Nicole Haberle v. Daniel Troxell
Opinion of the Court
Timothy Nixon was a troubled man. After stealing a firearm, he told his partner, Nicole Haberle, that he was going to commit suicide. When a police officer employed by the Borough of Nazareth learned of that threat, he did not wait for trained crisis support professionals but instead knocked on the door of the apartment where Nixon was located and announced his presence. Nixon immediately shot himself.
Ms. Haberle has sued, on her own behalf and also as the administrator of Nixon's estate, claiming that that police officer-Daniel Troxell-and other law enforcement officers, and the Borough, violated the Constitution as well as a variety of federal and state statutes. All of her claims were dismissed by the District Court, and she now appeals. Her primary argument is that Troxell unconstitutionally seized Nixon and that Nixon's suicide was the foreseeable result of a danger that Troxell created. She also argues that the Borough violated the Americans with Disabilities Act,
I. BACKGROUND
Timothy Nixon suffered from a variety of mental health problems, including depression. For years, he had lived off and on with his long-time partner, Ms. Haberle, and their two children. On May 20, 2013, he had "a serious mental health episode involving severe depression." (Opening Br. at 6.) He called Haberle and told her that he was suicidal, and then broke into a friend's home and took a handgun. He next went to his cousin's apartment.
Fearing for Nixon's life, Haberle contacted the Borough of Nazareth Police Department. Officer Daniel Troxell obtained a warrant for Nixon's arrest, and, having learned that Nixon was still at his cousin's apartment, Troxell went there, accompanied by other officers from the Borough and surrounding municipalities.
Following the suicide, Haberle sued Troxell, the other officers who were at the scene, the chief of police of Nazareth, the Mayor of Nazareth, and various members of the Borough Council, including the President and Vice-President, and the Borough of Nazareth itself. Her complaint, as
amended, included eleven counts.
II. DISCUSSION
Haberle focuses on three arguments-two under provisions of the Constitution and one under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Specifically, she alleges that dismissal of her claims against Troxell was improper because Troxell's actions amounted to an unconstitutional seizure in violation of the Fourth Amendment. She also claims that Troxell's actions constituted a "state-created danger" in violation of the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
A. Troxell's Actions Did Not Constitute an Improper Seizure
Police are entitled to "knock and talk" with people in a residence, and doing so is not a seizure under the Fourth Amendment.
Estate of Smith v. Marasco
,
In this case, the District Court correctly concluded that there was no seizure. Whether or not well-advised, and despite his crudely expressed intentions, Troxell merely knocked on the door and announced his presence. That alone is not enough to violate the Fourth Amendment. There is no allegation that Troxell made intimidating remarks to Nixon or announced his presence in a threatening fashion. Nor is there any allegation that Nixon was aware of the warrant or of the other officers that were outside of the apartment complex. The complaint gives no reason to believe that Nixon felt he was "not free to leave,"
In any event, Troxell acted under color of a warrant, and Haberle does not argue that the warrant was invalid or was obtained under false pretenses or would have resulted in a false arrest. Even if a seizure had occurred, then, it would not have been unlawful.
See
Berg v. Cty. of Allegheny
,
B. Troxell's Actions Did Not Cause a State-Created Danger
As a general principle, the government has no obligation under the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to protect citizens against injuries caused by private actors.
DeShaney v. Winnebago Cty. Dep't of Soc. Servs.,
(1) [T]he harm ultimately caused was foreseeable and fairly direct;
(2) a state actor acted with a degree of culpability that shocks the conscience;
(3) a relationship between the state and the plaintiff existed such that the plaintiff was a foreseeable victim of the defendant's acts, or a member of a discrete class of persons subjected to the potential harm brought about by the state's actions, as opposed to a member of the public in general; and
(4) a state actor affirmatively used his or her authority in a way that created a danger to the citizen or that rendered the citizen more vulnerable to danger than had the state not acted at all.
For behavior by a government officer to shock the conscience, it must be more egregious than "negligently inflicted harm," as mere negligence "is categorically beneath the threshold of constitutional due process."
Cty. of Sacramento v. Lewis
,
The required degree of culpability varies based on the "the circumstances of each case," and, in particular, on the time pressure under "which the government actor[ ] had to respond...."
