VINCENT L. BRICCETTI, District Judge.
Plaintiff Ederick Fabricio, proceeding
Now pending are defendants' partial motion to dismiss the amended complaint pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6) and motion to dismiss or for a more definite statement pursuant to Rules 8(a) and 12(e). (Doc. #82).
For the reasons set forth below, the Rule 12(b)(6) partial motion to dismiss is GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART. The motion to dismiss or for a more definite statement under Rules 8(a) and 12(e) is DENIED. This Court has subject matter jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1331.
For the purpose of ruling on the motion to dismiss, the Court accepts as true all wellpleaded factual allegations in the amended complaint and draws all reasonable inferences in plaintiff's favor, as set forth below.
Plaintiff's amended complaint is seventy-one pages long, and plaintiff attaches nearly 700 pages of exhibits, many of which are in Spanish. Moreover, the amended complaint consists of numerous unconnected events and involves claims against twenty-eight defendants. The Court, having thoroughly reviewed these materials, briefly summarizes what seem to be plaintiff's primary claims: for excessive force, failure to intervene, and retaliation. The Court summarizes plaintiff's other allegations where relevant in the ensuing discussion section.
At all relevant times, plaintiff was an inmate at Green Haven Correctional Facility ("Green Haven").
Plaintiff alleges at some point between May 12 and June 11, 2014, a person who identified himself as Inspector General Keyser interrogated plaintiff regarding whether correction officers were bringing drugs into Green Haven. This apparently occurred shortly after drugs were found in plaintiff's cell. Moreover, the Court infers from the amended complaint that plaintiff alleges the interrogation was in connection with an investigation into C.O. V. Cruz, for whom plaintiff had been a porter. According to the amended complaint, on August 22, 2014, C.O. V. Cruz was arrested and charged with criminal possession of marijuana and official misconduct, among other things.
Plaintiff believes the person who interrogated him was not an inspector general. Plaintiff calls this person "Imposter Inspector General Keyser." (
Plaintiff alleges he again encountered the so-called Inspector General Keyser on November 5, 2014, and accused him of framing plaintiff, seemingly in connection with the discovery of drugs in plaintiff's cell. Plaintiff also alleges he observed the "Imposter Inspector General Keyser" interrogating another inmate on January 15, 2015.
Plaintiff alleges on January 30, 2015, he told defendant I.G. Isaac about "Imposter Inspector General Keyser." (Am. Compl. ¶ 173). Plaintiff also alleges he complained about the imposter inspector general to several Green Haven staff and correction officers, including Supt. T. Griffin, in person, at disciplinary hearings, by filing grievances, and by sending letters to the staff.
Plaintiff alleges defendants retaliated against him for these complaints. Among other things, plaintiff alleges defendants filed false misbehavior reports, provided false testimony at disciplinary hearings, and assaulted him on February 10, 2015. II.
Plaintiff alleges on February 10, 2015, he was talking with another inmate while waiting for an escort to retrieve him from his cell to get his pain medication. C.O. Chase, after speaking with other unnamed officers, told plaintiff to put his hands on the wall to be searched. Plaintiff did as he was told. According to plaintiff, "C.O. Chase lift the Plaintiff from between his legs and slam the Plaintiff on the floor." (Am. Compl. ¶ 195). C.O. Chase then covered plaintiff's face with his body while unspecified defendants hit plaintiff with sticks, kicked him, and punched him. Plaintiff alleges C.O. Erns then put something in plaintiff's hand, "took it out of his hand real quick," and started screaming that plaintiff had a weapon in his hand. (
Plaintiff also alleges that while C.O. Corey was escorting plaintiff to the Special Housing Unit ("SHU"), he slammed plaintiff against the "East side control office" and the gate next to the control office. (Am. Compl. ¶ 202).
Plaintiff alleges that despite the injuries he sustained as a result of the February 10, 2015, assault, and the fact that he defecated on himself, he was not taken to the medical clinic. A nurse allegedly took some information, told plaintiff to write a brief statement, gave plaintiff some bacitracin, and left.
