Williams v. Hartman

On June 4, 1986, the plaintiff, Sarah Williams, filed a complaint against the defendant, Dr. Mark Hartman, asserting claims of negligence and wrongful death in connection with the death of her daughter, Brenda Sue Williams. The plaintiff also brought a claim pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 (1988), alleging that the defendant had violated the Federal constitutional rights of the decedent. The defendant moved for summary judgment on all claims on March 28, 1989, and, following a hearing, the motion was denied on June 16, 1989.2 A single justice of the Appeals Court granted the defendant leave to…