Pinyan v. City of Oneonta, Alabama

Ryan Pinyan, a former K-9 officer with the Oneonta Police Department, filed a lawsuit against the City of Oneonta and Police Chief Charles Clifton, alleging wrongful termination without due process. On November 20, 2023, Pinyan was accidentally shot in the leg by a fellow officer during a suspect arrest. On May 10, 2024, he was terminated without a pretermination hearing, notice of charges, or opportunity to defend himself. The case was removed to federal court. On July 16, 2025, Judge R David Proctor struck Pinyan's complaint as a "shotgun pleading" and denied the defendants' motions to dismiss without prejudice, ordering Pinyan to file an amended complaint.

The court struck Plaintiff's complaint due to shotgun pleading issues and denied Defendants' motions to dismiss without prejudice. Pinyan was ordered to file an amended complaint by August 5, 2025, to remedy the deficiencies.

Whether Pinyan's termination without a pretermination hearing violated his procedural due process rights under the Fourteenth Amendment and Alabama Code § 11-43-230(a). Additionally, whether the complaint was impermissibly vague as a "shotgun pleading" failing to specify which facts support which causes of action.

The case highlights due process protections for public employees facing termination, particularly those injured in the line of duty. It also underscores judicial scrutiny of "shotgun pleadings" in federal civil rights litigation, reinforcing the requirement that complaints clearly link factual allegations to legal claims. The case drew public attention to the treatment of a K-9 officer who was shot by a colleague and subsequently fired, raising questions about police department accountability and worker protections.