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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK --------------------------------------------------------------x ERIC CAMPBELL, individually and as the : Administrator d.b.n. of the Estate of Erick : Campbell; MICHAEL CAMPBELL, as the : Administrator of the Estate of Robert : Campbell; and AIDA CAMPBELL, : Plaintiffs, : v. : : CITY OF YONKERS; POLICE OFFICER : OPINION AND ORDER TIMOTHY COOPER; POLICE OFFICER : THOMAS BRAIG; POLICE OFFICER : ADAM WALENCIK; DETECTIVE THOMAS : 19 CV 2117 (VB) MARELLO; SERGEANT MARK WISSNER; : DETECTIVE BRIAN MENTON; : DETECTIVE TERENCE MALONE; : SERGEANT JOSEPH BAROSA; : DETECTIVE MICHAEL MCGEE; AGENT : BRENDAN KENNEY; AGENT ANDREW : FISHER; AGENT DANIEL CONLON; and : AGENT DANIEL MCKENNA, : Defendants. : --------------------------------------------------------------x ERIC CAMPBELL, individually and as the : Administrator d.b.n. of the Estate of Erick : Campbell; MICHAEL CAMPBELL, as the : Administrator of the Estate of Robert : Campbell; and AIDA CAMPBELL, : 19 CV 9444 (VB) Plaintiffs, : v. : : UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, : Defendant. : --------------------------------------------------------------x Briccetti, J.: These consolidated actions arise out of the attempted arrest and fatal shooting of Erick Campbell during a surveillance operation conducted by federal and local law enforcement officers. Plaintiffs, members of Campbellâs family and the administrator of his estate,1 bring federal and related state law claims against the law enforcement officers involved in the operation, the City of Yonkers, and the United States of America, pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and Monell v. Department of Social Services, 436 U.S. 658 (1978) (âMonellâ), Bivens v. Six Unknown Named Agents of Fed. Bureau of Narcotics, 403 U.S. 388 (1971) (âBivensâ), and the Federal Tort Claims Act (âFTCAâ). Now pending are four motions for summary judgment, filed by (i) Federal Bureau of Investigation (âFBIâ) Special Agents Brendan Kenney, Andrew Fisher, and Daniel Conlon; Supervising Special Agent Daniel McKenna (the âFBI defendantsâ); and the United States (together with the FBI defendants, the âfederal defendantsâ) (Doc. #169 and FTCA Doc. #89);2 (ii) Tarrytown Police Department (âTPDâ) Detective Michael McGee and Sergeant Joseph Barosa (the âTarrytown defendantsâ) (Doc. #174); (iii) Yonkers Police Department (âYPDâ) Officers Timothy Cooper, Thomas Braig, and Adam Walencik; Sergeant Mark Wissner; Detectives Thomas Marello and Brian Menton; and the City of Yonkers (the âYonkers defendantsâ) (Doc. #178); and (iv) Westchester County Police Department (âWCPDâ) Detective Terence Malone (Doc. #186).3 1 Plaintiff Eric Campbell is Campbellâs son and the administrator of his estate. Plaintiff Aida Campbell is Campbellâs mother. Robert Campbell, Campbellâs father, was a plaintiff in these cases, both individually and as the original administrator of Campbellâs estate, before his death in September 2021. Michael Campbell was then substituted as a plaintiff, in his capacity as the administrator of Robert Campbellâs estate. 2 Unless otherwise noted, âDoc. #__â refers to documents filed in the lead case, 19 Civ. 2117; âFTCA Doc. #__â refers to documents filed in the member case, 19 Civ. 9444. 3 The individual defendants who are not FBI agentsâBarosa, Braig, Cooper, Malone, Marello, McGee, Menton, Walencik, and Wissnerâare collectively referred to herein as the âlocal police defendants.â For the following reasons, the federal defendantsâ and the Yonkers defendantsâ motions are GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART, and the Tarrytown defendantsâ and Maloneâs motions are GRANTED. The Court has subject-matter jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331 and 1367. BACKGROUND The Court presumes the partiesâ familiarity with the factual allegations and procedural history of these actions, including the Courtâs Opinion and Order dated September 15, 2020, which ruled on the federal defendantsâ and Maloneâs motions to dismiss. (Doc. #107 and FTCA Doc. #34 (the âMTD Decisionâ)).4 Accordingly, the Court summarizes below only the relevant background, as reflected in the partiesâ memoranda of law, statements of undisputed material facts pursuant to Local Civil Rule 56.1, and supporting declarations and exhibits. I. The Task Force When the events relevant to this action occurred, the FBI defendants and three of the local police defendants, Marello, Menton, and Malone, were members of the FBI Westchester County Safe Streets Gang and Violent Crime Task Force, Squad C-26 (the âtask forceâ). Marello, Menton, and Malone were formally deputized and assigned to serve as Task Force Officers (âTFOsâ), pursuant to Memorandums of Understanding between the FBI and their respective agencies. (Doc. #187-3). The other individual defendants were not members of the task force. However, they agreed to assist with the surveillance operation, at the request of Kenney and Menton.5 4 The operative pleadings in these consolidated actions are plaintiffsâ October 11, 2019, complaint filed against the United States (FTCA Doc. #1 (âCompl.â)), and plaintiffsâ November 4, 2019, second amended complaint, filed against all other named defendants (Doc. #67 (âSACâ)). 5 The individual defendants are collectively referred to herein as the âteam.â II. The Surveillance Operation In the month before the surveillance operation, the task force was investigating two bank robberies, which occurred at a Chase Bank in Tarrytown, New York, on November 13, 2017, and a Chase Bank in Elmsford, New York, on December 7, 2017. During both robberies, an unknown individual wore a dark mask, displayed a firearm, and fled the scene in a stolen vehicle. The getaway car in the Tarrytown robbery was discovered by the FBI on November 20, 2017. The car was apparently abandoned and bore New York license plates registered to a different vehicle. On the night of December 14, 2017, members of the Greenburgh Police Department (âGPDâ) located a stolen Oldsmobile sedan on a residential street in Yonkers, New York, believed to be the getaway car from the Elmsford robbery. A GPD detective notified Kenney. They decided GPD would maintain surveillance of the vehicle overnight and the task force would relieve GPD in the morning. During the night, task force members including Kenney, Fisher, McKenna, Marello, and Menton, discussed a plan to surveil the vehicle and to arrest any individual who entered it for possession of a stolen vehicle. Kenney was designated the leader of the operation. Around 6:00 a.m. on December 15, Fisher and Marello took over surveillance from GPD, as planned. Kenney then requested assistance from other task force members. In addition, Kenney asked Menton to request backup from YPD, Mentonâs home agency. Menton called Wissner, who led YPDâs plainclothes pattern crimes unit, to ask if Wissner had any officers available to assist with the operation. Three members of the unitâBraig, Cooper, and Walencikâagreed to provide the requested backup, as did Wissner himself. Barosa and McGee, who led TPDâs investigation of the Tarrytown robbery, also assisted with the operation at Kenneyâs request. The team members arrived at the scene at various times that morning and afternoon. Upon arrival, they were briefed by Kenney or Menton, who explained they were surveilling a vehicle used in an armed bank robbery and the person who entered the vehicle might have a gun. Team members were given FBI radios for communicating during the operation. Early that afternoon, Fisher obtained a warrant to install a GPS tracking device on the vehicle. FBI agents installed and turned on the device shortly thereafter. But because Kenney had a âhunchâ the subject was going to rob a third Chase Bank location on December 15, the team planned to continue surveillance until around 6:00 p.m., when most banks in the area closed. (Doc. #197-9 (âKenney Dep.