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Pending before the Court are three Motions filed by Defendants. The first Motion for
Summary Judgment (Doc. No. 137) seeks summary judgment as to Plaintiffs’ federal law
claims and the claims against Barbara Barnett. The second Motion to Dismiss (Doc. No.
140) seeks the dismissal of the remaining claims on jurisdictional grounds. The third Motion
to Dismiss seeks dismissal of the remaining counts for punitive damages. For the reasons
I. FACTUAL BACKGROUND
This lawsuit stems from an incident that occurred near Arizona State Highway 80 just
outside of Douglas, Arizona on March 7, 2004. Plaintiffs–a group of sixteen Latino men and
women–claim that they were captured, assaulted, and unlawfully detained at gunpoint by
that Defendants hurled racial epithets at them, threatened them, and, in the case of one
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Plaintiff, physically assaulted them. Defendants claim that they were merely patrolling their
property and checking for damage, when their dog alerted and ran off. Because drug
smugglers frequently cross their property en route to the highway, Defendants were initially
worried that Plaintiffs might be involved in illegal drug trafficking–which was the reason for
the firearms. Defendants assert that they ceased to brandish the firearms in a threatening
manner once they realized that Plaintiffs did not pose an immediate threat. They then
detained Plaintiffs and contacted Border Patrol. A Border Patrol officer arrived shortly
thereafter. Defendants do not dispute that they were armed. Plaintiffs subsequently filed this
suit, alleging that Defendants’ violated several federal statutes enacted to protect victims of
race-based violence, and that Defendants committed various state torts against Plaintiffs.
II. STANDARD
and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(c); Celotex
Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322 (1986). “Where the record taken as a whole could not
lead a rational trier of fact to find for the non-moving party, there is no genuine issue of
material fact.” Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co. v. Zenith Radio Corp., 475 U.S. 574, 586 (1986).
The Court must view all evidence and draw all reasonable inferences in the light most
favorable to the non-movant. Eisenberg v. Insurance Co. of North America, 815 F.2d 1285,
1289 (9th Cir. 1987). In evaluating a motion for summary judgment, the Court must consider
the standard of proof required. Fina Oil & Chem. Co. v. Ewen, 123 F.3d 1466, 1472 (Fed.
Cir. 1997).
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Count I
In their first count, Plaintiffs allege that Defendants conspired to deprive Plaintiffs of
their right to interstate travel, in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1985(3). That statute provides, in
part:
If two or more persons in any State or Territory conspire, . . . for the purpose
of depriving, either directly or indirectly, any person or class of persons of the
equal protection of the laws, or of equal privileges and immunities under the
laws; . . . in any case of conspiracy set forth in this section, if one or more
persons engaged therein do, or cause to be done, any act in furtherance of the
object of such conspiracy, whereby another is injured in his person or property,
or deprived of having and exercising any right or privilege of a citizen of the
United States, the party so injured or deprived may have an action for the
recovery of damages occasioned by such injury or deprivation, against any one
or more of the conspirators.
42 U.S.C. § 1985(3). In order to establish a cause of action under this statute, a plaintiff must
(1) a conspiracy; (2) for the purpose of depriving . . . any person or class of
persons of the equal protection of the laws or of equal privileges and
immunities under the laws; and (3) an act in furtherance of this conspiracy; (4)
whereby a person is either injured in his person or property or deprived of any
right or privilege of a citizen of the United States.”
Sever v. Alaska Pulp Corp., 978 F.2d 1529, 1536 (9th Cir. 1992) (citation omitted). The
second element requires that the deprivation of that right be motivated by some racial or
In Griffin v. Breckenridge, 403 U.S. 88 (1971), the Supreme Court held that the right
of interstate travel “is assertable against private as well as governmental influence” for
purposes of § 1985(3). Since that time, the Supreme Court has not ruled squarely on the
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issue.1
Plaintiffs have established a general issue of material fact with regard to all these
elements. There is some evidence–in both the facts as they unfolded on the day in question
conspiracy, and that the conspiracy was intended to deprive individuals of their right to
interstate travel2 and was motivated by race. Plaintiffs have also offered evidence of an overt
act in furtherance of that conspiracy and of the resultant injury to Plaintiffs. This evidence
Count II
Count II alleges that Defendants deprived Plaintiffs of the “equal benefits of laws and
1
In United Broth. of Carpenters & Joiners of America, 463 U.S. 825, 832-33 (1983),
the Supreme Court noted, in dicta, that § 1985(3) reaches purely private conspiracies where
the constitutional right implicated exists against private actors. Thus First Amendment
violations could not form the basis of a § 1985(3) claim, as that amendment protects only
against state action. The Supreme Court went on to note that § 1985(3) “constitutionally can
and does protect [the right to travel] from interference by purely private conspiracies.” Id.
(discussing Griffin).
Dicta in Bray v. Alexandria Women’s Health Clinic, 506 U.S. 263, 278 (1993)
distinguished this concept, characterizing the right of travel “protected against private, as
well as official, encroachment” as having been recognized in the Thirteenth Amendment
context.
In Saenz v. Roe, 526 U.S. 489, 498 (1999), however, the Supreme Court noted–again
in dicta–that the right to travel “is so important that it is assertable against private
interference and well as governmental action . . . a virtually unconditional personal right,
guaranteed by the Constitution to us all.” Id. (citations and quotations omitted).
2
Whether Plaintiffs have a right to interstate travel is not the issue here. Plaintiffs
have come forward with evidence that Defendants targeted Latino individuals, and there is
no indication that Defendants took any precautions to limit their actions to non-citizens. The
conspiracy alleged was for the purpose of denying Latinos–citizens or not–of the right to
interstate travel.
