Pratt v. St. Martinville

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

Pratt v. St. Martinville

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT

No. 00-30213 Summary Calendar

ALEXANDER PRATT,

Plaintiff-Appellee,

versus

POLICE DEPARTMENT ST. MARTINVILLE; ET AL.,

Defendants,

JAMES PAPILLION, Defendant-Appellant. -------------------- Appeal from the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana USDC No. 98-CV-1478 -------------------- December 1, 2000

Before SMITH, BENAVIDES, and DENNIS, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM:*

James Papillion appeals from the district court's denial of

summary judgment based on qualified immunity as to a claim of

excessive use of force. Concluding that we lack appellate

jurisdiction over this interlocutory appeal, we dismiss.

Papillion argues that we have jurisdiction to review his

appeal because he accepts as true the plaintiff Alexander Pratt's

version of events in which Papillion pushed Pratt and pulled his

ankle. Papillion argues that under Pratt's version of events he

* Pursuant to 5th Cir. R. 47.5, the court has determined that this opinion should not be published and is not precedent except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5th Cir. R. 47.5.4. No. 00-30213 -2-

did not violate a clearly established constitutional right and

his conduct was not unreasonable. This court lacks appellate

jurisdiction to review a denial of summary judgment that turns on

issues of material fact for trial. See Johnson v. Jones,

515 U.S. 304, 319-20

(1995). We find that factual issues remain,

including the degree of force exerted and whether Papillion knew

of Pratt's alleged prior injuries, that cannot be resolved based

on the current record. See Graham v. Conner,

490 U.S. 386, 397

(1989); Ikerd v. Blair,

101 F.3d 430, 433-34

(5th Cir. 1996).

Accordingly, the appeal is DISMISSED.

Reference

Status
Unpublished