â) at 50).6 If the subject did not show up that evening, the task force would monitor the vehicle via the GPS device. Around 3:50 p.m., Marello radioed that a man, wearing dark clothing and holding a bag, was approaching the subject vehicle. The manâidentified after the shooting as Erick Campbellâentered the vehicle through the front passenger side door, placed a duffel bag inside, and started the engine. He then exited the vehicle from the driverâs side door and began clearing snow from the vehicle. After Campbell reentered the vehicle, Kenney directed the team to converge. Kenney positioned his unmarked law enforcement vehicle a few inches behind the subject vehicle, while Malone approached from the front in an unmarked rental vehicle. Both then exited their vehicles, with guns drawn. Soon thereafter, Braig, accompanied by Cooper, pulled his unmarked vehicle up alongside the driverâs side of the subject vehicle. Other team 6 Citations to âDep. at _â refer to the page number at the top right-hand corner of each deposition transcript page. members parked their own unmarked vehicles nearby and approached on foot, with weapons drawn. The team announced themselves as âpoliceâ and shouted at Campbell to âturn off the car,â âget out of the car,â and âshow me your hands.â (Kenney Dep. at 111; Doc. #197-3 (âMalone Dep.â) at 129â30; Doc. #197-5 (âBraig Dep.â) at 137; Doc. #197-6 (âMenton Dep.â) at 91; Doc. #197-12 (âBarosa Dep.â) at 80). When the team converged, Campbell tried to drive away. As Campbell began pulling away from the curb, Braigâs vehicle collided with Campbellâs vehicle and pushed it back between Kenneyâs and Maloneâs vehicles. Campbell moved the subject vehicle back and forth several times to try to flee. However, Kenney repeatedly rammed into the vehicle to keep it wedged between Maloneâs vehicle and his own, until Campbellâs vehicle became disabled. The parties disagree about what happened next. Defendants claim Campbell reached over to the passenger seat, picked up what appeared to be a black handgun (but was later determined to be a replica), and pointed it toward one or more officers. According to Marello, as he ran up to the passenger side of the vehicle from the rear, he saw Campbell reach over to the passenger seat and pick up the replica gun. Marello testified he shouted âgunâ several times to warn the other team members. (Doc. #197-15 (âMarello Dep.â) at 90). He then moved behind Braigâs vehicle after hearing another officer yell âwatch the crossfireâ and realizing he was at risk of being shot by or shooting other officers. (Id. at 92â97). Meanwhile, Cooper was in the passenger seat of Braigâs vehicle, near the driverâs side of the subject vehicle and approximately three to four feet away from Campbell. Cooper testified he saw Campbell âreach down to the passenger side interior of the floorboard,â heard someone yell âheâs got a gun,â and then saw Campbell âpull up with a gun in his right hand.â (Doc. #197- 4 (âCooper Dep.â) at 133â37, 143â44). Cooper further testified he saw Campbell point the replica gun toward the front passenger side of the vehicle, and believed Campbell âintend[ed] to shoot those officers on the sidewalk.â (Id. at 143). âA second or twoâ later, without warning anyone he was going to shoot, Cooper fired his own weapon at Campbellâs chest. (Id. at 140). Cooper fired sixteen rounds, the capacity of his weapon. Cooper testified he kept firing until he was out of ammunition, even though he was âfairly certainâ he had hit Campbell, because Campbell âwas still moving and still had a gun in his hand.â (Id. at 144â47). Shortly before the shooting started, Braig was standing on the driverâs side of his own vehicle, looking over the roof and down into the subject vehicle. He testified he saw Campbellâs right hand reach toward the passenger seat, disappear for a moment, and then reappear holding the replica gun, right as âsomebody yelled gun.â (Braig Dep. at 143â44). Braig claims he then saw Campbell âswinging his right arm from the passenger seat up into the direction towards our car.â (Id. at 146). At that point, Braig âheard the gunshots,â saw âglass flying everywhere,â and âthought [Cooper] was being shot by this guy.â (Id. at 145â47). Seconds after hearing the gunshots, Braig fired his own weapon at Campbell. (Id. at 147). Braig fired three shots at Campbell. Braig claims he stopped shooting when he saw Campbellâs hand was down and thus Campbell no longer posed a threat. (Id. at 151â52). When Kenney first heard âgun,â he was behind the subject vehicle and could not see Campbellâs hands. He âhad tunnel vision at that pointâ and was focused on Campbellâs head. (Kenney Dep. at 123). Kenney testified that when the shots fired by Cooper and Braig blew out the back passenger-side window of the subject vehicle, he thought Campbell had fired on Malone, who Kenney believed was standing on that side of the vehicle. (Id. at 125â26, 128). Kenney then fired two shots at Campbell, aiming for his head. Kenney claims he shot Campbell â[t]o saveâ Malone. (Id. at 128). Kenney did not warn that he was going to shoot before firing his weapon, and did not hear any officer do so. The shooting lasted only a few seconds. Of the twenty-one rounds fired, ten hit Campbell. Most of the rounds entered the left side of Campbellâs torso and back; two of those perforated his left lung. (Doc. #172-14 (âFBI Inspectorâs Reportâ) at 10, 13; Doc. #172-31 (âAutopsy Reportâ) at ECF 6).7 Plaintiffs dispute that any officer saw Campbell brandishing the replica gun before or during the shooting. In support, plaintiffs offer testimony from Barosa and McGee that heavy snow and exhaust fumes made the visibility so bad they could not see anything inside the vehicleâeven though Barosa was right next to the driverâs side door and McGee was next to the passengerâs side, right by Marello. (Barosa Dep. at 69â70, 78; Doc. #197-13 (âMcGee Dep.â) at 52â54). In addition, plaintiffs argue Marelloâs account of eventsâin which Campbell purportedly brandished the gun while simultaneously changing gears and steeringâwould have required Campbell to have three hands. (Doc. #196 (âPls. Opp.â) at 25 (citing Marello Dep. at 86â89)). Plaintiffs also note no fingerprints were found on the replica gun. Plaintiffs further contend that even if Campbell did raise the replica gun, there is a question of fact as to whether he pointed it at any officers. For example, although Cooper testified he shot Campbell to save âthose officers on the sidewalkâ (Cooper Dep. at 143) , McGeeâs testimony indicates he and the other officers who had been standing on the sidewalkâ Marello and Maloneâhad already moved away from the subject vehicle and were back by Kenneyâs vehicle when Cooper fired his weapon. (McGee Dep. at 60; see also Marello Dep. at 100â03). Immediately after the shooting stopped, several officers emerged from the positions where they had taken cover and approached the subject vehicle. McGee testified he saw 7 âECF __â refers to page numbers automatically assigned by the Courtâs Electronic Case Filing system. Campbell through a bullet hole in the rear passenger window, and that Campbell was facing the passenger side window, with his shoulder blades pressed against the driverâs side door. According to McGee, the replica gun was on the passenger seat, with Campbellâs âfingertips at the edge of the weapon on the seat.â (McGee Dep. at 62). McGee then reached through the bullet hole and unlocked the front passenger door of the subject vehicle. He picked up the replica gun, at which point he realized it was not real, and put it on the roof of the car, along with the duffel bag. Malone and Menton removed Campbell from the vehicle and placed him on the ground. At that pointâless than a minute after the shooting endedâMenton called an ambulance, while Barosa patted Campbell down and inspected him for injuries. Campbell âseemed to be on the verge of death.â (Barosa Dep. at 82). And although Campbell initially had a pulse, âthat quickly stoppedâ and he seemed to stop breathing. (Id. at 82â83). Barosa and McGee immediately began administering CPR, and asked Menton to expedite emergency medical personnel. Menton then made another radio call, requesting a rush on the ambulance. (Menton Dep. at 107â08; Doc. #179-20 (âYPD Radio Logâ) at ECF 1). At some point before the ambulance came, a YPD Emergency Services Unit arrived at the scene. They took over CPR from Barosa and McGee and used a defibrillator on Campbell. The ambulance arrived approximately twelve minutes after the shooting. Campbell was transported to a hospital, where he died from the gunshot wounds to his torso less than an hour after the shooting. (Autopsy Report at ECF 2; FBI Inspectorâs Report at 13). III. Plaintiffsâ Claims Plaintiffs bring Bivens claims against the FBI defendants, and Section 1983 claims against the other individual defendants, for purported violations of Campbellâs constitutional rights. Specifically, plaintiffs claim Campbellâs Fourth Amendment rights were violated in four main ways: (i) Cooper, Braig, and Kenney used excessive force when they fired their weapons; (ii) the team used excessive force when boxing in the subject vehicle; (iii) the teamâs tactical decisions and certain omissions from the plan made the use of deadly force inevitable; and (iv) the non-firing defendants failed to prevent or stop the use of deadly force. Plaintiffs further claim the individual defendants violated Campbellâs Fifth and Fourteenth Amendment rights by failing timely to provide adequate medical care. Plaintiffs also bring related state-law claims against individual defendants.8 In addition, plaintiffs bring Monell claims against the City of Yonkers for the purported constitutional violations, on the ground that the City did not adequately train YPD officers regarding its use of force policies, and respondeat superior claims for the YPD officersâ alleged torts. Finally, plaintiffs assert FTCA claims against the United States for (i) assault and battery; (ii) wrongful death; (iii) conscious pain and suffering; and (iv) loss of love, support, and familial relationships. 