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proceedings for security of persons and property” in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1981. That
All persons within the jurisdiction of the United States shall have the same
right in every State and Territory . . . to the full and equal benefits of all laws
and proceedings for the security of persons and property as is enjoyed by white
citizens . . .
Id. The elements of a claim under § 1981 are as follows: (1) the Plaintiff is a member of a
group protected by the statute; (2) violation of one of the rights protected under the statute,3
including the “equal benefits” of laws and proceedings for the security of persons and
property; and (3) discriminatory intent. The language in subsection (c) makes it clear that
the statute protects against private parties as well as state actors.4 As Defendants’ only
argument for summary judgment is based on their mistaken assertion that § 1981 requires
Count VII
Plaintiffs allege in Count VII that Defendants’ conduct constituted negligence per se
3
The statute also protects the right to make and enforce contracts, to sue, to be parties
and to give evidence, but both all parties agree those rights are not implicated here.
4
The cases Defendants cite to the contrary are dated prior to the 1991 congressional
amendment which added the “nongovernmental discrimination” language, and thus are not
applicable here.
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and thus Defendants are liable to Plaintiffs. Defendants assert that no such cause of action
exists. Plaintiffs argue that a breach of statute intended to protect the public safety is
recognized, in Arizona, as not merely evidence of negligence, but negligence per se. Crown
v. Raymond, 159 Ariz. 87, 89, 764 P.2d 1146, 1148 (App.1988). Plaintiffs further argue that
Defendants acted in violation of Arizona’s anti-militia statute. A.R.S. § 26-123. This statute,
like other statutes regulating firearms, is motivated at least in part by a concern for public
safety.5 As such, Plaintiffs are not attempting to enforce a private right of action for violation
of A.R.S. § 26-123, as Defendants’ assert, but are rather using the alleged violation of A.R.S.
§ 26-123 to establish their negligence claim. Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment
Plaintiffs include Barbara Barnett in their claims for false arrest, negligence,
negligence per se, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Defendants claim that
Defendant Barbara Barnett should not be included in these counts, because she “show[ed]
up after [Defendant] Roger [Barnett] had encountered [Plaintiffs].” (Defs.’ Mot. for Summ.
J., Doc. No. 137, at 14-15). Plaintiffs contend, however, that Defendant Barbara Barnett,
who was armed at the time, aided Defendant Roger Barnett in his alleged illegal detention
of Plaintiffs. Defendant Barbara Barnett “was present at the scene of the incident where
Plaintiffs were assaulted, battered, and detained by Defendant Roger Barnett.” (Pls.’ Resp.
5
Defendants’ claim to the contrary–that the statute is directed solely at protecting the
state from a rival military power–is unsupported.
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to Defs.’ Mot. for Summ. J., Doc. No. 157, at 29). “One . . . who participates in the unlawful
confinement of another is subject to liability to the other for false imprisonment.” Rest. 2d
Torts § 45A; see Bruce v. Chas Roberts Air Conditioning, Inc., 166 Ariz. 221, 227, 801 P.2d
In addition to participating in the false arrest, Plaintiffs also allege that Defendant
Barbara Barnett’s actions–her presence, her verbal abuse, and her involvement in forcibly
detaining Plaintiffs–constitute negligence, negligence per se (as discussed above) and the
emotional distress, Plaintiffs must show the following elements: (1) extreme and outrageous
disregard for the near certainty that such distress would result from their conduct; and (3)
severe emotional distress on the part of Plaintiffs. Johnson v. McDonald, 197 Ariz. 155, 160,
3 P3d. 1075, 1080 (App. 1999). Plaintiffs have presented sufficient evidence of these
elements to survive Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment. A reasonable jury could
find that Defendant Barbara Barnett’s participation in a conspiracy to violate the rights of
individuals based on their race, her participation in the forcible detention of those individuals
at gunpoint, and her verbal abuse of those individuals constitute extreme and outrageous
conduct, and that her conduct demonstrated either intent to cause severe emotional distress
or reckless disregard.6
6
Defendants do not claim that Plaintiffs suffered no severe emotional distress, so that
element is not discussed here.
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Punitive Damages
Defendants also seek dismissal of Plaintiffs’ claims for punitive damages, arguing that
the conduct alleged by Plaintiffs does not rise to the level of outrageous conduct guided by
an evil mind, as required by Arizona law. Rawlings v. Apodaca, 151 Ariz. 149, 162, 726
In order to satisfy the evil mind requirement, Plaintiffs must establish one of three
things: (1) Defendants intended to cause injury; (2) Defendants’ conduct was motivated by
spite; or (3) Defendants’ actions were self-serving and were the product of a conscious
disregard of a substantial risk of harm to others. Bradshaw v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co.,
157 Ariz. 41, 422, 758 P.2d 1313, 1324 (1988). Plaintiffs’ have alleged facts sufficient to
survive a Motion to Dismiss on the issue of the evil mind requirement–particularly given
at gunpoint, threatening them (arguably with both a gun and a dog), and verbally and even
Accordingly,
Claims (Counts 1-2) and Claims Against Barbara Barnett (Doc. No. 137) is DENIED.
7
Defendants initially also argued that Proposition 102, now Article 2, § 35 of the
Arizona Constitution precludes the award of punitive damages. They have since requested
permission to withdraw this portion of their argument with permission to renew it at the
appropriate time. Accordingly, that argument is not discussed here.
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