RICHARD G. KOPF, Senior District Judge.
This matter is before the court on Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment.
Plaintiff Marvin Brown, Jr. ("Brown"), an inmate within the custody and control of the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services ("NDCS"), filed this action against Defendants NDCS and its administrators and medical staff, asserting violations of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 12101, et seq., as amended ("ADA"), based on Defendants' alleged refusal to accommodate his immobility caused by his knee and back problems during his incarceration. (
The court's local rules require the party moving for summary judgment to file a brief containing a "separate statement of material facts about which the moving party contends there is no genuine issue to be tried and that entitles the moving party to judgment as a matter of law." This statement of facts "should consist of
As a pro se litigant, Brown is "bound by and must comply with all local and federal procedural rules." NEGenR
Defendants have submitted a statement of material facts in accordance with the court's Local Rules and properly authenticated evidence. Brown has not submitted a brief containing a concise response to Defendants' statement of material facts as required by NECivR
Upon careful review, the court finds that the following material facts, as stated in Defendants' brief, are fully supported by the evidence cited and have not been controverted by Brown. Consequently, they are deemed admitted for purposes of summary judgment. See NECivR
1. Brown was, at all times relevant to this action, an inmate incarcerated within facilities under the control of NDCS. (
2. On March 30, 2010, Brown was received into the custody of NDCS and reported that he was unable to climb stairs due to a rod in his ribs and screws in his knee. Medical staff noted that they had received all the medical records from Lancaster County and that Brown had no restrictions at the Lancaster County Jail.
3. On April 7, 2010, Brown requested a lower bunk restriction; he received a temporary lower bunk pass for fourteen days on April 8, 2010. (
4. On April 15, 2010, Brown was seen by NDCS physician's assistant Cheryl Flinn ("Flinn") regarding right knee swelling. He told Flinn that he had had a disability evaluation in 2008 and was told not to use stairs.
5. On April 22, 2010, Brown's x-ray results were received and they showed a small amount of fluid on his knee and minor arthritis. (
6. Medical guidelines for individuals with arthritis are to stay active in order to prevent a decrease in function and to help ease pain. (
7. On April 25, 2010, Brown requested a permanent lower bunk pass and was told that fluid on the knee and minor arthritis "is not a medical condition" that requires a permanent lower bunk pass.
8. On April 27, 2010, Brown was given a temporary bottom bunk pass and sports restriction for one month only. (
9. On May 9, 2010, Brown again requested an extension of his bottom bunk pass.
10. On May 30, 2010, Brown refused the use of crutches as indicated by medical staff.
11. On June 7, 2010, the medical staff at NDCS reviewed records sent from Lancaster County. These records revealed that: Brown could play in the gym without difficulty; he was given the ok to work but was not supposed to stand for long periods of time; he did not return for follow up care; and medical staff at the jail had denied him a lower bunk pass. (
12. On September 9, 2010, Brown's medical records from NDCS reveal that he was seen and approved for a top bunk. (
13. On September 22,
14. In 2010, 2011, and 2012, while housed at the LCC, Brown was given medical accommodations that were medically indicated for his physical condition, which was determined by physical examinations, self reporting, and reports from correctional staff. (
15. In 2010, 2011, and 2012, while housed at the LCC, Brown was observed multiple times navigating stairs in his housing unit without difficulty, participating in basketball and other recreational activities on the yard which included bending and squatting, ambulating to and from meals without difficulty, and ascending and descending his bunk without difficulty. (
16. In April 2017, Brown was transferred from the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution ("TSCI") back to the LCC. (
17. When Brown arrived at the LCC, it was noted on his NDCS Medical Transfer Sheet from the TSCI that he was to have a pass for a lower bunk assignment. This pass was continued at the LCC. (