8 In the MTD Decision, the Court dismissed plaintiffsâ claims against the federal defendants and Malone for (i) purported violations of the First and Eighth Amendments; (ii) unlawful search and seizure in contravention of the Fourth Amendment; (iii) conspiracy to violate Campbellâs constitutional rights; (iv) negligence; (v) negligent hiring, training, and supervision; and (vi) negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress. (See MTD Decision at 11â13, 22â24, 28â31). The Yonkers defendants and Tarrytown defendants, who did not file motions to dismiss, argue they are entitled to summary judgment on those same claims. (See Doc. #175 (âTarrytown Mem.â) at 11â12; Doc. #180 (âYonkers Mem.â) at 10â12, 17â19). Plaintiffsâ opposition brief makes no attempt to respond to defendantsâ arguments regarding those claims. Accordingly, the Court deems the claims abandoned. See Jackson v. Federal Exp., 766 F.3d 189, 195 (2d Cir. 2014) (â[A] partial response arguing that summary judgment should be denied as to some claims while not mentioning others may be deemed an abandonment of the unmentioned claims.â); Cowan v. City of Mount Vernon, 95 F. Supp. 3d 624, 645 (S.D.N.Y. 2015) (granting summary judgment on claims because of plaintiffâs failure to respond to defendantâs arguments). And in any event, the claims fail as a matter of law, for the reasons set forth in the MTD Decision. DISCUSSION I. Legal Standard The Court must grant a motion for summary judgment if the pleadings, discovery materials before the Court, and any affidavits show there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and it is clear the moving party 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). A fact is material when it âmight affect the outcome of the suit under the governing law . . . . Factual disputes that are irrelevant or unnecessaryâ are not material and thus cannot preclude summary judgment. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 248 (1986).9 A dispute about a material fact is genuine if there is sufficient evidence upon which a reasonable jury could return a verdict for the non-moving party. See Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. at 248. The Court âis not to resolve disputed issues of fact but to assess whether there are any factual issues to be tried.â Wilson v. Nw. Mut. Ins. Co., 625 F.3d 54, 60 (2d Cir. 2010). It is the moving partyâs burden to establish the absence of any genuine issue of material fact. Zalaski v. Bridgeport Police Depât, 613 F.3d 336, 340 (2d Cir. 2010). If the non-moving party fails to make a sufficient showing on an essential element of its case on which it has the burden of proof, then summary judgment is appropriate. Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. at 323. If the non-moving party submits âmerely colorableâ evidence, summary judgment may be granted. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. at 249â50. The non-moving party âmust do more than simply show that there is some metaphysical doubt as to the material facts and may not rely on conclusory allegations or unsubstantiated speculation.â Brown v. Eli Lilly & Co., 654 F.3d 347, 358 (2d Cir. 2011). â[T]he mere existence of a scintilla 9 Unless otherwise indicated, case quotations omit all internal citations, quotations, footnotes, and alterations. of evidenceâ supporting the non-moving partyâs position is likewise insufficient; there must be evidence on which the jury could reasonably find for it. Dawson v. Cnty. of Westchester, 373 F.3d 265, 272 (2d Cir. 2004). On summary judgment, the Court construes the facts, resolves all ambiguities, and draws all permissible factual inferences in favor of the non-moving party. Dallas Aerospace, Inc. v. CIS Air Corp., 352 F.3d 775, 780 (2d Cir. 2003). If âthere is any evidence in the record from which a reasonable inference could be drawn in favor of the [non-moving] partyâ on the issue on which summary judgment is sought, âsummary judgment is improper.â See Sec. Ins. Co. of Hartford v. Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc., 391 F.3d 77, 82â83 (2d Cir. 2004). Importantly, âin cases in which officers have used deadly force, leaving the witness most likely to contradict the officersâ version of the events unable to testify, the court may not simply accept what may be a self-serving account by the police officer but must instead consider circumstantial evidence that, if believed, would tend to discredit the police officerâs version and must undertake a fairly critical assessment of, inter alia, the officerâs original reports or statements to decide whether the officerâs testimony could reasonably be rejected at a trial.â Soto v. Gaudett, 862 F.3d 148, 157 (2d Cir. 2017). II. Bivens Claims Against the FBI Defendants In its September 2020 MTD Decision, the Court dismissed all of plaintiffsâ claims against the FBI defendants, except the Bivens claims for excessive force and deliberate indifference to serious medical needs. The FBI defendants argue the Bivens claims cannot stand in light of intervening Supreme Court precedent, specifically Egbert v. Boule, 142 S. Ct. 1793 (2022), decided in 2022. The Court agrees. A. Applicable Law In Bivens, the Supreme Court implied a private right of action under the Fourth Amendment for an unreasonable search and seizure claim against federal drug enforcement agents who handcuffed a man in his own home without a warrant. See Bivens v. Six Unknown Narcotics Agents, 403 U.S. 388, 389, 397 (1971). âSince then, the Supreme Court has recognized Bivens claims in only two other circumstances: (1) under the Fifth Amendmentâs Due Process Clause for gender discrimination against a congressman for firing his female secretary, and (2) under the Eighth Amendmentâs prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment against prison officials for failure to treat an inmateâs asthma which led to his death.â Rivera v. Samilo, 370 F. Supp. 3d 362, 366 (E.D.N.Y. 2019) (citing Davis v. Passman, 442 U.S. 228 (1979), and Carlson v. Green, 446 U.S. 14 (1980)). In Egbert v. Boule, the Supreme Court set out a two-step inquiry for courts to determine whether to imply a Bivens cause of action. First, the court must determine âwhether the case presents âa new Bivens context,ââi.e., is it âmeaningfullyâ different from the three cases in which the [Supreme] Court has implied a damages action.â Egbert v. Boule, 142 S. Ct. at 1803 (quoting Ziglar v. Abbasi, 582 U.S. 120, 139â40 (2017)). The Supreme Courtâs âunderstanding of a ânew contextâ is broad.â Hernandez v. Mesa, 140 S. Ct. 735, 743 (2020). For example, âa new context arises when there is a new constitutional right at issue,â Egbert v. Boule, 142 S. Ct. at 1807, or when the defendants were operating under a different âstatutory or legal mandate.â Ziglar v. Abbasi, 582 U.S. at 139â40. And importantly, â[a] claim may arise in a new context even if it is based on the same constitutional provision as a claim in a case in which a damages remedy was previously recognized.â Hernandez v. Mesa, 140 S. Ct. at 743. âSecond, if a claim arises in a new context, a Bivens remedy is unavailable if there are âspecial factorsâ indicating that the Judiciary is at least arguably less equipped than Congress to âweigh the costs and benefits of allowing a damages action to proceed.ââ Egbert v. Boule, 142 S. Ct. at 1803 (quoting Ziglar v. Abbasi, 137 S. Ct. at 1858). Because ârecognizing a cause of action under Bivens is a disfavored judicial activity,â a court may not imply a Bivens remedy if there is â[e]ven a single sound reason to defer to Congress.