WILLIAM T. HART, District Judge.
Plaintiffs Frank Teesdale ("Teesdale"), Debbie Teesdale, Araseli Luna, Glen
Presently pending are defendants' motion for summary judgment seeking the dismissal of all remaining claims and plaintiffs' motion for partial summary judgment as to equitable relief against the City. On a motion for summary judgment, the entire record is considered with all reasonable inferences drawn in favor of the nonmovant and all factual disputes resolved in favor of the nonmovant. Crawford v. Metro. Gov't of Nashville & Davidson Cty., Tenn., 555 U.S. 271, 129 S.Ct. 846, 849 n. 1, 172 L.Ed.2d 650 (2009); Malen v. MTD Prods., Inc., 628 F.3d 296, 303 (7th Cir. 2010); Stokes v. Bd. of Educ. of City of Chicago, 599 F.3d 617, 619 (7th Cir.2010). The burden of establishing a lack of any genuine issue of material fact rests on the movants. Ponsetti v. GE Pension Plan, 614 F.3d 684, 691 (7th Cir.2010); Outlaw v. Newkirk, 259 F.3d 833, 837 (7th Cir.2001). The nonmovants, however, must make a showing sufficient to establish any essential element for which they will bear the burden of proof at trial. Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986); Montgomery v.
Outlaw, 259 F.3d at 837.
Except where otherwise noted below, material facts are not in dispute so the same facts may be considered for both the City's and plaintiffs' summary judgment motions. Plaintiffs do not seek summary judgment as against Defendant Officers so the evidence pertinent to the damages claims against them will be construed in plaintiffs' favor and all genuine disputes resolved in plaintiffs' favor for purposes of ruling on the Defendant Officers' summary judgment motion.
Often, persons, who in the past allegedly have been improperly prosecuted, arrested without probable cause, or subjected to misconduct related to an arrest (e.g., excessive force or improper detention), lack standing to seek equitable relief because it cannot be assumed that they will again be similarly prosecuted, arrested, or (even if again arrested) again subjected to the related misconduct. See Schirmer v. Nagode, 621 F.3d 581, 585-86 (7th Cir.2010) (collecting cases). For First Amendment claims, however, the likelihood of further enforcement or another arrest need not be as high a possibility as for the Fourth Amendment or due process examples collected in Schirmer. In the First Amendment context, where a "chill" is sufficient to interfere with speech, standing may be supported by the plaintiffs intent to engage in a particular type of speech and that speech arguably falling within the prohibitions of a statute, regulation, or policy. Id. at 587. A "credible threat" of enforcement is sufficient to support standing for a pre-enforcement First Amendment challenge. Holder v. Humanitarian Law Project, ___ U.S. ___, 130 S.Ct. 2705, 2717, 177 L.Ed.2d 355 (2010); Schirmer, 621 F.3d at 586.
Factors to consider in determining whether there is a credible threat of enforcement include: "1. whether the plaintiffs have articulated a concrete plan to violate the law in question; 2. whether the prosecuting authorities have communicated a specific warning or threat to initiate proceedings; and 3. the history of past prosecution or enforcement under the challenged statute." San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Auth. v. Salazar, 638 F.3d 1163, 1173 (9th Cir.2011) (quoting Thomas v. Anchorage Equal Rights Comm'n, 220 F.3d 1134, 1139 (9th Cir.2000) (en banc)). Standing is lacking if the intended speech clearly falls outside the scope of the pertinent statute, rule, or policy. Even if a person was previously arrested for engaging in the same speech, standing is lacking if the arrest clearly falls outside the parameters of the pertinent rule and there is no showing of a pattern of similar improper enforcements. Schirmer, 621 F.3d at 587-88. Past isolated misuse of a statute to arrest someone engaging in speech will not, by itself, support standing to seek prospective injunctive relief preventing further interference with speech. Id. at 588.