18. Dan Danaher ("Danaher"), a physician's assistant at the LCC, saw Brown on a routine sick call on May 4, 2017, per Brown's request. At this visit, Brown and Danaher discussed his long history of knee problems, pain, and physical limitations. (
19. At this appointment, Danaher authorized the following limitations for Brown: prolonged standing (over 1 hour), no recurrent bending/stooping, no lifting greater than 20 pounds, no squatting, no sports or weight lifting. Danaher also issued Brown an updated bottom bunk pass and a spine pass for movement. The spine pass allows Brown to get to the school, the religious center, the gym and classes without navigating any hills or stairs apart from the stairs in his housing unit. Brown was agreeable with these accommodations. (
20. At a May 11, 2017, clinic visit, Brown told Danaher that he was assigned to a bottom tier and was doing well. He requested to stay on the bottom tier and stated that he was able to ambulate the stairs in the unit and use the handrails on the yard as needed. (
21. On June 1, 2017, medical added an additional limitation: no ambulation on uneven ground. (
22. Both the bottom tier and top tier cells at the LCC are accessed by stairs. Danaher has observed Brown ambulating stairs on the unit, without using the handrails, without difficulty. (
23. If an inmate at the LCC is observed by staff having trouble with stairs, or personally reports having trouble ambulating stairs, the inmate would be assessed by medical staff who would determine what accommodations were appropriate. Or, the inmate may be assigned to the Diagnostic and Evaluation Center Skilled Nursing Facility for further assessment. If medical staff determine the inmate cannot ambulate stairs, the inmate would either remain in the Skilled Nursing Facility or be recommended for assignment to a housing unit without stairs. (
24. Danaher does not recall any reports from Brown or housing unit staff that Brown had difficulty ambulating stairs.
25. Brown has a lower bunk pass; therefore, he does not have to climb a ladder to get into a top bunk. If an inmate has a permanent medical condition such as a seizure disorder or limb amputation, they may receive a permanent bottom bunk pass. If an inmate has a musculoskeletal or medical condition that could change over time, they could receive a temporary lower bunk pass which would be reevaluated as appropriate. (
26. When Danaher met with Brown on May 11, 2017, he stated he was doing well with his current living situation and accommodations. He did not ask for any further accommodations such as a shower chair or railings in his assigned cell. If an inmate requested such accommodations, or if staff thought an inmate may require such accommodations, the inmate would be medically assessed and a determination made regarding specific accommodations. (
27. Brown has not requested any additional accommodations from what he already has since he arrived at the LCC in April 2017. (
Summary judgment should be granted only "if the movant shows that there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law." Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(a). It is not the court's function to weigh evidence in the summary judgment record to determine the truth of any factual issue. Schilf v. Eli Lilly & Co., 687 F.3d 947, 949 (8th Cir. 2012). In passing upon a motion for summary judgment, the district court must view the facts in the light most favorable to the party opposing the motion. Dancy v. Hyster Co., 127 F.3d 649, 652-53 (8th Cir. 1997).
In order to withstand a motion for summary judgment, the nonmoving party must substantiate allegations with "`sufficient probative evidence [that] would permit a finding in [his] favor on more than mere speculation, conjecture, or fantasy.'" Moody v. St. Charles Cnty., 23 F.3d 1410, 1412 (8th Cir. 1994) (quoting Gregory v. City of Rogers, 974 F.2d 1006, 1010 (8th Cir. 1992)). "A mere scintilla of evidence is insufficient to avoid summary judgment." Id. Essentially, the test is "whether the evidence presents a sufficient disagreement to require submission to a jury or whether it is so one-sided that one party must prevail as a matter of law." Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 251-52 (1986).
A party opposing summary judgment "may not rest upon the mere allegation or denials of his pleading, but must set forth specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue for trial, and must present affirmative evidence in order to defeat a properly supported motion for summary judgment." Ingrassia v. Schafer, 825 F.3d 891, 896 (8th Cir. 2016) (quoting Anderson, 477 U.S. at 256-57 (quotations omitted); see also Adickes v. S. H. Kress & Co., 398 U.S. 144, 158-60 (1970).
