JEFFREY L. SCHMEHL, District Judge.
Before the Court is the Motion to Dismiss of Defendants, Sergeant Pote, Sergeant Molina, Officer Wadell, Officer Black, Warden Lawton and the Philadelphia Prison System Health Service (Docket No. 30). Plaintiff, Manna Massaquoi, in custody at the time he filed this action and presently in custody at SCI Smithfield, brought this § 1983 action regarding the search of his cell, an alleged strip-search, the alleged deprivation of his personal property. (Am. Compl. ¶¶ 12-28.)
Plaintiff filed a Complaint in this matter, then, upon filing of a motion, was permitted to file an Amended Complaint against Captain Haskins, Sergeant P. Pote, Sergeant Molina, William E. Lawton, Phila. Prison System Health Service, and Phila. Prison System. Defendant Haskins answered the Amended Complaint, then the remaining defendants filed a Motion to Dismiss. Plaintiff filed an opposition to the motion to dismiss, then this matter was reassigned from the Honorable L. Felipe Restrepo to the calendar of the undersigned.
Plaintiff filed a complaint setting forth claims against Sergeants Molina and Pote alleging that these officers conducted a "stripped/cell search[]" and "deliberately threw away the Plaintiff's property out of the cell during their contraband cell searched and falsely accused him of misconduct." (Am. Compl. ¶¶ 12-13, 23.) Plaintiff further alleges that Officer Wadell "took the Plaintiff to the receiver's room choke-chain without his property or inventory where the Plaintiff awaited transfer." (Am. Compl. ¶ 16.). Plaintiff claims that Officer Black, "along with three (3) co-workers assaultingly transferred the Plaintiff to CFCF [Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility] without his property," and Plaintiff alleges that Warden Lawton approved of the strip-search and cell search and transfer to CFCF. (Am. Compl. ¶¶ 17-18, 25.) Lastly, Plaintiff alleges that Philadelphia Prison System Health Service ("PHS") denied him adequate medical care based on unprofessional and illegitimate treatment decisions.
A Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss requires the court to examine the sufficiency of the complaint.
Section 1983 provides remedies for deprivations of rights established in the Constitution or by federal law. To state a claim under § 1983, a plaintiff must demonstrate the defendant, acting under color of state law, deprived him of a right secured by the Constitution or the laws of the United States.
Plaintiff's claims against Defendants Molina and Pote state that they conducted a "stripped/cell search[] and "deliberately threw away the Plaintiff's property out of the cell during their contraband cell searched and falsely accused him of misconduct." (Am.Compl. ¶¶ 12-13, 23.) First, Plaintiff's claims regarding the search of his cell fail as a matter of law and are dismissed with prejudice, as "the Fourth Amendment proscription against unreasonable searches does not apply within the confines of the prison cell."
Next, Plaintiff's claim that he was improperly strip-searched also fails as a matter of law and is dismissed with prejudice. The Third Circuit has followed Supreme Court precedent which holds that "it is constitutional to conduct a full strip search of an individual detained in the general population of a jail, regardless of the reason for detention or the existence of reasonable suspicion that the individual is concealing something."
Further, Plaintiff alleges that Defendants "falsely accused him of misconduct." To the extent Plaintiff is pursuing a due process claim for this alleged false misconduct accusation, allegations of false misconduct reports, without more, do not state a due process claim.
Lastly, Plaintiff's allegation that Defendants "deliberately threw away the Plaintiff's property out of the cell" also fails to state a claim and is dismissed with prejudice. In cases similar to the instant matter, courts have held that where prisoners are deprived of personal property, whether intentionally or inadvertently, meaningful post-deprivation remedies provide sufficient due process so as not to violate the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
Plaintiff fails to state a claim for municipal liability against the Philadelphia Prison System Health Service ("PHS") because his amended complaint lacks any allegations regarding a policy or custom. "An entity such as the PHS may be liable under § 1983 only if it adopted a policy or custom that deprived [Plaintiff] of his constitutional rights."
Here, Plaintiff makes no allegations concerning a specific policy or custom implemented by PHS, and instead limits his amended complaint to allegations regarding his own personal situation. (Am. Compl. ¶¶ 12-28.) A complaint containing no allegations concerning a municipal policy or custom cannot survive a motion to dismiss. Therefore, PHS is dismissed from this case. However, as Plaintiff is pro se, I will give him one final opportunity to amend his complaint and properly plead allegations of policy or custom against PHS. Plaintiff is warned that PHS will be dismissed from this action with prejudice if he fails to do so.
"Conclusory" or "bare-bones allegations" will not survive a motion to dismiss,
All allegations contained in Plaintiff's Amended Complaint and addressed to Officers Wadell and Black consist of unclear and conclusory allegations that lack factual support. Plaintiff makes no explanation as to a "room choke-chain" or how he was "assaultingly transferred . . . without his property or inventory." Accordingly, Plaintiff fails to state a claim as to Officers Wadell and Black, and Defendants' motion is granted. Again, Plaintiff will be given one final opportunity to amend his complaint and properly plead specific, non-conclusory §1983 allegations against Officers Wadell and Black, if possible. Plaintiff is warned that both Officers Wadell and Black will be dismissed from this action with prejudice if he fails to do so.
If a plaintiff brings a suit against individual defendants, personal wrongdoing must be shown "through allegations of personal direction or of actual knowledge and acquiescence."
In the instant matter, Plaintiff fails to allege that Defendant Warden Lawton had any personal involvement in any of the actions which he claims give rise to his claims. Plaintiff merely states that Warden Lawton "approved" of his transfer to CFCF and his strip-search and cell search. (Am.Compl. ¶¶ 18, 25.) These references are clearly insufficient to describe any of Warden Lawton's personal conduct and involvement in this matter. Further, liability under § 1983 cannot be premised on the theory of respondeat superior; rather, "each individual must have personal involvement in the alleged wrongdoing."
For the foregoing reasons, Defendant's Motion to Dismiss is granted with leave to amend as to Plaintiff's claims against Philadelphia Prison System Health Service, Correctional Officers Wadell and Black and Warden Lawton. Defendant's Motion to Dismiss regarding the allegations of an improper strip search, cell search, disposal of property and false misconduct report by Defendants Pote and Molina are dismissed with prejudice and shall not be included in an amended complaint, if Plaintiff chooses to file one.