â Id. According to the Supreme Court, âin most every case,â it is Congress, not the judiciary, âwho should decide whether to provide for a damages remedy.â Id. Moreover, âa court may not fashion a Bivens remedy if Congress already has provided, or has authorized the Executive to provide, an alternative remedial structureââeven if âexisting remedies do not provide complete reliefâ or a âa wrong . . . would . . . go unredressedâ without a judicial remedy. Id. at 1804. The Egbert Court held a plaintiff had no Bivens remedy against a border patrol agent who allegedly entered the plaintiffâs property without a warrant and assaulted him. First, the Court found the claim presented a new context for Bivens purposes and that Congress was better equipped to decide whether to provide a damages remedy. Egbert v. Boule, 142 S. Ct. at 1805. In doing so, the Court acknowledged Bivens also involved allegations of excessive force and thus the two cases âarguably present âalmost parallel circumstancesâ or a similar âmechanism of injury.ââ Id. However, the Court reasoned âthese superficial similarities are not enough to support the judicial creation of a cause of action.â Id. Second, the Court concluded âCongress has provided alternative remedies for aggrieved parties in [the plaintiffâs] positionâânamely, internal investigations of alleged misconduct and the Border Patrolâs grievance processâwhich âindependently foreclose[d] a Bivens action.â Id. at 1806. B. Application Although this Court previously concluded plaintiffs had pleaded Bivens claims against the FBI defendants, the Court must reconsider its conclusion in light of Egbert v. Boule. Having done so, the Court is convinced the Supreme Court, if confronted with plaintiffsâ claims, would find no cause of action under Bivens. First, there are several meaningful differences between this case and Bivens, such that plaintiffsâ asserted claims arise in a new context. Bivens involved a warrantless arrest and search of the plaintiffâs home, whereas this case involves an arrest made on a public street with probable cause. Moreover, the officers involved in Bivens were federal drug enforcement agents, whereas here the officers were FBI agents, task force officers, and other local law enforcement officers. And the Court in Bivens reasoned that the right at issue was primarily a Fourth Amendment right to privacy, 403 U.S. at 389, whereas here the Fourth Amendment right at issue is the right to be free from excessive force. Plaintiffâs deliberate indifference claim also arises in a new context. Plaintiffsâ allegations materially differ from those in Carlson v. Green, the only case in which the Supreme Court has found a Bivens remedy for constitutionally inadequate medical care. 446 U.S. 14 (1980). The defendants in Carlson v. Green were federal prison officials who allegedly failed to treat an inmateâs asthma, not law enforcement officers who allegedly delayed treatment of an arresteeâs injuries. Id. at 16. Moreover, the claim in Carlson v. Green was brought under the Eighth Amendment, as opposed to plaintiffsâ Fifth Amendment claim here. Id. With respect to the second step in the Bivens analysis, several factors counsel hesitation in extending Bivens to plaintiffsâ claims. First, there are sound reasons to believe Congress is better suited to decide whether to permit a damages action for aggrieved parties in plaintiffsâ position: It is not necessarily a judicial function to establish whole categories of cases in which federal officers must defend against personal liability claims in the complex sphere of litigation, with all of its burdens on some and benefits to others. It is true that, if equitable remedies prove insufficient, a damages remedy might be necessary to redress past harm and deter future violations. Yet the decision to recognize a damages remedy requires an assessment of its impact on governmental operations systemwide. Those matters include the burdens on Government employees who are sued personally, as well as the projected costs and consequences to the Government itself when the tort and monetary liability mechanisms of the legal system are used to bring about the proper formulation and implementation of public policies. Ziglar v. Abbasi, 137 S. Ct. at 1858; see also Egbert v. Boule, 142 S. Ct. at 1803 (â[A] court likely cannot predict the systemwide consequences of recognizing a cause of action under Bivens.â). Moreover, there are multiple alternative remedial structures available to plaintiffs on their claims against the FBI Defendants. Plaintiffs couldâand didâbring tort claims against the United States under the FTCA. And pursuant to Department of Justice and FBI policy, the FBI conducted an internal investigation after the shooting. (See generally FBI Inspectorâs Report; Doc. #173). These alternative remedies âindependently foreclose a Bivens action.â Egbert v. Boule, 142 S. Ct. at 1806. Accordingly, plaintiffsâ Fourth and Fifth Amendment claims against the FBI defendants must be dismissed. III. Section 1983 Claims Against the Local Police Defendants A. Excessive Force Claims Braig and Cooper argue they are entitled to summary judgment on plaintiffsâ excessive force claims because the amount of force they used was reasonable as a matter of law. Barosa, Malone, Marello, Menton, McGee, Walencik, and Wissner argue they are entitled to summary judgment because the undisputed facts establish they did not use excessive force or have a reasonable opportunity to prevent the use of excessive force. The local police defendants also argue they are entitled to summary judgment on the basis of qualified immunity. The Court disagrees that Braig and Cooper are entitled to summary judgment with respect to plaintiffsâ excessive force claim against them premised on their use of deadly force. However, the Court agrees plaintiffsâ other excessive force claims must be dismissed. 1. Applicable Law âA police officer violates the Fourth Amendment if the amount of force he uses in effectuating an arrest is âobjectively unreasonableâ in light of the facts and circumstances confrontingâ the officer.â Lennox v. Miller, 968 F.3d 150, 155 (2d Cir. 2020) (quoting Graham v. Connor, 490 U.S. 386, 397 (1989). Determining âwhether an officer has used excessive force requires careful attention to the facts and circumstances of each particular case, including the severity of the crime at issue, whether the suspect poses an immediate threat to the safety of the officers or others, and whether he is actively resisting arrest or attempting to evade arrest by flight.â Kisela v. Hughes, 138 S. Ct. 1148, 1152 (2018). âThe reasonableness of a particular use of force must be judged from the perspective of a reasonable officer on the scene, rather than with the 20/20 vision of hindsight.â Id. âThe fact that a person whom a police officer attempts to arrest resists no doubt justifies the officerâs use of some degree of force, but it does not give the officer license to use force without limit.â Brown v. City of New York, 798 F.3d 94, 103 (2d Cir. 2015). And âan officerâs use of deadly force in a police shooting case is not, as a matter of law, reasonable unless that officer had probable cause to believe that the individual posed a significant threat of death or serious physical injury to the officer or others.â Callahan v. Wilson, 863 F.3d 144, 152 (2d Cir. 2017). In addition, âplanners may be liable under section 1983 to the extent that a plan for a search or seizure, as formulated and approved by those defendants, provides for and results in an unconstitutionally excessive use of force.â Terebesi v. Torreso, 764 F.3d 217, 234 (2d Cir. 2014). âA defendant who plans or directs an unreasonable use of force is liable for the resulting constitutional violation as a direct participant.â Id. On the other hand, a defendant cannot be held liable for excessive force on the grounds that he âhimself created the situation in which the use of deadly force became necessary by violating police procedureâ before the shooting, or that his âill-conceived ruse, which did not contemplate excessive force, provoked [a] deadly confrontation.â Id. at n.16. Finally, âall law enforcement officials have an affirmative duty to intervene to protect the constitutional rights of citizens from infringement by other law enforcement officers in their presence.â Anderson v. Branen, 17 F.3d 552, 557 (2d Cir. 1994). âFailure to intercede results in liability where an officer observes excessive force is being used or has reason to know that it will be.