Phillips v. Cty. of Allegheny
,
Not surprisingly, Troxell urges us to adopt the split-second standard, while Haberle presses for the unhurried judgment standard. The District Court applied the intermediate standard-the one for situations involving "hurried deliberation,"
The decision Troxell made to ignore the advice of other officers and knock on the apartment door falls beneath the threshold of conscious disregard. Haberle describes Troxell's actions as "Ramboesque vigilantism,"
(Opening Br. at 24), but the fact that Troxell chose to immediately knock while other officers counseled waiting manifests only a disagreement over how to manage a risk, not a disregard of it. As the District Court noted, "[u]nder the circumstances that the officers were confronting, any decision they could have made ... was not free from risk to Nixon, the other occupants of the apartment, or the officers." (App. at 16-17.) Nixon's suicide is surely tragic, and, in its aftermath "it is natural to second-guess the decisions of Troxell," (App. at 17), but we cannot say that what he did shocks the conscience.
C. Haberle Has Not Pled a Compensable Claim Under the ADA
The final issue on appeal involves Haberle's claim that the Borough violated the ADA. She argues that she is entitled to money damages because the Borough "fail[ed] to make reasonable modifications to [its] policies, practices and procedures to ensure that [Nixon's] needs as an individual with a disability would be met." (App. at 87.) While we agree that, in general, the ADA applies to arrest situations, Haberle fails to state a claim for damages under that statute because she does not allege facts showing that any inaction of the Borough reflects deliberate indifference.
1. The ADA Generally Applies When Police Officers Make an Arrest
As a threshold matter, we consider whether the ADA applies when police officers make an arrest. Although the question is debatable, we think the answer is generally yes.
Bowers v. Nat'l Collegiate Athletic Ass'n
,
The second question is whether arrestees may have disabilities covered by the ADA, and the answer to that is clearly "yes."
See
Saving the third qualifying question for last, we next note that the fourth requirement, that the claimant has been excluded from a service, program, or activity or discriminated against by reason of his disability, is also one that can be satisfied in the context of an arrest. If the arrestee's "disability 'played a role in the ... decisionmaking process and ... had a determinative effect on the outcome of that process[,]' "
i.e.
, if the arrestee's disability was a "but for" cause of the deprivation or harm he suffered, then the fourth element of an ADA claim has been met.
See
CG v. Pa. Dep't of Educ.
,
The most controversial question pertinent to whether the ADA applies when police officers are making arrests comes in the context of the statute's third requirement. We must consider whether arrests made by police officers are "services, programs, or activities of a public entity," or alternatively, whether police officers may be liable under the ADA for "subject[ing a qualified individual] to discrimination" while effectuating an arrest.
The text of the ADA is deliberately broad and police departments "fall[ ] 'squarely within the statutory definition of
a "public entity." ' "
Gorman
,
Fortunately, we do not need to resolve that issue in this case, because § 12132 is framed in the alternative and we can look instead to the second phrase, namely, to whether the arrestee was "subjected to discrimination" by the police.
That conclusion, which is suggested by the wide scope of the ADA's text, has
support from our sister circuits.
See, e.g.
,
Sheehan
, 743 F.3d at 1217 ("Title II of the [ADA] applies to arrests.");
Roberts v. City of Omaha
,
2. Haberle Does Not Allege Deliberate Indifference
Even though the ADA generally applies in the arrest context, Haberle's claim for money damages against the Borough fails as a matter of law because she has not adequately pled that the Borough acted with deliberate indifference to the risk of an ADA violation. She seeks compensatory damages from the Borough under the ADA, but that remedy is not available absent proof of "intentional discrimination."
S.H. ex rel. Durrell v. Lower Merion Sch. Dist.
,
Haberle, however, fails to allege that the Borough was aware that its existing policies made it substantially likely that disabled individuals would be denied their federally protected rights under the ADA. She could have met that obligation in two different ways: first, by alleging facts suggesting that the existing policies caused a failure to "adequately respond to a pattern of past occurrences of injuries like the plaintiffs,' " or, second, by alleging facts indicating that she could prove "that the risk of ... cognizable harm was 'so great and so obvious that the risk and the failure ... to respond will alone' support finding" deliberate indifference.
Beers-Capitol v. Whetzel
,
Haberle's complaint does neither. She relies on general allegations that the Borough has "a history of violating the civil rights of residents[,]" (App. at 76), offering only hazy support for that statement. Even if she could ultimately prove a generalized history of civil rights violations, that would not necessarily demonstrate "a pattern of past occurrences of injuries
like the plaintiff
[
's
.]"