Here, there is possible tension between Teesdale's false arrest damages claim and his and the other plaintiffs' claims for First Amendment equitable relief. If it is clear that the First Amendment activity he and the others again want to engage in falls
This case was filed three days before the July 2009 Fest began. Two days before the Fest began, plaintiffs filed and served a motion for temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction which they presented in court on the same day that the four-day 2009 Fest began. The day after the filing of that motion, the City filed its opposition to preliminary relief. Docket Entry [10]. In that opposition, the City argued that it "did not violate the First Amendment by enforcing its permit scheme to allow St. Symphorosa to hold its permitted event and to allow it to exclude the Plaintiffs who wished to convey a message antithetical to St. Symphorosa or the Catholic Church. The Plaintiffs could convey their message elsewhere or at another time or outside of the boundaries of the permit granted to St. Symphorosa [T]he City has a significant interest in preserving St. Symphorosa's right to have its message heard, rather than the anti-Catholic sentiments of Plaintiffs." Id. at 6-7. The City noted that plaintiffs had the available alternative of leafletting just outside the Fest. Id. at 7. When subsequently moving to dismiss the Complaint, the City did not address the merits of First Amendment issues pertaining to Counts I and II, arguing only that those counts should be dismissed as against the City based on a failure to adequately allege municipal liability. Memo, in Support (Docket Entry [19]) at 4-7; Reply (Docket Entry [22]) at 2-7. In ruling on the motion to dismiss, it was held that plaintiffs failed to adequately allege that being stopped from speaking at the 2008 Fest was pursuant to a policy or custom of the City, so the damages claims against the City were dismissed. Teesdale I, at 26-31. Relying on the allegation that the City's opposition to preliminary relief was an expression of the City's official view as of 2009, it was held that it was adequately alleged that, as of 2009, the City had a policy that plaintiffs could be excluded from expressing themselves at future Fests. Therefore, the equitable relief claims contained in Counts I and II were not dismissed. Id. at 30-32.
Here, plaintiffs have a concrete plan to again leaflet at the 2011 Fest, something Teesdale and all or some of the other plaintiffs, plus additional church members, have done at each of the past three Fests. In 2008, plaintiffs' expression was interrupted and then discontinued when Teesdale was detained by Fest security and then subsequently placed under arrested by Defendant Officers. In 2009 and 2010, plaintiffs acted under the terms of Agreed Standby Orders, Docket Entries
Separate from, but factually related to, the standing requirement, plaintiffs cannot obtain equitable relief against the City unless it is shown that the exclusion from speaking at future Fests would be pursuant to an official action of the City. Los Angeles Cnty., Cal. v. Humphries, ___ U.S. ___, 131 S.Ct. 447, 449, 178 L.Ed.2d 460 (2010). In support of their own summary judgment motion and in opposition to the City's motion for summary judgment, plaintiffs rely on the City's previously discussed opposition to preliminary relief as showing that the current policy of the City is that the permit it issues for the Fest allows such exclusion. The City contends this is an inadequate showing that it has such a policy, both as an evidentiary matter and because the City's attorneys are not policymakers.
The parties agree that the City's attorneys are not themselves policymakers. But just as the City can delegate to particular City officials policymaking authority on specific issues, see Vodak v. City of Chicago, 639 F.3d 738, 747-48 (7th Cir. 2011); Teesdale I, at 28-29, it can designate officials to take official positions and actions on behalf of the City itself, Teesdale I, at 31. By ordinance, the City has delegated to its Corporation Counsel the power and duty to "(a) Superintend and, with his assistants and clerks, conduct all the law business of the city; [and] (b) Appear for and protect the rights and interests of the city in all actions, suits and proceedings brought by or against it . . . ." Chicago Municipal Code § 2-60-020(a)-(b). Moreover, the City (not its attorneys) is the party in this case. While the briefs are written by the attorneys, it is the brief of the City, not the attorneys personally. As was held in ruling on the City's motion to dismiss, as of 2009, it was the official position of the City that it could stop plaintiffs' expression on Fest grounds. In light of that and the City's failure to thereafter take a contrary position,
As was stated in Teesdale I, at 11-13, plaintiffs could be stopped from speaking in a manner that indicated they were speaking on behalf of the official event; in a manner or location that blocked pedestrian or vehicular traffic or caused other safety concerns; or by using amplification that would drown out official Fest events. On summary judgment, it is uncontested that plaintiffs' plans for future expression at the Fest would not cause any such disruptions. They will not use any amplification, they will avoid interfering with traffic, and there is no evidence their use of signs will cause any such interference. Plaintiffs do not oppose the time, place, and manner terms of the Agreed Standby Orders. Pl. Summ. Jmt. Memo. [51-2] at 12.
On plaintiffs' summary judgment motion, it must be conclusively established—that is, that there is no genuine factual dispute—that the City's current policy is that outside groups like plaintiffs can be excluded from nondisruptive leafletting and speaking at permitted events like the Fest that are open to the general public. As previously discussed, the only evidence on this issue is the City's prior position taken in 2009.
