Coffey v. Carroll, No. 18-1314 (6th Cir. 2019)
Annotate this CaseA 911 caller reported that two men had approached and tried to break into her parked car. Officers were dispatched. Because there was fresh snow, the officers followed a trail of snowprints to the Coffey home. Outside the home, Coffey’s father, David, told the officers that Coffey and Jerrell were inside. David claims he never gave them permission to enter the home. The officers claim that David did consent. The officers entered and found Coffey, asleep on a loveseat. David says that the officers tried to wake Coffey by poking him in the chest. An officer then punched Coffey in the face and yelled, “stop resisting.” Officers flipped him onto his stomach and handcuffed him. Coffey says he did not resist but that the officers used his face to open the storm door as they dragged him out of the house, leaving him with injuries. The officers claim that Coffey, fought, kicked two officers, and pulled his arms away. Coffey was acquitted of assaulting a police officer. Coffey sued under 42 U.S.C. 1983, The officers sought summary judgment on the basis of qualified immunity. The Sixth Circuit agreed that there existed material disputes of fact over whether the officers unlawfully entered Coffey’s home, whether they used excessive force when arresting Coffey, and whether the officers influenced or participated in the decision to prosecute Coffey for assaulting a police officer.
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