Brown claims that he was denied reasonable accommodation of his physical impairments, in violation of Title II of the ADA.
Title II of the ADA provides that "no qualified individual with a disability shall, by reason of such disability, be excluded from participation in or be denied the benefits of the services, programs, or activities of a public entity, or be subjected to discrimination by any such entity." 42 U.S.C. § 12132. A "public entity" under this provision includes state prisons, and "services, programs, or activities" includes medical care. United States v. Georgia, 546 U.S. 151, 154 (2006); Mason v. Corr. Med. Servs., Inc., 559 F.3d 880, 886 (8th Cir. 2009). Title II requires that "`qualified individual[s] with a disability' are entitled to `meaningful access' to such benefits." Mason, 559 F.3d at 886 (quoting Randolph v. Rodgers, 170 F.3d 850, 857-58 (8th Cir. 1999)). To establish a violation of Title II, Brown "must specify a benefit to which he was denied meaningful access based on his disability." Mason, 559 F.3d at 888 (citing 42 U.S.C. § 12132).
The type of discrimination under the ADA that is relevant to this case is failure to make reasonable accommodations. See Peebles v. Potter, 354 F.3d 761, 765 (8th Cir. 2004) (comparing claims and the differing burdens of production and persuasion);
In order to establish that Defendants violated Title II of the ADA, Brown must show "(1) that he is a qualified individual with a disability; (2) that he was excluded from participation in or denied the benefits of the jail's services, programs, or activities, or was otherwise subjected to discrimination by the jail; and (3) that such exclusion, denial of benefits, or other discrimination was by reason of his disability." Baribeau v. City of Minneapolis, 596 F.3d 465, 484 (8th Cir. 2010); see also Folkerts v. City of Waverly, 707 F.3d 975, 983 (8th Cir. 2013); Randolph, 170 F.3d at 858. To recover compensatory damages, Brown must prove discriminatory intent, which can be shown by Defendants' deliberate indifference to Brown's rights under the ADA—specifically, Defendants' "deliberate indifference to the strong likelihood that pursuit of its questioned policies will likely result in a violation of federally protected rights." Meagley v. City of Little Rock, 639 F.3d 384, 389 (8th Cir. 2011) (internal quotation and citation omitted).
"[D]eliberate refusal of prison officials to accommodate [an inmate's] disability-related needs in such fundamentals as mobility, hygiene, medical care, and virtually all other prison programs" may constitute a violation of Title II. Georgia, 546 U.S. at 157; see also Phipps v. Sheriff of Cook Cnty., 681 F.Supp.2d 899, 916 (N.D. Ill. 2009) (collecting cases holding that "showering, toileting, and lavatory use [are] regarded as programs and/or services under the ADA"); Maxwell v. Olmsted Cnty., No. CIV. 10-3668, 2012 WL 466179, at *4 (D. Minn. Feb. 13, 2012) ("If [plaintiff] in fact made requests for accessible bathing facilities, and those requests went unanswered by the [detention center], he was denied access to a fundamental service or benefit under Title II."); Allen v. Morris, No. 4:93CV00398, 2010 WL 1382112, at *8 (E.D. Ark. Jan. 6, 2010), report and recommendation adopted, No. 4:93CV00398, 2010 WL 1382116 (E.D. Ark. Apr. 2, 2010) (considering, and allowing to go forward, claim that prison's failure to make reasonable accommodations that would enable obviously disabled plaintiff to safely shower constituted discriminatory intent under Title II of the ADA); Muhammad v. Dep't of Corr., 645 F.Supp.2d 299, 314 (D.N.J. 2008), aff'd sub nom. Muhammad v. NJ Dep't of Corr., 396 F. App'x 789 (3d Cir. 2010) ("the transfer of Plaintiff, apparently without penological justification, to a cell which was painful for him to access and which had restricted access to the handicappedaccessible shower, when a reasonable accommodation appears to have been readily available, is sufficient to state a claim under Title II [of the ADA]" (internal quotation and citation omitted)).
