Civilrights 42 U.S.C. 1983 Claims Arrestee, Pretrialdetainee, Orconvicted Prisoner

5.7

CivilRights – 42 U.S.C. § 1983 Claims – Arrestee, PretrialDetainee, orConvicted Prisoner AllegingFailure toIntervene

Inthiscase,[name ofplaintiff] claimsthat[name ofdefendant],whileacting undercoloroflaw,failedtointervenewhen[nameofofficer]usedexcessiveforce against[name ofplaintiff]in violationof the UnitedStatesConstitution.

Anofficerwhofailsorrefusestointervenewhenaconstitutionalviolationsuchasexcessiveforcetakesplaceinhispresencemaybeheldliableforhisfailure tointervene.

Tosucceedonthisclaim,[nameofplaintiff]must proveeach of the followingfacts bya preponderance ofthe evidence:

First:That[nameof officer]used excessive force on [nameofplaintiff];

Second:That[name ofdefendant][saw[nameofofficer]useexcessiveforce][knew [nameof officer]wasgoingtouse excessive force];

Third:That[nameofdefendant]hadarealisticopportunitytopreventharmfromoccurring;

Fourth:That[nameofdefendant]failedtotakereasonablestepstopreventharmfromoccurring;

Fifth:That[nameofdefendant]’sfailuretoactcaused[nameofplaintiff]’sinjuriesandtheinjurieswereareasonablyforeseeableconsequence of [name of defendant]’s failure toact;and

Sixth:That[nameofdefendant] actedundercolor oflaw.[Thepartieshaveagreedthat[nameofdefendant]actedundercoloroflaw,soyoushouldacceptthat asa provenfact.]

[Forthesixthelement,youmustdecidewhether[nameofdefendant]acted undercoloroflaw.Agovernmentofficialacts“undercolor”oflawwhenactingwithinthelimitsoflawfulauthority.[He/She]alsoactsundercoloroflawwhen[he/she]claimstobeperforminganofficialdutybut[his/her]actsareoutsidethelimitsoflawfulauthorityandabusiveinmanner,or[he/she]actsinawaythatmisuses[his/her]power andisable todosoonlybecause [he/she]is anofficial.]

Ifyoufind[nameofplaintiff]hasprovedeachofthefacts[he/she]must prove,youmustthendecidetheissueof[nameofplaintiff]’sdamages.Ifyoufind that[nameofplaintiff]hasnotprovedeachofthesefacts,thenyoumustfind for[name of defendant].

NOTE:ModelJuryInterrogatoryFormsmaybefoundintheappendicesafter thelastcivilrightsjuryinstruction(PatternInstruction5.13)foruse inactionsbroughtunder42U.S.C.§1983.ThreetypesofModelJuryInterrogatoryFormsareprovided:(A)asimplifiedInterrogatory Formforuseinmostcivilrightsactions;(B)anInterrogatory FormforuseinactionsthatdonotrequireapplicationofthePrisonLitigationReformAct,and(C)anInterrogatoryFormforuseinactionsthatdorequire application ofthe PrisonLitigationReformAct.