â Jean-Laurent v. Wilkerson, 461 F. Appâx 18, 21 (2d Cir. 2012) (summary order). âHowever, in order for liability to attach, there must have been a realistic opportunity to intervene to prevent the harm from occurring.â Id. âIn each case, the question whether a defendant had a realistic chance to intercede will turn on such factors as the number of officers present, their relative placement, the environment in which they acted, the nature of the assault, and a dozen other considerations.â Figueroa v. Mazza, 825 F.3d 89, 107 (2d Cir. 2016). âAmong these considerations, of course, the assaultâs duration will always be relevant and will frequently assume great importance.â Id. âThe essential inquiry is whether, under the circumstances actually presented, an officerâs failure to intervene permits a reasonable conclusion that he became a tacit collaborator in the unlawful conduct of another.â Id. at 107â08. âIn light of the fact-specific nature of the inquiry on an excessive force claim, granting summary judgment against a plaintiff on such a claim is not appropriate unless no reasonable factfinder could conclude that the officersâ conduct was objectively unreasonable.â Lennox v. Miller, 968 F.3d at 155. 2. Use of Deadly Force It is undisputed that Braig and Cooper, but none of the other local police defendants, shot Campbell. And here, plaintiffs have raised genuine, material disputes as to âthe facts and circumstances confrontingâ Braig and Cooper when they fired their weapons, and thus as to whether their use of deadly force was âobjectively reasonable.â Lennox v. Miller, 968 F.3d at 155. The reasonableness of Cooperâs initial decision to fire his weapon largely depends on whether, as he claims, he reasonably believed Campbell posed a significant threat of death or serious injuries to officers standing by the passenger side of the subject vehicle. Similarly, the reasonableness of Braigâs decision to fire his weapon depends on whether he reasonably believed Campbell was firing at Cooper. And the reasonableness of each officerâs decision to fire subsequent shots depends on whether they reasonably believed Campbell remained a threat when they fired those additional rounds. See Estate of Jaquez v. City of New York, 104 F. Supp. 3d 414, 437 (S.D.N.Y. 2015) (âWhile it may have been reasonable for [the officer] to use lethal force earlier in the altercation when [the decedent] threatened the officers with a knife, such authority does not extend indefinitely.â). These are jury questions. On the one hand, the record contains evidence from which a reasonable jury could conclude Cooper and Braig had probable cause to believe Campbell posed a significant threat to officers before and throughout the shooting. For example, the replica gun was found on the passenger seat, âin close proximityâ to Campbellâs right hand, from which a reasonable juror might conclude Campbell brandished it. (McGee Dep. at 64). And jurors could certainly credit testimony by Cooper, Braig, and Marello that they saw Campbell point the gun at other officers, as well as Maloneâs testimony that he was standing by the passenger side of the subject vehicle throughout the shooting. On the other hand, the record also contains âcircumstantial evidence that, if believed, would tend to discreditâ Cooperâs and Braigâs explanations for why they shot Campbell. Soto v. Gaudett, 862 F.3d at 157. For example, jurors could credit McGeeâs testimony that he, Malone, and Marello were no longer standing by the passenger side of the subject vehicle when Cooper began firing. A reasonable juror could also infer from autopsy evidence regarding the location of the bullet wounds, combined with McGeeâs testimony that both of Campbellâs âshoulder blades were pressed against the driverâs doorâ immediately after the shooting, that Campbell was not pointing the gun in Cooperâs direction when Braig fired at least one of the rounds. (McGee Dep. at 62). Moreover, jurors could use autopsy evidence regarding the severity of the wounds, and testimony that Campbell was âon the verge of deathâ a minute after the shooting ended, to determine Braig and Cooper could not have reasonably believed Campbell was a threat when they fired their final shots. (Barosa Dep. at 82). In short, there are triable issues of fact as to whether Cooperâs and Braigâs use of deadly force was reasonable. And âdisputed material issues regarding the reasonableness of an officerâs perception of the facts (whether mistaken or not) is the province of the jury.â Jones v. Treubig, 963 F.3d 214, 231 (2d Cir. 2020); see also Terebesi v. Torreso, 764 F.3d at 240 (âThe credibility of [an officerâs] recollection and the sufficiency of the asserted basis for his mistaken impression that [the decedent] was firing at the officers are . . . matters to be determined by the factfinder.â). Accordingly, summary judgment as to Braig and Cooper on plaintiffsâ excessive force claim is not warranted. 3. The Box-In Maneuver No reasonable juror could conclude the local police defendants used excessive force when boxing in the subject vehicle. The undisputed facts show only Kenney, Braig, and Maloneâs vehicles made contact with the subject vehicle during the operation, and that they did not do so until after Campbell tried to flee. Braigâs vehicle collided with Campbellâs as Campbell pulled away from the curb. After that collision, Campbell reversed into Kenneyâs vehicle. Kenney then âpressed the accelerator and rammed [Campbell] into [Maloneâs] car.â (Kenney Dep. at 115â16). As Campbell moved back and forth to try to escape, Kenney repeatedly âpush[ed] [Campbellâs] car forward into [Maloneâs] car to keep it pinned.â (Id. at 119). There is also no genuine dispute that when Kenney, Braig, and Malone used their vehicles to prevent Campbell from leaving the scene, they believed he was connected toâand had likely committedâtwo armed bank robberies, and might be armed at that moment. And although plaintiffs speculate that Campbell may not have known he was surrounded by police or heard the officersâ commands to show them his hands and get out of the car (Pl. Opp. at 23), those commands were shouted. (See Doc. #171 (âFed. Defs. 56.1 Statementâ) ¶ 43).10 As such, a reasonable officer could have believed Campbell refused to submit to arrest and was attempting to flee the scene. Thus, on the undisputed facts, viewed âfrom the perspective of a reasonable 10 Plaintiffs purport to âdispute that these commands were yelledâ on the grounds that âthere is no audio or video recording of the shooting.â (Doc. #198 (âPls. 56.1 Response to Fed. Defs.â) ¶ 43). But plaintiffsâ contention is mere speculation, unsupported by any citation to evidence. Accordingly, for the purpose of deciding the motions, the Court finds it undisputed that team members yelled the commands enumerated in the corresponding statement of material fact. See Baity v. Kralik, 51 F. Supp. 3d 414, 418 (S.D.N.Y. 2014) (â[R]esponses that do not point to any evidence in the record that may create a genuine issue of material fact do not function as denials, and will be deemed admissions of the stated fact,â pursuant to Local Civil Rule 56.1). officer on the scene,â the force used to trap Campbellâs vehicle was objectively reasonable. Kisela v. Hughes, 138 S. Ct. at 1152. Accordingly, plaintiffsâ excessive force claim premised on the use of force during the box-in maneuver must be dismissed. 4. Planner Liability Plaintiffs claim Marello and Menton âcould . . . be held liable underâ Terebesi v. Torreso, 764 F.3d 217, because they helped Kenney develop the plan for the operation. (Pls. Opp. at 30). But this claim fails as a matter of law. The undisputed facts show the plan did not âprovide[ ] for . . . an unconstitutionally excessive use of force.â Cf. Terebesi v. Torreso, 764 F.3d at 234. With respect to the use of deadly force, Menton testified âthe plan was to get [Campbell] out of the car peacefully, but [Campbell] kind of changed the plan.â (Menton Dep. at 133). Indeed, plaintiffs themselves point out âthe potential that officers would need to use their weapons,â and âhow the Team would use force,â were ânot part of the Plan and were not briefed to the Team.â (Pls. Opp. at 3â 4). And for the reasons stated above, the planned box-in maneuver does not constitute excessive force, so there can be no âplannerâ liability with respect to that alleged use of force. Plaintiffsâ policing practices expert might be correct that the plan was âoverly vague,â lacked âcritical information,â and ârequired unreasonably close contact between numerous officers and the bank robbery suspectâ (Doc. #197-1 at 12â13), and thus âcreated a tactical scenario whereby the use of deadly force against Erick Campbell was the foreseeable and likely outcome.