A federal appeals court on Tuesday upheld the dismissal of claims made by a Carson City man in a civil lawsuit against sheriff's deputies and city officials.
The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals threw out Ron Weddell's allegations in the 5-year-old case that he was arrested by Carson City deputies without probable cause and in violation of equal-protection rights under the U.S. Constitution.
The court said it found no merit in Weddell's claims.
The accusations stem from an October 1997 incident in which Weddell, attempting a citizen's arrest, fired four shots at a fleeing Jaime Bustamonte.
Weddell claims he tried to arrest the man because Bustamonte and his brother had tried to run down an employee of Weddell's at an Arrowhead Drive construction yard. Weddell sought damages, a public apology and the resignation of the officials.
A district court judge decided last year that Carson City District Attorney Noel Waters and Chief Deputy District Attorney Anne Langer were immune from Weddell's lawsuit because they were acting in their official capacity as prosecutors. The appeals court reaffirmed that decision Tuesday.
Weddell filed the civil lawsuit in U.S. District Court in 1999, claiming a number of violations by several Carson City officials.