Beers-Capitol
,
Haberle also complains that "a set of policies and procedures had been drafted by the Department" which should have guided "interact[ion] with mentally disturbed individuals, and those in crisis situations[,]" but that "the said policies and procedures were not adopted by the Borough Council, nor were they implemented by the Mayor or Police Department." (App. at 78-79.) Yet Haberle does not allege any facts indicating that the policies were drafted because of an awareness that the pre-existing policies were substantially likely to lead to a violation of citizens' rights. Absent such awareness, a municipality cannot be found to be deliberately indifferent merely for considering but not yet adopting new policies or amendments to old ones. To impose liability on that basis would create a perverse deterrent to voluntary reform.
Haberle likewise fails to allege that the risk of harm was "so great and so obvious," as to obviate the need for her to allege facts pertaining to the Borough's knowledge.
Beers-Capitol
,
Connick
,
III. CONCLUSION
For the foregoing reasons, we will affirm in part and vacate in part the District Court's dismissal of Haberle's claims, and remand for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.
When reviewing a decision to grant a motion to dismiss, we "accept as true all well-pleaded facts and allegations, and must draw all reasonable inferences therefrom in favor of the plaintiff."
Bell v. Cheswick Generating Station
,
According to Haberle, Nixon was not a danger to anyone and was peacefully drinking beer with his cousin. She does not, however, allege that Troxell knew what was happening inside the apartment.
Haberle had been allowed to amend her complaint under the safe harbor provisions of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 11(c)(2) to remove some inflammatory rhetoric in the initial pleading. The amended complaint includes claims listed as "[c]ounts." (
See
App. at 81-89.) The first six claims were brought under
The District Court had jurisdiction over Haberle's federal claims under
Haberle has standing to bring her § 1983 claims on behalf of Nixon as the administrator of his estate.
Giles v. Campbell
,
A "state-created danger" may exist where a state actor either creates a harmful situation or increases a citizen's exposure or vulnerability to an already-present danger.
See
Bright v. Westmoreland Cty.
,
Because Troxell's conduct does not shock the conscience, we do not address the other prongs of the "state-created danger" doctrine. Before the District Court and again on appeal, Troxell argued that the "state-created danger" claim against him should be barred by qualified immunity. The District Court did not address qualified immunity, and, given our disposition of the claim, neither do we.
According to Haberle, even if her ADA claim against the Borough was meritless at the point of arrest, it should still survive because the Borough's failure to establish a suitable training program is, by itself, a violation of the ADA. To support her theory, Haberle points to an opinion from the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania,
Schorr v. Borough of Lemoyne
,
Schorr
is a thoughtful effort to address difficult issues but, ultimately, its reasoning misses the mark because it is incompatible with the text of the ADA. As the District Court here correctly observed, an ADA violation occurs if and when a disabled individual is "excluded from participation in" or "denied the benefits of the services, programs, or activities of a public entity" or is "subjected to discrimination by any such entity." (App. at 28 n.20 (quoting
The language of the statute itself is, "no qualified individual with a disability shall, by reason of such disability, be excluded from participation in or be denied the benefits of the services, programs, or activities of a public entity, or be subjected to discrimination by any such entity."
That arrestees can qualify does not, of course, mean that they necessarily will qualify. There remains a question whether a potentially violent person with mental health problems who, while possessing a gun, barricades himself in another person's apartment is a "qualified individual" under the ADA. The ADA defines a "qualified individual with a disability" as "an individual with a disability who, with or without reasonable modifications to rules, policies, or practices, the removal of architectural, communication, or transportation barriers, or the provision of auxiliary aids and services, meets the essential eligibility requirements for the receipt of services or the participation in programs or activities provided by a public entity."
The Supreme Court had granted certiorari to address that question,
City & Cty. of San Francisco v. Sheehan
, --- U.S. ----,
A successful ADA claim demands more than an allegation of an arrest of a qualified individual with a disability. The implementing regulations for the ADA make clear that there must also have been a failure to make reasonable accommodations.
See
Haberle contends that the District Court erred in not granting her leave to amend her complaint again. She did not, however, "request[ ] leave to amend, nor suggest[ ] the existence of any allegations not contained in the Amended Complaint." (App. at 3.) On appeal, she has not pointed to any amendments that she would have made to her complaint if given the opportunity to do so. (Opening Br. at 24-25.) And it seems clear that she cannot make any amendment that would save her § 1983 claim, so granting leave to amend would be futile with respect to that claim.
See
Alston v. Parker
,
Concurring Opinion
I join the majority opinion and agree that Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to arrests when the arrestee is "subjected to discrimination" by the police. Maj. Op. at 180 (quoting
I.