Of course, the right to reasonable accommodations is not absolute. See Sak, 832 F. Supp. 2d at 1040 (failure to accommodate is an independent basis for liability under the ADA, but accommodation is only required when necessary to avoid discrimination on the basis of disability, and accommodation must be reasonable (citing 28 C.F.R. § 35.130(b)(7)). Correctional facilities are not liable for failing to provide accommodations which were not requested, nor are they required to provide preferential treatment to disabled inmates. Randolph, 170 F.3d at 858; Lue v. Moore, 43 F.3d 1203, 1206 (8th Cir. 1994). Moreover, a defendant may defeat a Title II claim by "demonstrat[ing] that the requested accommodation would constitute an undue burden." Randolph, 170 F.3d at 858.
Defendants do not dispute—and, for purposes of this Motion, the court will assume—that Brown is a "qualified individual with a disability" under Title II of the ADA. The question here is whether Defendants failed to provide Brown accommodations such that he was, "by reason of" his disability, "excluded from participation in or denied the benefits of the jail's services, programs, or activities, or was otherwise subjected to discrimination by the jail." Baribeau, 596 F.3d at 484.
Brown claims Title II violations due to Defendants' failure to provide him with (1) a living arrangement without stairs; (2) a lower tier cell and a bottom bunk; (3) medical railings or steps to navigate his cell and to use the toilet; (4) a shower seat; and (5) railings or steps to navigate up and down off the bed and floor. (
The undisputed evidence demonstrates that Brown has received all medically indicated accommodations while incarcerated within the custody and control of NDCS. Specifically, the evidence shows that, when Brown was received into the custody of NDCS, he did not have any medical restrictions from the previous facility. Nonetheless, in response to Brown's complaints that being in a top bunk or "tub" bed and in an upper-tier cell aggravated his already painful knee and back condition, Defendants provided him with a lower bunk pass or cell reassignment.
To the extent Brown claims that Defendants have failed to accommodate his physical ailments by not providing him a permanent bottom bunk pass, the evidence demonstrates that only inmates with a permanent medical condition, such as a seizure disorder or limb amputation, may receive a permanent bottom bunk pass. (
Brown also fails to submit any evidence supporting his claims that, because of the lack of additional accommodations, he is unable to attend classes, school, church, treatment, recreational yard time, and other activities because he has to climb stairs and/or hills. Rather, the evidence shows that Brown has been provided with a spine pass, which allows him access to classes and the yard without navigating stairs or hills, except the stairs in his housing unit. The September 2017 daily activities and services log reflects that Brown participated in recreational yard time eighteen out of the twenty times it was offered. (
In sum, there is no evidence that Brown has requested a medically indicated accommodation for his physical impairments and has been denied that accommodation. To the contrary, the evidence demonstrates that Brown was, and currently is, provided with appropriate medically indicated accommodations, including a spine pass, a lower bunk pass, and lower tier cell assignment. Brown has not requested any additional accommodations since he retuned to the LCC in April 2017. The evidence shows that he is able to participate in recreational yard time, and there is no indication that he is unable to attend church, school, self-help betterment programs, treatment, or parenting classes. Nor is there any evidence showing a correlation between the additional accommodations Brown identifies in his Supplemental Amended Complaint (such as a shower seat, medical railings throughout the cell, and grab bars by the toilet), and his ability to attend classes, church, treatment, or participate in recreational yard time.
Accordingly, the court finds that there is no evidence that Defendants failed to provide Brown medically indicated accommodations in violation of Title II of the ADA. Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment is granted, and Brown's claims for injunctive relief and money damages are dismissed.
In light of the court's order granting summary judgment in favor of Defendants, Brown's Motion to Reconsider Appointment of Counsel (
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that:
1. Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment (Filing No. 66) is granted.
2. A separate judgment will be entered.
3. Plaintiff's Motion to Reconsider Appointment of Counsel (
