First Circuit affirms US District Court's dismissal of civil rights lawsuit brought against RI State Police - 2/4/10
Publicado el 2010-02-04 20:41:59 [0 comentarios]
Michael J. Healey
State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
Department of Attorney General
150 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02903
Patrick C. Lynch, Attorney General
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CONTACT: Michael J. Healey
Tel: (401) 274-4400, ext. 2234
Fax: (401) 222-2725
www.riag.state.ri.us
February 4, 2010
PRESS RELEASE
AG Lynch: First Circuit affirms US District Court’s dismissal
of civil rights suit brought against Rhode Island State Police
Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch today announced that the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit has affirmed the US District Court’s Order of Dec. 31, 2008, dismissing the civil rights suit brought against the Rhode Island State Police by 12 illegal immigrants in Estrada et al., v. State Police, et al.
The facts of the case are that on July 11, 2006, Rhode Island State Police Trooper Thomas Chabot made a lawful traffic stop of a van carrying 12 individuals, many of whom were unable to produce any identification and many of whom did not speak English. At the instruction of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials, Trooper Chabot escorted the van to ICE headquarters in Providence where it was determined that all of the occupants of the van were in the United States illegally.
In dismissing the lawsuit in the US District Court for the District of Rhode Island, Judge Mary Lisi had ruled that Trooper Chabot acted both reasonably and with legal justification in all of his actions.
In today’s decision, the First Circuit threw out the challenge brought by the 12 plaintiffs, ruling that it affirmed the District Court decision on all counts. The First Circuit ruling found, “Because we find that Officer Chabot could reasonably have believed that he had sufficient facts to warrant first reasonable suspicion, and later, probable cause of immigration violations, we find that he is entitled to qualified immunity for all of the challenged actions with respect to the Act.”
Attorney General Lynch said, “Today’s decision affirms that Trooper Chabot did not overstep the boundaries of the law either in his performance of his professional duties during the traffic stop in Richmond or in escorting the van to immigration officials at ICE headquarters in Providence. This high-profile and sensitive case is now resolved, and I am pleased that the First Circuit has found that proper action was taken by the Rhode Island State Police and that there was no basis for any claim of constitutional violation.”
Special Assistant Attorney General John Moreira argued the State’s case before the First Circuit.
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Categorias: PRESS RELEASES / Comunicados de Prensa