The undisputed facts regarding the Fest and plaintiffs' proposed speech are not materially different from those alleged in plaintiffs' Complaint. For the reasons set forth in Teesdale I, at 10-13, the City cannot constitutionally prevent plaintiffs
For purposes of ruling on Defendant Officers' motion for summary judgment, all reasonable inferences are drawn and all genuine factual disputes are resolved in Teesdale's favor. The remaining damages claims concern Teesdale's leafletting and proselytizing at the 2008 Fest. Raymond Kolasinki, an off-duty police officer who is not a defendant in this case, was the chief of Fest security. It is undisputed that Kolasinki stopped Teesdale from speaking and removed him to outside Fest grounds. There is evidence that Teesdale was told to leave and refused to do so. Defendant Officers were called to the scene and placed Teesdale under arrest based on information provided by Kolasinki and Fest business manager Joseph Dillon. It is undisputed that Defendant Officers did not witness Teesdale's activity on Fest grounds nor participate in removing Teesdale from the grounds. Defendant Officers' alleged misconduct is based on placing Teesdale under arrest in reliance on information provided to them by the Fest personnel, as well as any statements made by Teesdale before arresting him. Defendant Officers contend they cannot be liable for interfering with Teesdale's First Amendment rights because they did not remove him from the Fest grounds, they were unaware of his speech activity, and they otherwise had grounds to arrest him. They contend they had probable cause to arrest Teesdale for criminal trespass or disorderly conduct.
The police report for Teesdale's arrest states he was preaching with a bullhorn and told to leave. Svienty testified that Dillon or Kolasinki showed both Defendant Officers tracts that were being distributed by Teesdale. At his deposition, Svienty could not recall the content of the tracts other than that they included cartoons. Nevertheless, having seen the tracts and in light of the reference in the police report to preaching, it is a reasonable inference that the officers were aware Teesdale had been distributing religious leaflets and speaking on religious topics. On defendants' summary judgment motion, it is taken as true that both Defendant Officers had information that Teesdale had been engaging in religious speech, including distributing tracts and using a bullhorn. Teesdale contends he was stopped by Kolasinki before actually using the bullhorn, but the evidence supports Defendant Officers were informed he actually used it.
Regardless of Defendant Officers' knowledge of Teesdale's expressive activity or any related motivation to interfere with his speech, Teesdale's First Amendment claims against Defendant Officers fail if the officers had probable cause for an arrest. Currier v. Baldridge, 914 F.2d 993, 996 (7th Cir.1990);
Id. at 1056-57, at *3.
Probable cause is an objective standard based on the information known to the officer at the time of the arrest. Devenpeck v. Alford, 543 U.S. 146, 153, 125 S.Ct. 588, 160 L.Ed.2d 537 (2004); United States v. Garcia-Garcia, 633 F.3d 608, 612 (7th Cir.2011); Jackson v. Parker, 627 F.3d 634, 638 (7th Cir.2010); Carmichael v. Vill. of Palatine, Ill, 605 F.3d 451, 457 (7th Cir.2010). "[A]n arresting officer's state of mind (except for the facts that he knows) is irrelevant to the existence of probable cause." Devenpeck, 543 U.S. at 153, 125 S.Ct. 588. An arrest is not invalid because the arresting officer was maliciously motivated. Id. at 154, 125 S.Ct. 588; Mucha, 650 F.3d at 1057, 2011 WL 489617 at *3. "Subjective intent of the arresting officer, however it is determined (and of course subjective intent is always determined by objective means), is simply no basis for invalidating an arrest. Those are lawfully arrested whom the facts known to the arresting officers give probable cause to arrest." Devenpeck, 543 U.S. at 154-55, 125 S.Ct. 588. See also Jackson, 627 F.3d at 638; Carmichael, 605 F.3d at 457; Mustafa v. City of Chicago, 442 F.3d 544, 547 (7th Cir.2006).
Regarding the adequacy of the investigation undertaken prior to effecting an arrest:
Stokes, 599 F.3d at 624-25. See also Guzell v. Hiller, 223 F.3d 518, 520 (7th Cir. 2000); Reardon v. Wroan, 811 F.2d 1025, 1028 (7th Cir. 1987).
It is uncontested that Kolasinki and Teesdale were already outside the Fest grounds when Defendant Officers arrived. It is also uncontested that Kolasinki told Defendant Officers that Teesdale was "on our property" and Kolasinki wanted him arrested because Teesdale had been asked to not use his bullhorn to preach inside the Fest, but refused to do so. Teesdale contends the use of "on our property" is ambiguous and does not necessarily mean on the grounds of the Church itself as defendants contend. Teesdale also contends there is a factual dispute as to whether the officers had been told that Teesdale had been asked to leave, which is a necessary element of the subsection (a)(3) offense.
The officers testified that they thought the Fest was a private permitted event from which persons could be excluded.