â (Id. at 11). But developing an âill-conceivedâ plan does not implicate an excessive force claim, unless the operation âas planned, even if it had gone perfectly,â constituted an excessive use of force. Terebesi v. Torreso, 764 F.3d at 235 n.16. Accordingly, to the extent plaintiffs assert a planner liability claim against Marello and Menton, this claim must be dismissed. 5. Failure to Intervene No reasonable juror could conclude the non-firing local police defendantsâBarosa, Malone, Marello, Menton, McGee, Walencik, and Wissnerâhad a realistic opportunity to prevent or stop the shooting. The undisputed facts show the shooting happened in a matter of seconds and that no officer warned he was going to shoot before opening fire. Nor is there a genuine dispute that when the shooting began, Walencik and Wissner were not close to the scene and the other non- firing defendants had taken cover behind various police vehicles. Accordingly, the record establishes these defendants could not have intervened to stop the shooting. See Crockett v. City of New York, 2015 WL 5719737, at *7 (E.D.N.Y. Sept. 29, 2015) (âBased upon the distances between the Other DefendantâOfficers and [the firing officer], and the fact that the two shots were fired in rapid succession and without notice or warning, the Other DefendantâOfficers did not have a realistic opportunity to intervene to prevent the shooting.â). The Court is not persuaded the defendants âshould have knownâ the surveillance operation âwould lead to the inevitable use of deadly forceâ and thus were obligated to âinterveneâ by objecting to the plan or removing their subordinates from the operation. (Cf. Pls. Opp. at 31). As explained above, the plan did not provide for the use of deadly force, or even address the possibility that officers might need to use their weapons. Under these circumstances, the non-firing police defendants did not âhave reason to knowâ deadly force would be used. Jean-Laurent v. Wilkerson, 461 F. Appâx at 21. Accordingly, plaintiffsâ failure to intervene claims against Barosa, Malone, Marello, Menton, McGee, Walencik, and Wissner must be dismissed. 6. Qualified Immunity Braig and Cooper argue that, to the extent the record supports an excessive force claim, such claim should be dismissed because they are entitled to qualified immunity, as a matter of law.11 The Court disagrees. Qualified immunity shields government officials whose âconduct does not violate clearly established statutory or constitutional rights of which a reasonable person would have known.â Harlow v. Fitzgerald, 457 U.S. 800, 818 (1982). The scope of qualified immunity is broad, and protects âall but the plainly incompetent or those who knowingly violate the law.â Malley v. Briggs, 475 U.S. 335, 341 (1986). âA qualified immunity defense is established if (a) the defendantâs action did not violate clearly established law, or (b) it was objectively reasonable for the defendant to believe that his action did not violate such law.â Salim v. Proulx, 93 F.3d 86, 89 (2d Cir. 1996). âDefendants bear the burden of establishing qualified immunity.â Garcia v. Does, 779 F.3d 84, 92 (2d Cir. 2015). In the context of an excessive force claim, âthe question for the purposes of qualified immunity is whether a reasonable officer could have believed that the use of force alleged was objectively reasonable in light of the circumstances.â Lennon v. Miller, 66 F.3d 416, 425 (2d Cir. 1995); see also OâBert ex rel. Estate of OâBert v. Vargo, 331 F.3d 29, 37 (2d Cir. 2003) (âin Fourth Amendment unreasonable force cases, unlike in other cases, the qualified immunity inquiry is the same as the inquiry on the merits.â). 11 The Court need not consider whether the other local police defendants are entitled to qualified immunity, since plaintiffsâ claims against them fail on the merits. Here, as explained above, there are genuine material issues of fact as to whether Braig and Cooperâs use of deadly force during the surveillance operation was reasonable under the circumstances. Accordingly, summary judgment in favor of Braig and Cooper on the basis of qualified immunity is inappropriate. B. Deliberate Indifference to Serious Medical Needs Claim The local police defendants argue they are entitled to summary judgment because the undisputed facts establish they were not deliberately indifferent to Campbellâs medical needs. The Court agrees. 1. Applicable Law Deliberate indifference to serious medical needs claims brought by pretrial detainees or arrestees against state actors under Section 1983 are analyzed under the Fourteenth Amendmentâs Due Process Clause. Logan v. City of Schenectady, 2019 WL 3803631, at *4 (N.D.N.Y. Aug. 13, 2019) (citing Darnell v. Pineiro, 849 F.3d 17, 33 n.9 (2d Cir. 2017)). To establish a claim for deliberate indifference to serious medical needs, a plaintiff must satisfy a two-prong test, comprising an objective prong and a mens rea prong. Darnell v. Pineiro, 849 F.3d at 29. Namely, a plaintiff must establish âthe challenged conditions were sufficiently serious,â and defendants âacted with at least deliberate indifference to the challenged conditions.â Id. For the objective prong, a plaintiff must establish the challenged conditions âeither alone or in combination, pose[d] an unreasonable risk of serious damage to his health.â Darnell v. Pineiro, 849 F.3d at 30 (quoting Walker v. Schult, 717 F.3d 119, 125 (2d Cir. 2013)). âThere is no âstatic testâ to determine whether a deprivation is sufficiently serious; instead, âthe conditions themselves must be evaluated in light of contemporary standards of decency.ââ Id. (quoting Blissett v. Coughlin, 66 F.3d 531, 537 (2d Cir. 1995)). To satisfy the mens rea prong, a pretrial detainee must sufficiently show defendants ârecklessly failed to act with reasonable care to mitigate the risk that the condition posed to the pretrial detainee even though the [defendants] knew, or should have known, that the condition posed an excessive risk to health or safety.â Darnell v. Pineiro, 849 F.3d at 35. The mens rea prong âis defined objectivelyâ and âcan be violated when an official does not have subjective awareness that the officialâs acts (or omissions) have subjected the pretrial detainee to a substantial risk of harm.â Id. âA delay in providing necessary medical care may in some cases constitute deliberate indifference.â Maldonado v. Town of Greenburgh, 460 F. Supp. 3d 382, 396 (S.D.N.Y. 2020). And âdelay in medical treatment must be interpreted in the context of the seriousness of the medical need, deciding whether the delay worsened the medical condition, and considering the reason for the delay.â Id. at 396â97. 2. Application No reasonable jury could conclude the local police defendants deprived Campbell of constitutionally adequate medical treatment. The record establishes Menton called for an ambulance within a minute after the shooting occurred, and then radioed again to request a rush on the ambulance. (YPD Radio Log at ECF 1). The Constitution requires no more. See Tatum v. City & County of San Francisco, 441 F.3d 1090, 1099 (9th Cir. 2006) (â[D]ue process requires that police officers seek the necessary medical attention for a detainee when he or she has been injured while being apprehended by either promptly summoning the necessary medical help or by taking the injured detainee to a hospital.â); Rasmussen v. City of New York, 766 F. Supp. 2d 399, 414 (E.D.N.Y. 2011) (âThe obligation of the police to provide necessary medical treatment upon request by a detainee or based upon the obvious need for treatment is satisfied when the police summon medical assistance; they have no duty to provide that assistance themselves.â). Indeed, the undisputed facts show Barosa and McGee provided Campbell with medical treatment beyond what the Constitution requires. Immediately after observing the gravity of Campbellâs condition, Barosa and McGee performed CPR on him until emergency medical professionals arrived. Plaintiffs contend the team should have âarrange[d] for an ambulance or EMT to be on call.