The Dodgers Seek IPhone Heartbeat Data From Wife Of Stadium Beating Victim
photo: Dez Hester/Unsplash
The Dodgers have requested that a Los Angeles judge order the wife of Rafael Reyna, a fan who was hospitalized with a serious brain injury after allegedly being attacked in the stadium's parking lot after a 2019 game, to turn over iPhone evidence that supports her claim for emotional distress. Her attorneys say the request involves privacy issues, however.
Reyna's Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit alleges negligence, premises liability, assault, battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress, maintaining that the lighting was poor and security was lacking at the game.
Christel Reyna, his wife and fellow plaintiff, has a separate bystander claim for negligent infliction of emotional distress. The Dodger attorneys want access to her iPhone health data related to her heart rate.
"This information is directly relevant to defending against Mrs. Reyna's claim for emotional distress in this action,'' lawyers for the Dodgers argue in their court papers.
Christel Reyna has put her health at issue, particularly her heart rate, by stating that she continues to suffer anxiety attacks and a racing heart for which she is seeking damages for her past and future medical care, according to the Dodger attorneys' court papers.
"Information related to Mrs. Reyna's heart rate must be produced, as it goes to directly to the validity of her claims in this matter,'' the team's attorneys maintain in their court papers.
But according to the plaintiffs' attorneys, the iPhone data request is "overly broad, harassing, and invades'' Christel Reyna's privacy rights under the state constitution.
The iPhone health data extracts personal information on its owner, such as sleep, steps, and workouts, depending on what the device's owner wants, the plaintiffs' attorneys state in their court papers.
"Moreover, defendants are in possession of Mrs. Reyna's psychiatric mental health records,'' the plaintiffs' lawyers further state in their court papers.
A hearing on the Dodgers' motion is scheduled for Tuesday before Judge Michael Whitaker.
The Reynas' attorneys believe the crime rate at Dodger Stadium exceeds that of any other ballpark in Major League Baseball, according to their court papers.
Security was reduced in 2004 for financial reasons, possibly due to the financial troubles of former owner Frank McCourt, and in 2008, the Dodgers began relying solely on security guards uniformed in polo shirts, without any uniformed Los Angeles police officers, the suit filed in April 2020 alleges.
Reyna was attacked after watching the Dodgers play the Arizona Diamondbacks on March 29, 2019, the suit states. The game lasted 13 innings and ended shortly before midnight, according to the complaint.
After the game, Reyna went to one of the parking lots to reach his car and called his wife to let her know he would soon be departing Dodger Stadium, but he was overtaken by about five people and violently beaten, causing him to collapse onto the parking lot asphalt and strike his head, the suit states.
The attack was in an area that was "notoriously poorly lit," the suit alleges.
Copyright 2023, City News Service, Inc.
Stay in touch
Sign up for our free newsletter
More from L.A. TACO
The Ten Best Panaderías in Los Angeles to Get Your Pan De Muerto For Dia De Los Muertos
Los Angeles has the best pan de muerto scene in the country, from a sourdough variation to others that have been passed down through generations. Here are ten panaderías around L.A. where you can find the fluffy, gently spiced, sugar-dusted seasonal pan dulce that is as delicious as it is important to the Dia de Muertos Mexican tradition.
A New Genetically Modified ‘Low THC’ Hemp Was Just Approved by the USDA
The modified hemp plants are not available for purchase yet but when they are, they will likely appeal to hemp farmers since hemp that exceeds the .3% limit on THC can not legally be sold and must be destroyed.
Walnut Woman Gets Prison Time For Selling L.A. Homes That Weren’t Actually For Sale
Using other people's broker's licenses, Gonzalez listed the properties on real estate websites, even though many were not on the market, and she did not have authority to list them.
Family Awarded $13.5M In 2019 LAPD-Related Death Of Father
According to the suit, Jacob Cedillo was sitting on the sidewalk outside a Van Nuys gas station on April 8, 2019, at about 4:15 a.m. when police were called. Officers responded, immediately putting Cedillo in handcuffs even though he had not broken the law, according to the complaint.
L.A.’s 13 Most Infamous Murder Sites
While these sites' physical appearance or purpose may have changed over time, the legacy and horrors of what might have happened there linger forever. Once you know the backstory, walking or driving past them on a cool, crisp October evening is sufficient to provide you with a heaping helping of heebie-jeebies.
