro commenced the present action in October 1992, seeking $70,000 in damages against the federal agents and the United States, jointly and severally, under the FTCA and Bivens.