Opinion ID: 1752570
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Officer Telthorster's Proof

Text: Officer Telthorster testified by deposition that during the high-speed chase he observed Tennell moving his free hand around inside the cab of his truck. When they finally arrived at Tennell's house, Tennell beeped his horn in an apparent attempt to attract the attention of those inside. When Tennell stepped out of his truck, Telthorster couldn't see ... part of [Tennell's] side and front and therefore wasn't sure whether [Tennell] had a gun... on him or not. While Tennell was face-down on the ground, Tennell appeared to be struggling with Officer Bailey. Officer Telthorster testified that he did not have time to determine what Tennell was trying to do because this all happened within a few seconds. In addition to his own testimony, Telthorster presented an affidavit from Officer Michael Patton, a law-enforcement academy director and an officer with twenty years of experience. Patton testified that a reasonable officer would be instructed to consider the likelihood that force would be necessary to subdue a suspect who had led officers on a high-speed chase. Patton emphasized the situation's uncertainty, stating that pursuing officers cannot know a suspect's motivation to flee or whether a suspect, in continuing a demonstrated resistance to arrest, might attempt to injure someone. In fact, Patton stated, such a suspect could be wanted for a serious crime and could be evading arrest for that reason. Thus, according to Patton, [u]nder the circumstances presented by Tennell's own actions, a reasonable officer would consider it appropriate for the police officers present to draw and have ready their firearms for the safety of the officers [and] the general public.... Indeed, at least one officer should, under such circumstances, keep a firearm unholstered and ready up until the time Mr. Tennell was secured by handcuffs or any other form of restraint and was searched for a weapon incidental to his arrest. Patton determined that Officer Telthorster's use of his gun under the facts of this incident was a reasonable exercise of his discretion, in accordance with standard officer training. Patton concluded that the discharge of [Telthorster's] firearm was an inadvertent and unexpected mistake which seems to have been caused during the struggle to handcuff the suspect. Although this accident caused some injury to Mr. Tennell, the occurrence of this accident does not demonstrate any impropriety in Officer Telthorster's conduct. We believe that Officer Telthorster's testimony and Patton's affidavit conclusively demonstrate that a reasonably prudent officer might have decided to keep his gun drawn under circumstances similar to those presented in this case and therefore establish that Telthorster acted in good faith for official-immunity purposes. Tennell and the court of appeals focus on the fact that Tennell turned out to be unarmed and thus presented no risk of harm. 84 S.W.3d at 6. But that conclusion is unduly informed by hindsight. The proper focus is on whether a reasonable officer could have believed that the circumstances were such that Telthorster's conduct was justified based on the information he possessed at the time. See Chambers, 883 S.W.2d at 656-57; see also Rowland, 41 F.3d at 172 ([T]he immunity inquiry must be filtered through the lens of the officer's perceptions at the time of the incident....). Telthorster testified that during the seconds before the accident he could not be certain that Tennell was unarmed. Additionally, Patton's affidavit establishes that a reasonable officer, under the circumstances of this case, could have believed that his gun should have been drawn and ready to fire, at least up until Tennell had been handcuffed and searched for weapons. And given that Telthorster believed that Tennell, in moving his arms, was struggling with Officer Bailey, a reasonable officer, based on the facts that Telthorster perceived at the time, might have decided to help Officer Bailey handcuff Tennell. Under the uncertain and tense circumstances described, Patton concluded that the incident did not reveal any impropriety by Telthorster. We hold that Telthorster met his summary judgment burden to establish good faith.