Daniel Joyce and Robert Lopez v. North Metro Task Force, et. al.: RESPONSE TO PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR ORDER COMPELLING PRODUCTION OF SUBPOENAED DOCUMENTS AND TESTIMONY

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  • 8/7/2019 Daniel Joyce and Robert Lopez v. North Metro Task Force, et. al.: RESPONSE TO PLAINTIFFS MOTION FOR ORDER

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    IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURTFOR THE DISTRICT OF COLORADO

    Civil Action No. 10-cv-00649-CMA-MJW

    DANIEL JOYCE andROBERT LOPEZ,

    Plaintiffs,vs.

    NORTH METRO TASK FORCE,THE CITY OF NORTHGLENN, COLORADO,THE CITY OF THORNTON, COLORADO,

    JAMES NURSEY, CHIEF, THORNTON POLICE DEPARTMENT,RUSSELL VAN HOUTEN, CHIEF, NORTHGLENN POLICE DEPARTMENTJACK BELL,DANTE CARBONE,TIMOTHY HERSEE, andRICHARD REIGENBORN.

    Defendants.

    RESPONSE TO PLAINTIFFS MOTION FOR ORDER COMPELLING

    PRODUCTION OF SUBPOENAED DOCUMENTS AND TESTIMONY______________________________________________________________________

    Defendants, CITY OF THORNTON, JAMES NURSEY and DANTE CARBONE,

    by their attorneys, SENTER GOLDFARB & RICE, L.L.C., and pursuant to

    D.C.COLO.LCivR 7.1(C), hereby respond to Plaintiffs Motion for Order Compelling

    Production of Subpoenaed Documents and Testimony (Dkt. #37) as follows:

    A. INTRODUCTION

    1. The underlying premise of Plaintiffs Motion is the oft-repeated charge that

    Defendant Carbone was the primary suspect or target of the DEA investigation into

    the source of the leak that occurred in connection with the Tang investigation. As will

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    be shown below, the primary reason why Carbone gained this dubious status was by

    virtue of the unsubstantiated allegations, suspicions, and charges that were lodged by

    Plaintiffs Joyce and Lopez. When these suspicions were put to the test of investigation,

    all objective facts pointed against Plaintiffs charges. Indeed, the entire exercise boils

    down to an example of nothing more than ipse dixit the Plaintiffs say that Carbone is

    the primary suspect in the leak and, as a result, it must therefore be so. Herein, they

    continue to press their charge with no facts to support same other than rank speculation

    and slanderous rhetoric.

    2. As will also be demonstrated below, Plaintiffs have failed to follow proper

    procedure in seeking the documentation they request, they are untimely and have been

    dilatory in seeking that documentation, and the materials sought are not even relevant

    to the controversies presented by this case. For these collective reasons, the motion

    should be denied.

    B. THE SUMMARY REPORT OF THE DEA INVESTIGATION

    3. The Amended Affidavit submitted in support the Motion is rife with errors

    and also omits material facts included in the DEA Summary Report which, when

    considered, lead to far different conclusions than those suggested by Plaintiffs. In

    considering the present motion, it must be remembered that the DEA Summary Report

    is not in and of itself evidence of anything, but instead merely reports information and

    statements gathered from the various persons who were interviewed in the underlying

    investigation. The reports are inadmissible hearsay. It is the documentation referenced

    and the witnesses identified therein that might constitute potential evidence. None of

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    the investigators, including the person sought to be deposed (Special Agent Roach)

    have any direct knowledge of facts bearing on this case. Instead, they merely

    investigated and reported upon what they were told by others. Finally, it must be

    considered that while the Summary Report contained various impressions and surmise

    of investigators (as all such reports are want to do), such matters constitute nothing

    more than inadmissible opinions. Thus, neither the Summary Report, nor the complete

    report, nor any testimony concerning those documents is likely to be admissible in any

    event.

    4. The undersigned counsel for Defendants reviewed the Summary Report

    on November 10, 2010. As discussed below, several facts recited within the Amended

    Affidavit submitted with Plaintiffs Motion are inaccurate and/or omit material facts. By

    signature hereunder, counsel verifies that the following disparities of facts or omissions

    of facts are born out by the Summary Report:

    a. Claim is made that the Summary Report indicates that then-Sergeant

    Carbone fought against having investigators move in and arrest the

    members [on February 14, 2008]. [Amended Affidavit at 3.b.] This

    statement is inaccurate. What the Summary Report actually reflects is

    that both [Special Agent] Reid [of the DEA] and Carbone forcefully argued

    to wait until more time passed before taking action. [Summary Report at

    p. 104.] The report further indicates that Assistant Special Agent in

    Charge Palestino (also of the DEA) thought that immediate action should

    be taken and that Plaintiff Joyce also wanted to act immediately.

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    [Summary Report at pp. 104 105.] The report also indicates that

    [Special Agent] Marshall [of the DEA] was ambivalent, but somewhat

    supportive of the need to take immediate action. [Summary Report at p.

    105.] The Summary Report goes on to indicate that despite intercepted

    phone calls showing that the subject of the investigation were aware of

    police involvement, Carbone and Reid still recommended no action be

    taken. [Summary Report at p. 106.] Moreover, in discovery taken in

    connection with this case, Plaintiff Joyce claimed that Defendant Bell also

    argued in favor of waiting before an enforcement action was taken.

    [Deposition of Daniel Joyce at p. 206, ll. 18-22.] Thus, while the Amended

    Affidavit attempts to suggest that Carbone stood alone in opposing

    immediate action, both the Summary Report and other facts clearly

    demonstrate that he was but one voice taking this position. Far from

    being suspicious, such honest disagreements between investigators are a

    routine part of drug investigations.

    b. The Amended Affidavit also offers parenthetical commentary about the

    fact that Carbone was promoted to the rank of commander following the

    events that form the basis of this lawsuit. [Amended Affidavit at p. 2.] The

    obvious innuendo suggested by this comment is that the promotion was in

    someway linked to Plaintiffs claims or that he did not otherwise deserve

    the promotion. Carbone has had an exemplary 30+ year career in law

    enforcement. For many years, he has been sought by other law

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    enforcement agencies to assist in the most difficult and complex of

    investigations. He received the City of Thorntons Distinguished Service

    Award in 2005, and the City has received dozens of letters of appreciation

    for Carbones service to include one from then Colorado Attorney General

    Salazar offering thanks for his service in helping extradite criminals who

    committed acts in Colorado and then fled to Mexico as a safe haven.

    There is a letter from a chief deputy district attorney remarking that

    Carbone is simply the best police interrogator I have ever encountered.

    For over a decade, Carbones annual performance evaluations score

    amongst the highest in the department, rating outstanding and highly

    proficient. To suggest that his promotion had to do with anything other

    than merit is simply reckless slander.

    c. Through innuendo, the Amended Affidavit attempts to suggest that the cell

    phone mentioned in the tip-off letter is in some way associated with

    Carbones daughter. [Amended Affidavit at 3.c., d., and r.] What is

    omitted from this discussion is that substantial efforts were undertaken by

    the DEA to determine whether or not Carbones daughter was in any way

    linked to the purchase of the subject cell phone. All of those efforts

    proved entirely fruitless and in fact demonstrated that she was not

    involved. Not a single witness was identified who placed Ms. Carbone in

    the location where the phone was purchased on the day in question. In

    fact, the clerk who sold the phone to the purchaser was shown a

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    photograph of Ms. Carbone and was unable to identify her as the

    purchaser of the phone. [Summary Report at p. 116.] Bank records were

    reviewed which also showed no correlation to the purchase of the cell

    phone. [Summary Report at pp. 116 and 120.] Investigators even went to

    the lengths of having a CBI criminalist inspect Ms. Carbones handwriting

    to determine whether or not she had any part in filling out the application

    for the cell phone. The criminalist concluded that the evidence suggests

    that [Ms. Carbone] did not write [the name of cell phone applicant].

    [Summary Report at p. 128.] They also had fingerprint analysis done by a

    detective from the Denver Police Department who analyzed the evidence

    and determined that Ms. Carbones fingerprints were not on the cell

    phone application. [Summary Report at p. 129.] In short, thorough

    investigation was undertaken and multiple forensic analyses were

    performed and none of that yielded any results indicating that Carbones

    daughter had any link whatsoever to the purchase of the subject cell

    phone. Thus, while the Amended Affidavit suggests that investigators

    found such a connection, the omitted material facts demonstrate just the

    opposite.

    d. The Amended Affidavit lays claim that the Summary Report indicates that

    but (sic) of the 29 DEA and NMTF employees interviewed, approximately

    half questioned Sergeant Carbones integrity and/or suspected that he

    may have been involved in compromise the Tang investigation.

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    [Amended Affidavit at 3.h.] What the Summary Report actually states is

    that approximately half of the NMTF employees that were interviewed,

    including two of the members of the NMTF management, questioned

    Carbones integrity and/or suspected his involvement. [Summary Report

    at p. 90.] Indeed, if one reviews the transcribed handwritten notes that are

    submitted with Plaintiffs motion, this exact quote is reflected showing that

    the quotation set forth in the Amended Affidavit is an error. [See, Excerpts

    from Handwritten Notes from Review of Summary Report at p. 3.] The

    correct quotation thus suggests that roughly half of the NMTF employees

    interviewed either questioned Carbones integrity and/or suspected him

    with regard to the leak. It is known from the discovery in this case that

    each of the Plaintiffs fit both of these categories. [Deposition of Daniel

    Joyce at p. 335, ll. 3-12, p. 345, l. 24 p. 347, l. 1, p. 351, ll. 12-24;

    Deposition of Robert Lopez at p. 62, l. 15 p. 66, l. 11, p. 71, l. 19 p. 72,

    l.14.] Moreover, while Plaintiff Joyce denies that he told others at the

    NMTF of suspicions that Carbone was the author of the tip-off letter

    [Deposition of Daniel Joyce at . 332, l. 18 p. 333, l. 5.],1 Plaintiff Lopez

    candidly admits that he announced his suspicions to at least 10 other

    persons at the NMTF. [Deposition of Robert Lopez at p. 97, l. 19 p. 9, l.

    6, p. 119, l. 7 p. 126, 11.] Also, since the DEA investigators had, with the

    1Although Joyce denies telling other NMTF detectives and employees of his suspicions about

    Carbone, the vast majority of persons deposed or interviewed say just the opposite Joycespoke long and loud about his suspicions. In fact, his harangue became so distracting that atleast one detective asked to be moved away from him.

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    assistance of Plaintiffs, identified Carbone as a lead suspect, it is

    doubtless the case that virtually everyone who was questioned regarding

    the matter was asked about Carbone. With all of this suspicion already

    cast upon Carbone, one has to ask whether or not the suspicions existed

    before or only after Plaintiffs implicated Carbone. Once Carbone was

    made a suspect by Plaintiffs, all that he did became suspicious in the

    minds of others

    e. The Amended Affidavit also claims that the Summary Report indicates that

    Carbone was found to be deceptive in answering questions in his

    polygraph examination. [Amended Affidavit at 3.i.]2 What is omitted

    from the affidavit is that Carbones polygraph examination was conducted

    by a different special agent than the others who were given such a test.

    [Summary Report at p. 46.] Moreover, polygraph examinations are

    generally held inadmissible both in the Colorado Courts and in the Tenth

    Circuit. 14 Colo. Prac., Criminal Practice & Procedure, 1.5(3) 2nd Ed.;

    United States v. Call, 129 F.3d 1402 (1997). The vast majority of courts

    who have considered the admissibility of polygraph evidence hold it to be

    inadmissible for a variety of reasons, most notably lack of scientific

    reliability. 22 Fed. Prac. & Proc. Evid., 51, 69, 1st Ed.

    2 The Amended Affidavit also states that Detective Garcias examination showed deception.[Amended Affidavit at p. 4.] In reality, the Summary Report states that the examination ofGarcia[shows]...no deception. [Summary Report at p. 46.] This is but another example of thelack of precision and accuracy in the Amended Affidavit.

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    f. The Amended Affidavit further contends that the Summary Report

    suggests a close relationship between Carbone and Dan Tang, even

    going so far as to claim that when Tang was interviewed on February 18,

    2008, he said that he was disappointed because he looked bad in front of

    his friend, Dante. [Amended Affidavit at 3.l.] What is omitted from the

    Amended Affidavit is the fact that when interviewed, Tang denied ever

    having made such a statement. [Summary Report at p. 100.] Moreover,

    the Summary Report reflects that no other person claims to have ever

    heard this statement besides one officer. [Id.] The officer who claims that

    the statement was made is none other than Plaintiff Joyce. [Deposition of

    Daniel Joyce at p. 352, ll. 3-10.] Moreover, when interviewed, both

    Carbone and Tang indicated that they only knew each other by virtue of

    Carbone having come into the restaurant for lunch. [Summary Report at

    p. 99.] No facts were developed which contradicted this assertion. In

    addition, although claim is laid that there was a close relationship between

    Carbone and Tang, it was found that Tang when interviewed stated that

    he only knew Carbone by the name Dante. [Summary Report at p. 99.]

    Thus, through misstatement and omission, it is made to appear that Tang

    acknowledged making a statement which in fact he denied ever having

    made and the critical fact is omitted that the only person who even alleges

    such a statement was made is one the Plaintiffs in this case. It is also

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    suggested that a close relationship existed between Carbone and Tang

    when the Summary Report itself indicates no such thing.

    g. The Amended Affidavit also charges questionable ethics on Sergeant

    Carbones part. [Amended Affidavit at 3.o.] What follows this statement

    is a series of disconnected and random notes regarding matters having

    not the slightest thing to do with the Tang investigation from unattributed

    sources on unknown dates. In supporting this sort of innuendo, the

    Summary Report indicates that one NMTF employee said that several

    credible people both within and outside of NMTF told him to be aware of

    Carbone because he was dirty. [Summary Report at p. 96.] No basis is

    given for this charge, nor is the source identified. Given the history of the

    investigation, it is not at all unlikely that the unattributed source was one of

    the Plaintiffs in this case.

    h. The Amended Affidavit also charges that Carbone was a close friend of

    Noel Busck, former mayor of the City of Thornton, and suggests that

    Carbone somehow arranged leniency in prosecution with regard to Busck.

    [Amended Affidavit at 3.v., w., x., and y.] In fact what the Summary

    Report indicates is that Busck was a close friend of Tang. [Summary

    Report at p. 122.] Busck describes his relationship with Carbone as a

    friendly one and goes on to describe that Carbone rode with him on

    National Night Out while Busck was mayor, a fact which Carbone readily

    conceded in his own interview. [Summary Report at p. 122.] With respect

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    to the decision not to involve Busck in the prosecution of Tang, Carbone

    reported that Assistant U.S. Attorney Campbell had determined to use

    Busck as a witness, as opposed to filing charges against him. Carbone

    was also asked by Campbell to convey this information to Busck. [Id.]

    When interviewed, Assistant U.S. Attorney Campbell confirmed Carbones

    version of these events. [Summary Report at p. 126.] Thus, contrary to

    the assertions in the Amended Affidavit, the Summary Report does not

    bear out a close friendship between Carbone and Busck, nor does it

    demonstrate any impropriety on Carbones part with regard to decisions

    made concerning the prosecution of Busck, nor in the conveying of that

    information to him.

    5. Despite the fact that Plaintiffs labeled Carbone as a suspect and this

    apparently led to a vigorous investigation of him by the DEA, the end result of a detailed

    and lengthy investigation was that insufficient evidence was developed to pursue any

    type of charge against Carbone. In fact, as demonstrated above, a large measure of

    the evidence developed in the DEA report was completely exculpatory of Carbone.

    Even now, Plaintiff Joyce admits that he never had either probable cause or even

    reasonable suspicion to implicate Carbone in the alleged leak. [Deposition of Daniel

    Joyce at p. 19, l. 20 p. 20, l. 16.] As well, Lopez admits that he never possessed any

    probable cause that Carbone was involved in the leak. [Deposition of Robert Lopez at

    p. 153, l. 25 p. 153, l. 6.] Despite this dearth of evidence and despite not having any

    reasonable grounds to make their charge, Plaintiffs continue to label Carbone as a

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    suspect. Professional law enforcement investigators should know that such conduct is

    unbecoming of their office.

    C. PROCEDURE

    6. The motion is completely devoid of any reference to the rule or procedure

    that is being relied upon seeking an order compelling document production and

    deposition testimony. It is unclear whether Plaintiffs rely on Fed.R.Civ.P. 37 (which

    does not include any provisions for compelling document production or testimony

    pursuant to a Rule 45 subpoena) or Fed.R.Civ.P. 45 (which has a contempt provision,

    but no other explicit provisions regarding orders compelling production or attendance).

    It is impossible for Defendants to respond to uncited procedure. Indeed, this lack of

    procedure alone should be sufficient to result in a denial of the motion.

    7. It is also pointed out that Plaintiffs have presented no evidence to the

    Court that the parties sought to be compelled (i.e. the United States Attorney and a DEA

    agent) have even been served with the Motion. The Court will be deprived of any

    response from these non-parties if they are not served with the Motion. They have the

    right to be noticed and heard.

    8. It is also clear that Plaintiffs have failed to comply with the Touhy

    regulations, 28 C.R.F. 16.21 et seq., that are a condition precedent to any legal action

    seeking the subject documentation or testimony. [Seecorrespondence from Mark S.

    Pestal dated December 6, 2010 and February 3, 2011, Exhibits 3 and 10 to the Motion.]

    Failure to adhere to these procedures as well is sufficient in and of itself to result in a

    denial of the motion.

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    D. TIMELINESS

    9. Plaintiffs have not raised this discovery dispute in a timely manner. In

    fact, as the record demonstrates, they have been dilatory in both pursuing this discovery

    and in bringing the matter to the Courts attention.

    10. Plaintiffs first raised the issue of undertaking discovery regarding the DEA

    investigation in August of 2010. [Email from Patricia S. Bangert and Notice of Issuance

    of Subpoena Duces Tecum dated August 17, 2010, attached hereto as Exhibit A.]

    Defendants were not informed as to whether or not the subject subpoena was ever

    served, nor was any notice given of cancellation of the subpoena. One of the defense

    attorneys appeared on the assigned return date for the subpoena, on August 27, 2010,

    only to find that Plaintiffs counsel had apparently unilaterally cancelled the production

    but given no notice of same.

    11. It was not until some three and one-half months later in December of 2010

    that the issue of the DEA report was once again raised by Plaintiffs. [Email from

    Patricia S. Bangert and Notice of Issuance of Subpoena Duces Tecumdated December

    2, 2010, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit B.]

    12. Just four days following service of the second Notice of Issuance, the

    United States Attorneys Office responded to Plaintiffs counsel and advised of the need

    to conform to the Touhy regulations. [Letter from Mark S. Pestal dated December 6,

    2010, Exhibit 3 to the Motion.] In his correspondence, the Assistant United States

    Attorney also offered to make the Summary Report available for inspection by Plaintiffs.

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    13. Although the United States Attorney had agreed to make the Summary

    Report available as of early December of 2010, Plaintiffs counsel did not convey her

    intent to review those materials until December 20, 2010. [E-mail from Patricia S.

    Bangert dated December 20, 2010, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit C.] In

    her communication, Plaintiffs counsel indicated that she would be set[ting] up a time to

    review the letter in early January. [Id.] No reason is given for delaying inspection of

    the Summary Report until a month following the offer of inspection.

    14. The issue was not raised again until yet another month later on January

    21, 2011, when Plaintiffs counsel announced her intention to take the deposition of

    Special Agent Roach. [E-mail from Patricia S. Bangert dated January 21, 2011, a copy

    of which is attached hereto as Exhibit D.] In this communication, Plaintiffs counsel

    unilaterally announced her intention to set Roachs deposition for next Thursday

    (January 27, 2011). This notification is some six weeks after Plaintiffs were given the

    opportunity to review the Summary Report. It is also served only eight days before the

    lapsing of the discovery cut-off in the case. It is further in violation of D.C.Colo.LCivR

    30.1(A) which requires that reasonable notice for the taking of a deposition is not less

    than 14 days and also requires that a party engage in good faith efforts to schedule the

    deposition by agreement at a time that is reasonably convenient and economically

    efficient to the proposed deponent and all counsel of record. Plaintiffs counsel neither

    conferred nor gave 14 days notice.

    15. It was not until January 26, 2011, that Plaintiffs counsel indicated that the

    U.S. Attorney needs more time to consider Plaintiffs request to depose S.A. Paul

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    E. RELEVANCE

    19. The Motion, as well as the Amended Affidavit, contains a hodgepodge of

    assertions of relevance in the requested discovery. In order to determine relevance, it

    is fundamental to understand the nature of the legal theory of the case. Here, Plaintiffs

    plead but one claim for relief, that being premised upon a theory of First Amendment

    retaliation. In such a case, the legal issues are straightforward. Within the Tenth Circuit,

    the basic formula for recovery on a First Amendment retaliation claim requires that a

    plaintiff be able to show the following elements: (1) that the plaintiffs speech was made

    a private citizen, as opposed to as a part of his official duties; (2) that the speech was

    on a matter of public concern; (3) that the governments interests as an employer in

    promoting efficiency of public service do not outweigh the plaintiffs free speech

    interests; (4) that the protected speech was a motivating factor in the alleged adverse

    employment action; and (5) that the government employer would not have reached the

    same employment decision in the absence of the protected speech. Rohrbough v.

    Univ. of Colo. Hosp. Auth., 596 F.3d 741, 745 (10th Cir. 2010); Brammer Hoelter v.

    Twin Peaks Charter Acad., 492 F3d 1192, 1202 (10th Cir. 2007).

    20. Despite Plaintiffs assertion to the contrary, the DEA investigative reports

    and testimony associated therewith do not bear on any of these legal or factual issues.

    This is seen by responding, in order, to the assertions of relevance contained in the

    Motion:

    a. First it is asserted that the DEA report will detail the specific speech which

    Plaintiffs claim to have participated in. [Motion at p. 7.] Whether or not

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    the report contains reference to the Plaintiffs claimed speech will make

    none of the issues presented by this case more or less likely. In fact,

    Plaintiffs have already offered sworn testimony in their depositions as to

    the specific nature of the speech they claim to have engaged in. The fact

    that such may have been reported in DEA reports, either in detail or in

    summary form, does nothing to advance Plaintiffs cause.

    b. Second, it is claimed that the DEA report may show a motive for

    Defendants retaliation against Plaintiffs. [Motion at p. 8.] Plaintiffs

    assertion that the report may show such a motive is speculative at best.

    But more to the point, Plaintiffs have already announced and conducted

    extensive discovery with regard to their claimed theory of motive in the

    case (i.e. to silence Plaintiffs criticism of the NMTFs perceived lack of

    response to the leak and/or their announced belief that Defendant

    Carbone was the source thereof). Whether or not the DEA report

    speculates on such matters does nothing to make the truth of that claimed

    motive more or less likely.

    c. Third, Plaintiffs assert that the DEA report may show the exertion of

    substantial political influence in connection with the underlying criminal

    investigation. [Motion at p. 9.] Once again, the suggestion that the report

    may show such matters is speculative at best and is not consistent with

    anything contained within the Summary Report that has been reviewed by

    all of the parties. Such speculation either by Plaintiffs or by the DEA

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    investigators is not in any way probative of the salient issues in this case

    and, for that matter, is in all likelihood completely inadmissible testimony.

    The hyperbolic references to political influence contained within the

    Motion constitute nothing more than a fishing expedition which should not

    be allowed, particularly at this late date in the proceedings.

    d. Fourth, Plaintiffs also assert that the DEA report may show that other

    members of the NMTF were in fear of retribution. [Motion at p. 10.] Here

    again, the speculative claim that the report may show such matters is

    insufficient grounds to reopen discovery in this case. The real evidence

    concerning any such claimed fear of retribution would be through the

    testimony of the NMTF employees who are claimed to have suffered from

    such. Virtually, every such person associated with the NMTF during the

    subject time frame has already been deposed or given a statement in

    connection with this case. Thus, as with the other matters discussed

    above, relevance here is tenuous at best.

    e. Fifth, Plaintiffs make the curious assertion that the report may show that

    the Plaintiffs themselves believed their lives to be in jeopardy as they

    continue to work under a corrupt police sergeant. [Motion at p. 11.] If

    any witnesses are competent to testify to this proposition, it would be

    Plaintiffs themselves. Why Plaintiffs would need to discover their own

    feelings and emotions from a report is indiscernible. There is simply no

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    reason to conduct discovery from third parties to determine what the

    Plaintiffs thought and felt.

    f. Sixth, Plaintiffs make the broad assertion that the DEA report might shed

    light on the credibility of the defendants. This claim of relevance is by far

    the most speculative of any offered by Plaintiffs. It is simply not good

    cause or viable grounds to reopen discovery because Plaintiffs believe

    that a document that they could have discovered months ago might allow

    Plaintiffs to obtain facts that would allow them to question the credibility of

    the Defendants collectively. This appears to be simply make-weight

    substantiation for a weak argument of relevance.

    21. In sum, the relevance of the requested discovery is tangential and weakly

    linked, if at all, to the issues in this case. Given the fact that correct procedure has not

    been adhered to, timeliness has been ignored, and Defendants have a substantial

    interest in moving forward with the consummation of this litigation, such weak relevance

    should be outweighed by all competing factors.

    F. CONCLUSION

    22. The facts concerning the Summary Report upon which Plaintiffs premise

    their motion are either incorrect or incomplete due to material omissions of fact.

    Plaintiffs have wholly failed to comply with applicable procedure. Plaintiffs Motion is

    untimely and their acts have been dilatory in every respect. Relevance, if any, is

    tenuous. Under these circumstances, the motion should be denied.

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    Respectfully submitted,

    s/ Thomas S. RiceThomas S. Rice

    Senter Goldfarb & Rice, L.L.C.1700 Broadway, Suite 1700Denver, CO 80290Telephone: (303) 320-0509FAX: (303) 320-0210E-mail: [email protected] for City of Thornton, JamesNursey, and Dante Carbone

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    CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

    I HEREBY CERTIFY that on this 7th day of March, 2011, I electronically filed a

    true and correct copy of the above and foregoing RESPONSE TO PLAINTIFFSMOTION FOR ORDER COMPELLING PRODUCTION OF SUBPOENAEDDOCUMENTS AND TESTIMONY with the Clerk of Court using the CM/ECF systemwhich will send notification of such filing to the following email addresses:

    Patricia S. BangertAttorney at Law, LLC3773 Cherry Creek North DriveSuite 575Denver, Colorado [email protected]

    Attorney for Plaintiffs Joyce and Lopez

    Steven J. DawesLight, Kelly & Dawes, P.C.1512 Larimer StreetWriter Square Office Tower, #300Denver, CO [email protected] for Defendant Timothy Hersee

    Josh A. Marks

    Melanie B. LewisBerg Hill Greenleaf & Ruscitti, LLP1712 Pearl StreetBoulder, Colorado [email protected]@bhgrlaw.comAttorneys for Jack Bell

    J. Andrew NathanMarni Nathan KlosterNathan Bremer Dumm & Myers, PC3900 E. Mexico Avenue, Suite 1000Denver, Colorado 80210

    [email protected]@nbdmlaw.comAttorneys for North Metro Task Forceand Richard Reigenborn

    Cathy Havener GreerWilliam T. OConnell, IIIWells, Anderson & Race, LLC1700 Broadway, Suite 1020Denver, Colorado [email protected]

    [email protected] for the City of Northglennand Russell Van Houten

    s/ Barbara A. Ortell

    Barbara A. Ortell, Legal Secretary

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