As the majority has stated, to successfully state a claim under Title II of the ADA, a plaintiff must,
inter alia
, demonstrate that "[he or she] was excluded from participation in or denied the benefits of the services, programs, or activities of a public entity,
or
was subjected to discrimination by any such entity." Maj. Op. at 178 (quoting
Bowers v. Nat'l Collegiate Athletic Ass'n
,
In my estimation, the statutory text of the ADA makes clear that arrests can qualify as a "service[ ], program[ ], or activit[y]" of the police, and I therefore see no reason to hang a cloud of doubt over an arrestee's right to recovery under this alternate theory. Congress declared that the purpose of the ADA was "to provide a clear and comprehensive national mandate for the elimination of discrimination against individuals with disabilities."
In Barden v. City of Sacramento , for example, the Ninth Circuit explained:
Th[e] broad construction of the phrase, "services, programs, or activities," is supported by the plain language of the Rehabilitation Act ... The legislative history of the ADA similarly supports construing the language generously, providing that Title II "essentially ... simply extends the anti-discrimination prohibition embodied in section 504 [of the Rehabilitation Act] to all actions of state and local governments. " H.R.Rep. No. 101-485(II), at 84 (1990), reprinted in 1990 U.S.C.C.A.N. 303, 367 (emphasis added); see also id. at 151, reprinted in 1990 U.S.C.C.A.N. 303, 434 ("Title II ... makes all activities of State and local governments subject to the types of prohibitions against discrimination ... included in section 504 ....") (emphasis added).
II.
In addition to the plain text, the Department of Justice's interpretations of Title II also provide that arrests are "services,
programs, or activities of a public entity" under the ADA.
III.
Lastly, the majority is reluctant to determine whether an arrest qualifies as a service, program, or activity under Title II because-according to it-this is an issue that "courts across the country are divided on ...." Maj. Op. at 180. Two of our sister circuits have addressed this precise issue to date. In
Sheehan v. City and Cty. of S.F.
, the Ninth Circuit held that arrests are covered by Title II because "[t]he ADA applies broadly to police 'services, programs, or activities.' "
The Supreme Court, however, squarely rejected
Rosen
's reasoning in
Yeskey
.
See
524 U.S. at 211,
We therefore need not be troubled by declining to follow
Rosen
and its logic. Rather, we should be cognizant that no court of appeals has held that arrests are not "services, programs, or activities of a public entity,"
IV.
The statutory text, the Department of Justice's interpretations of the text, and the Supreme Court's broad interpretation of the ADA in
Yeskey
establish that arrests are "services, programs, or activities of a public entity" under Title II.
In contrast to
Bircoll v. Miami-Dade Cty.
,
The Supreme Court has cautioned that the open-endedness of "services, programs, or activities" should not be confused for ambiguity.
See
Yeskey
, 524 U.S. at 212,
This guidance merits at least
Skidmore
deference because it reflects "a body of experience and informed judgment to which courts and litigants may properly resort for guidance."
Skidmore v. Swift & Co.
,
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Nicole HABERLE, in Her Own Right, on Behalf of Her Two Minor Children, and as Administrator of the Estate of Timothy Nixon, Deceased. Nicole Haberle, Appellant, v. Officer Daniel TROXELL, Individually, and in His Official Capacity as Nazareth Borough Police Officer; Thomas Trachta, Individually, and in His Official Capacity as Nazareth Borough Police Chief; Mayor Carl Styre, Individually, and in His Official Capacity as Mayor of Nazareth Borough; President Dan Chiavaroli, Individually, and in His Official Capacity as President of Nazareth Borough Council; Vice President Larry Stoudt, Individually, and in His Official Capacity as Vice President of Nazareth Borough Council; John Samus, Individually, and in His Official Capacity as a Member of Nazareth Borough Council; Council Member Michael Kopach, Individually, and in His Official Capacity as a Member of Nazareth Borough Council; Council Member Frank Maurek, Individually, and in His Official Capacity as a Member of Nazareth Borough Council; Council Member Charles Donello, Individually, and in His Official Capacity as a Member of Nazareth Borough Council; Council Member Carl Fischl, Individually, and in His Official Capacity as a Member of Nazareth Borough Council; John/Jane Doe Police Staff #1-X, Individually, and in Their Official Capacities as Staff of the Nazareth Police Department; Borough of Nazareth.
- Cited By
- 153 cases
- Status
- Published