â (Pls. Opp. at 31â32). But plaintiffs do not cite, and the Court is not aware of, any cases suggesting the absence of such arrangements violates the Fourteenth Amendment. And even if defendantsâ failure to have an ambulance or EMT on call violated Campbellâs constitutional rights, defendants would be entitled to qualified immunity as the law does not clearly establish such a requirement. See Salim v. Proulx, 93 F.3d at 89. Accordingly, plaintiffsâ deliberate indifference to medical needs claim must be dismissed. IV. Monell Claim Against the City of Yonkers The City of Yonkers argues plaintiffsâ Monell claim fails because they have not established that a municipal policy or custom proximately caused Braig and Cooperâs alleged use of excessive force. The Court agrees. âFor the purpose of Section 1983, a municipality is not vicariously liable for the acts of its employees.â Green v. City of New York, 465 F.3d 65, 80 (2d Cir. 2006). Instead, a municipality is liable under Section 1983 only âwhen execution of a [municipal] policy or custom, whether made by its lawmakers or by those whose edicts or acts may fairly be said to represent official policy, inflicts the [plaintiffâs] injury.â Monell v. Depât of Soc. Servs., 436 U.S. at 694. âFailure to train subordinate municipal employees will trigger municipal liability âonly where the failure to train amounts to deliberate indifference to the rightsâ of members of the public with whom the employees will interact.â Green v. City of New York, 465 F.3d at 80 (quoting City of Canton v. Harris, 489 U.S. 378, 388 (1989)). And âat the summary judgment stage, plaintiffs must identify a specific deficiency in the cityâs training program and establish that that deficiency is closely related to the ultimate injury, such that it actually caused the constitutional deprivation.â Id. at 81. To support their Monell claim, plaintiffs cite deposition testimony indicating Braig, Cooper, Menton, and Wissner ârecalled only some new definitions and a new diagramâ from their training in 2017 on YPDâs then-new use of force policy, âbut nothing new in how the policy operated.â (Pls. Opp. at 35). However, these officers also testified the new policy provided more detailed information regarding the use of force, and that officers were trained and tested on the new policy. In addition, the officers testified their use-of-force training included hypotheticals, written materials, and case studies, and that they received training in de-escalation tactics. (E.g., Braig Dep. at 49â50; Cooper Dep. at 24â26, 33â34; Menton Dep. at 25). Plaintiffs provide no evidence as to âhow better or different training could have prevented the challenged conduct.â Amnesty Am. v. Town of W. Hartford, 361 F.3d 113, 130 (2d Cir. 2004). Nor do plaintiffs provide evidence of a pattern of deadly force by YPD officers so pervasive as to place the City on actual or constructive notice of an inadequacy in YPDâs training program. See Jones v. Town of East Haven, 691 F.3d 72, 81 (2d Cir. 2012) (â[I]solated acts of excessive force by non-policymaking municipal employees are generally not sufficientâ to hold a municipality liable under Section 1983). Finally, âplaintiffs have provided no evidence tending to rule out those causes of the excessive force that would not support municipal liability, such as the negligent administration of a valid [training] program, or one or more officersâ negligent or intentional disregard of their training.â Amnesty Am. v. Town of W. Hartford, 361 F.3d at 130. Plaintiffs have therefore failed to raise an inference that YPD officers were improperly trained and that this deficient training caused Braig and Cooper to use excessive force. Accordingly, the Monell claim against the City of Yonkers must be dismissed. V. Assault and Battery Claims Plaintiffs assert assault and battery claims against the local police defendants and the United States.12 A. Local Police Defendants The local police defendants argue plaintiffsâ assault and battery claim must be dismissed because the undisputed facts show they did not use excessive force. The Court disagrees as to defendants Braig and Cooper, but agrees as to the other local police defendants. âExcept for § 1983âs requirement that the tort be committed under color of state law, the essential elements of excessive force and state law assault and battery claims are substantially identical.â Humphrey v. Landers, 344 F. Appâx 686, 688 (2d Cir. 2009) (summary order). Here, because a reasonable jury could find Braig and Cooper used excessive force against Campbell, plaintiffsâ assault and battery claim against these defendants may also proceed. 12 The Court previously dismissed plaintiffsâ assault and battery claim as to the FBI defendants because such a claim is not actionable under Bivens and federal employees are immune from tort claims arising out of conduct undertaken in the course of their official duties. (MTD Decision at 24). But because plaintiffsâ excessive force claim against Barosa, Malone, Marello, McGee, Menton, Walencik, and Wissner fails, the assault and battery claim against these defendants likewise fails. B. United States The United States argues plaintiffsâ FTCA claim for assault and battery must be dismissed because the United States cannot be held liable for the conduct of Braig and Cooper, and because no reasonable juror could conclude the FBI defendants used excessive force or had an opportunity to prevent the shooting. The Court disagrees that Kenneyâs use of deadly force was reasonable as a matter of law. However, the Court agrees summary judgment in favor of the United States is warranted to the extent plaintiffsâ assault and battery claim is premised on Braigâs and Cooperâs use of deadly force and the other FBI defendantsâ conduct. 1. Applicable Law âThe [FTCA] is a limited waiver of sovereign immunity, making the Federal Government liable to the same extent as a private party for certain torts of federal employees acting within the scope of their employment.â United States v. Orleans, 425 U.S. 807, 813 (1976). âAlthough assault and battery claims against the federal government are usually prohibited, the FTCA permits such claims where, as here, federal law enforcement officers are alleged to have committed assault or battery.â Cuoco v. U.S. Bureau of Prisons, 2003 WL 22203727, at *4 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 22, 2003) (citing 28 U.S.C. § 2680(h)). Indeed, â[t]he FTCA explicitly avoids waiving sovereign immunity for âany claim arising out of assault, battery,â and several other intentional torts.â Leytman v. U.S. Depât of Homeland Sec., 804 F. Appâx 78, 80 (2d Cir. 2020) (summary order) (quoting 28 U.S.C. § 2680(h)). The FTCA defines federal employee to include individuals âacting on behalf of a federal agency in an official capacity, temporarily or permanently in the service of the United States, whether with or without compensation.â 28 U.S.C. § 2671. âFor the purposes of the FTCA, the common law of torts and agency defines the distinction between an independent contractor (for whose torts the Government is not responsible) and an employee, servant or agent (for whose torts the Government is responsible).â OâNeil v. United States, 927 F. Supp. 599, 604 (E.D.N.Y. 1996). Thus, an individual is deemed a federal employee under the FTCA only if the âstrict control testâ is satisfied. In other words, the United States is liable for an individualâs torts only if the federal government maintained control over and âmanage[d] the details ofâ the individualâs work, or âsupervise[d] him in his daily duties.â Leone v. United States, 910 F.2d 46, 50 (2d Cir. 1990). It is not enough for the federal government to have acted âgenerally as an overseer.â Id. And â[t]he governmentâs retention of overall authorityâ over a law enforcement operation, âeven its setting of specific objectives, will not convert local actors to federal employees, so long as the local actors âare largely free to select the meansâ of reaching those objectives.â Mick v. Brewer, 1995 WL 41679, at *2 (D. Kan. Jan. 26, 1995), revâd on other grounds, 76 F.3d 1127 (10th Cir. 1996) (quoting United States v. Orleans, 425 U.S. 807, 816 (1976)). 2. FTCA Liability for Braig and Cooperâs Allegedly Tortious Conduct The undisputed facts establish Braig and Cooper are not federal employees for FTCA purposes. Plaintiffs concede Braig and Cooper were not members of the task force, employees of the FBI, paid by the FBI, or subject to the FBIâs disciplinary authority. (Pls. 56.1 Response to Fed. Defs. ¶ 21). And although âthe FBI was in commandâ of the operation (Braig Dep. at 72), the FBI did ânot manage the detailsâ of Braig and Cooperâs work or âsupervise [them] in [their] daily duties.â Leone v. United States, 910 F.2d at 50. As plaintiffs point out, â[t]here were no details providedâ to Braig and Cooper regarding the plan for âconverging on or boxing-in the vehicleâ or âthe use of deadly force.