Defendant Officers also contend they had probable cause to arrest Teesdale for disorderly conduct. The subjective intent of the officers is irrelevant, only whether they had knowledge of facts that would support probable cause to arrest for disorderly conduct. It does not matter that Defendant Officers did not arrest Teesdale based on disorderly conduct or even that they did not themselves believe Teesdale's conduct constituted disorderly conduct.
Illinois law defines the offense of disorderly conduct as including: "knowingly do[ing] any act in such unreasonable manner as to alarm or disturb another and to provoke a breach of the peace." 720 ILCS 5/26-1(a)(1). Whether conduct is disorderly depends on both the conduct and the circumstances surrounding it. Stokes, 599 F.3d at 622. The elements of this offense are that "the person's conduct must (1) be unreasonable; (2) alarm or disturb another; and (3) threaten to provoke or provoke a breach of the peace." Reher v. Vivo, 2010 WL 1531387 *5 (N.D.Ill. April 12, 2010). "The offense is intended to guard against `an invasion of the right of others not to be molested or harassed, either mentally or physically, without justification.'" Stokes, 599 F.3d at 622 (quoting People v. Davis, 82 Ill.2d 534,
Loudness, by itself, is not enough to constitute disorderly conduct; instead, the surrounding circumstances must be considered. People v. Albert, 243 Ill.App.3d 23, 183 Ill.Dec. 304, 611 N.E.2d 567, 569 (2d Dist.1993) (quoting City of Chicago v. Wender, 46 Ill.2d 20, 262 N.E.2d 470, 472 (1970)) ("creation and maintenance of loud and raucous noises has always been thought to be within the common-law definition [of disorderly conduct], but it is not the decibel level of the utterance * * * alone that is determinative"). Compare also Payne v. Pauley, 337 F.3d 767, 777 (7th Cir.2003) ("arguing with a police officer, even if done loudly, or with profane or offensive language, will not, in and of itself constitute disorderly conduct"); Bass v. Hansen, 2010 WL 5069690 (N.D.Ill.Dec.7, 2010), reconsideration granted in part on other grounds, 2011 WL 528837 (N.D.Ill. Feb. 3, 2011) (same). The public may be protected from loud noises, particularly in residential areas, but being loud and annoying does not constitute disorderly conduct if it does not threaten to provoke a breach of the peace. Albert, 183 Ill.Dec. 304, 611 N.E.2d at 570. Using loud language for several minutes in the middle of the night when there was a reasonable expectation of peace and quiet supported a conviction for disorderly conduct. Id. Yelling at passing vehicles and making threatening gestures at nine at night supported probable cause to arrest for disorderly conduct. Webb v. Lanton, 2010 WL 2102416 *4 (N.D.Ill. May 18, 2010).
Defendant Officers were aware that Teesdale had and wanted to use a bullhorn to preach in the midst of a street festival. Kolasinki also told them that Teesdale's use of the bullhorn was disturbing those walking by. While the Fest itself was not a quiet environment, even such a setting could be disturbed by a person using a bullhorn and Defendant Officers were told that Teesdale's use was disturbing those around him and he was given an opportunity to voluntarily stop using it, but refused. The second element of disturbance is satisfied. Since they were informed that others were being disturbed, the officers could infer that Teesdale's use was unreasonable. Since a number of people were being disturbed, they could also infer that a breach of peace was threatened. While this may not have been sufficient evidence to convict Teesdale on a disorderly conduct charge, defendant Officers had probable cause to arrest Teesdale for disorderly conduct.
Alternatively, in light of the broad definition of disorderly conduct and the limited precedents regarding under what circumstances loud noise constitutes disorderly conduct, Defendant Officers are entitled to qualified immunity because the law was not clearly established as to whether the facts of which they had knowledge constituted probable cause to arrest for disorderly conduct. See Humphrey v. Staszak, 148 F.3d 719, 727-28 (7th Cir. 1998); Reher, 2010 WL 1531387 at *6; Marcavage v. City of Chicago, 635 F.Supp.2d 829, 846 (N.D.Ill.2009).
Because the claims against Defendant Officers are being dismissed, the indemnity claim against the City will also be dismissed. The damages claims will be dismissed in their entirety.
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that plaintiffs' motion for partial summary judgment [51] is granted. Defendants' motion for summary judgment [52] is granted in part and denied in part.
(1) The Clerk of the Court is directed to enter judgment in favor of defendants and
(2) The Clerk of the Court is further directed to enter a declaratory judgment in favor of plaintiffs and against defendant City of Chicago as follows: