Hart

We consider whether Los Angeles police officers violated an individual’s constitutional rights by arresting him for his suspected role in the theft of Oscar statuettes to be presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Academy Awards night in March 2000.

I

Anthony Hart alleges various constitutional injuries arising from two arrests — in March 2000 and again in August 2000 — for his suspected role in the theft of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Oscar statuettes. Because the claims are numerous and the issues presented are even more numerous, the facts are set out in some detail.

A

On March 13, 2000, the Executive Director of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences suspected that the Oscar statuettes, which had recently been shipped from the manufacturer in Chicago, were missing and possibly stolen. Roadway Express Shipping (“Roadway”) had been hired to deliver the trophies. The Academy contacted the Los Angeles Police Department (“LAPD”), which assigned detectives Marc Zavala and Robert Rivera, members of its Burglary Auto Theft Division, to investigate. Zavala had investigated cargo thefts for 10 years and Rivera had investigated…