â (Pls. Opp. at 5) (citations omitted). Braig independently decided to position his vehicle along the driverâs side of the subject vehicle, after âsurveying the situationâ and determining that âthe suspect [ ] almost had enough room to come out from rammingâ Kenneyâs and Maloneâs vehicles. (Braig Dep. at 123, 127). Likewise, no one in the FBI told Braig or Cooper to fire their weapons at Campbell. Because the strict control test has not been met, the United States cannot be held liable for any torts allegedly committed by Braig and Cooper. 3. FTCA Liability for Kenneyâs Conduct There are triable issues of fact as to whether Kenney committed assault and battery when acting within the scope of his employment as an FBI agent. As with the assault and battery claims against the local police defendants, â[t]he same excessive force . . . principles apply to the FTCA cause of action for assault and battery against the United States.â Scott v. City of White Plains, 2013 WL 1313774, at *8 (S.D.N.Y. Mar. 18, 2013). Thus, to prevail on their FTCA claim, plaintiffs âmust demonstrate that the amount of force used was objectively unreasonable.â Id. There are genuine disputes as to the facts and circumstances confronting Kenney when he fired his weapon, and thus as to whether his use of deadly force was objectively reasonable. Lennox v. Miller, 968 F.3d at 155. For example, a reasonable juror might credit McGeeâs testimony that Malone was no longer standing by the passenger side of the subject vehicle when the shooting began. Thus, whether Kenney reasonably, although mistakenly, believed that Campbell had âopened fire on TFO Maloneâ (Doc. #170 (âFed. Defs. Mem.â) at 16), is âthe province of the jury.â Jones v. Treubig, 963 F.3d at 231. Accordingly, plaintiffsâ FTCA assault and battery claim, to the extent it is premised on Kenneyâs use of deadly force, may proceed. 4. FTCA Liability for the Other FBI Defendantsâ Conduct No reasonable juror could conclude Conlon, Fisher, or McKenna used excessive force against Campbell when acting within the scope of their employment as FBI agents. It is undisputed that these defendants did not fire their weapons at Campbell. And to the extent plaintiffsâ assault and battery claim against these defendants is based on planner liability, failure to intervene, or the box-in maneuver, this claim fails for the reasons set forth in Part III.A above. Accordingly, plaintiffsâ FTCA assault and battery claim, insofar as it is premised on the conduct of Conlon, Fisher, and McKenna, must be dismissed. VI. Loss of Love, Support, and Familial Relationships Claims The federal defendants argue plaintiffsâ twentieth cause of actionâcomprising Eric Campbellâs claim for the loss of his fatherâs âlove, support, familial relationships, and parental guidanceâ (SAC ¶ 277), and Aida and Robert Campbellâs claims for the loss of their sonâs âlove, support, and familial relationshipsâ (id. ¶ 276)âmust be dismissed because such losses are not compensable under New York law. The Court agrees. In New York, the spouse of an injured or deceased individual may recover for the âloss of consortium,â which encompasses the âloss of support or services,â as well as âlove, companionship, affection, society, sexual relations, solace and more.â Rangolan v. County of Nassau, 370 F.3d 239, 248 (2d Cir. 2004) (quoting Millington v. Se. Elevator Co., 22 N.Y.2d 498, 504-05 (1968)). But New York courts do not permit a child to recover for âthe loss of parental care, companionship, guidance, love and training,â or a parent to recover for the loss of their childâs âaffection, love and companionship.â De Angelis v. Lutheran Med. Ctr., 84 A.D.2d 17, 26â27 (2d Dept. 1981), affâd De Angelis v. Lutheran Med. Ctr., 58 N.Y.2d 1053, 1055 (1983); see also Devito v. Opatich, 215 A.D.2d 714, 715 (2d Depât 1995) (plaintiffsâ âloss of their minor daughterâs society . . . is not compensableâ). Accordingly, plaintiffsâ claims for loss of love, support, familial relationships, and parental guidance must be dismissed. VII. Wrongful Death and Conscious Pain and Suffering Claims Plaintiffsâ claims for wrongful death and conscious pain and suffering are derivative of their claims for excessive force and assault and battery. See Chamberlain v. City of White Plains, 986 F. Supp. 2d 363, 398â99 (citing N.Y. Est. Powers & Trusts Law §§ 5â4.1, 11â 3.2(b)). Because there are genuine issues of material fact as to whether the use of deadly force was objectively reasonable, for the reasons stated above, the Court declines to dismiss plaintiffsâ wrongful death and conscious pain and suffering claims as against Braig, Cooper, and the United States. However, because plaintiffsâ excessive force and assault and battery claims fail as against Barosa, Malone, Marello, McGee, Menton, Walencik, and Wissner, the wrongful death and conscious pain and suffering claims against these defendants likewise fail. See Chamberlain v. City of White Plains, 986 F. Supp. 2d at 399 (âBecause [the defendant] committed no underlying wrong against [the decedent], the conscious pain and suffering and wrongful death claims also fail as a matter of law.â). VIII. Respondeat Superior Claims Plaintiffs bring respondeat superior claims against the City of Yonkers premised on the allegedly tortious conduct of the YPD officers who participated in the operation, defendants Braig, Cooper, Marello, Menton, Walencik, and Wissner. Unlike Section 1983, New York law permits plaintiffs to hold municipalities vicariously liable for torts committed by municipal employees while acting within the scope of their employment. See Triolo v. Nassau Cnty., 24 F.4th 98, 110 (2d Cir. 2022); Jones v. State of New York, 33 N.Y.2d 275, 279-80 (1973) (âA long line of cases has held the State or municipalities liable for the actions of their police officers in the line of duty.â). Because plaintiffs have ânot demonstrated any basis for liability on the part ofâ Marello, Menton, Walencik, or Wissner, they âcannot establish respondeat superior liability for those claims.â Yusuf v. City of New York, 2022 WL 393882, at *11 (E.D.N.Y. Feb. 9, 2022). However, for the reasons stated above, a reasonable jury could find Braigâs and Cooperâs use of deadly force was excessive, and thus constituted assault and battery under New York law. Accordingly, plaintiffsâ claim against the City of Yonkers for assault and battery, and the derivative claims for wrongful death and conscious pain and suffering, may proceed. CONCLUSION The Tarrytown defendantsâ motion for summary judgment (19 Civ. 2117 Doc. #174) is GRANTED. Defendant Maloneâs motion for summary judgment (19 Civ. 2117 Doc. #186) is GRANTED. The federal defendantsâ motion for summary judgment (19 Civ. 2117 Doc. #169 and 19 Civ. 9444 Doc. #89) is DENIED as to plaintiffsâ claims against the United States for assault and battery, wrongful death, and conscious pain and suffering, solely to the extent such claims are premised on Kenneyâs use of deadly force. The federal defendantsâ motion is otherwise GRANTED. The Yonkers defendantsâ motion for summary judgment (19 Civ. 2117 Doc. #178) is DENIED as to (i) plaintiffsâ respondeat superior claim against the City of Yonkers for assault and battery, wrongful death, and conscious pain and suffering, and (11) plaintiffsâ claims against Braig and Cooper for excessive force, assault and battery, wrongful death, and conscious pain and suffering, solely to the extent such claims are premised on Braigâs and Cooperâs use of deadly force. The Yonkers defendantsâ motion is otherwise GRANTED. The Clerk is instructed to terminate the following defendants: Police Officer Adam Walencik, Detective Thomas Marello, Sergeant Mark Wissner, Detective Brian Menton, Detective Terence Malone, Sergeant Joseph Barosa, Detective Michael McGee, Agent Brendan Kenney, Agent Andrew Fisher, Agent Daniel Conlon, and Agent Daniel McKenna. Counsel for the remaining parties shall attend a case management conference on September 12, 2023, at 11:00 a.m., at which time the Court will set a trial date and a schedule for pretrial submissions. Counsel shall also be prepared to discuss what efforts they have made and will continue to make to settle this case. The Clerk is instructed to terminate the motions. (19 Civ. 2117 Does. ##169, 174, 178, 186, and 19 Civ. 9444 Doc. #89). Dated: July 31, 2023 White Plains, NY SO ORDERED: Vincent L. Briccetti United States District Judge 36
Case Information
- Court
- S.D.N.Y.
- Decision Date
- July 31, 2023
- Status
- Precedential