In deciding a Rule 12(b)(6) motion, the Court evaluates the sufficiency of the operative complaint under the "two-pronged approach" articulated by the Supreme Court in
To survive a Rule 12(b)(6) motion, the allegations in the complaint must meet a standard of "plausibility."
The Court must liberally construe submissions of
Liberally construed, plaintiff's amended complaint asserts three categories of Eighth Amendment claims, in addition to the excessive force claims not challenged in the instant motion: (i) failure to intervene to prevent the February 10, 2015, assault, against twenty-two defendants; (ii) deliberate indifference to serious medical needs against Dr. Bentivegna; and (iii) unconstitutional conditions of confinement against unnamed correction officers and C.O. Sullivan.
Except for plaintiff's failure to intervene claims against Sgt. Miller, C.O. Phillips, C.O. Brokaw, and C.O. Lorde-Gray, and his excessive force claims not challenged in this motion, plaintiff's Eighth Amendment claims fail.
Plaintiff states failure to intervene claims against Sgt. Miller, C.O. Phillips, C.O. Brokaw, and C.O. Lorde-Gray, in the alternative to his excessive force claims against them. However, plaintiff fails to state failure to intervene claims against the other eighteen defendants: Sgt. Surber, Lt. Hann, Lt. Murphy, Capt. Carry, Dep. Supt. D. Wilkins, Supt. T. Griffin, IGRC Supervisor Stanaway, I.G. Ortiz, I.G. Isaac, I.G. John Doe, "Impostor Inspector General Keyser," Dep. Supt. E. Burnett, Sgt. Rodriguez, Sgt. Conforti, C.O. V. Cruz, C.O. O. Chavers, C.O. Valle, and C.O. Tagliaferry.
"[A]ll law enforcement officials have an affirmative duty to intervene to protect the constitutional rights of citizens from infringement by other law enforcement officers in their presence."
Plaintiff pleads sufficient facts to state failure to intervene claims against Sgt. Miller, C.O. Phillips, C.O. Brokaw, and C.O. Lorde-Gray, in the alternative to his excessive force claims against them. Plaintiff alleges he saw these defendants while other correction officers assaulted him on February 10, 2015. It is unclear from plaintiff's amended complaint whether plaintiff alleges they participated in the alleged assault or failed to intervene to prevent other correction officers' use of excessive force. However, it is clear plaintiff alleges they were present when he was assaulted. Combined with plaintiff's specific allegations regarding the nature of the assault, plaintiff's allegations of these officers' immediate presence are sufficient to state an alternative failure to intervene claim.
On the other hand, plaintiff has not alleged any facts suggesting the other eighteen defendants observed or were present for the February 10, 2015, assault, knew or had reason to know plaintiff would be assaulted, or had an opportunity to intervene to prevent harm to plaintiff. Therefore, plaintiff fails to state failure to intervene claims against the remaining eighteen defendants.
Defendants Sgt. Miller, C.O. Phillips, C.O. Brokaw, and C.O. Lorde-Gray assert they are entitled to qualified immunity on plaintiff's failure to intervene claims. The Court disagrees.
Qualified immunity shields government officials whose conduct "does not violate clearly established statutory or constitutional rights of which a reasonable person would have known."
"The issues on qualified immunity are: (1) whether plaintiff has shown facts making out violation of a constitutional right; (2) if so, whether that right was `clearly established;' and (3) even if the right was `clearly established,' whether it was `objectively reasonable' for the officer to believe the conduct at issue was lawful."
Here, plaintiff sufficiently has alleged defendants violated his Eighth Amendment rights, which were clearly established at the time, and it was not objectively reasonable for defendants to believe they could lawfully violate those rights. Accordingly, dismissing plaintiff's failure to intervene claims at this stage of the case based on qualified immunity is inappropriate. However, this is an issue that may be reviewed at summary judgment after the completion of discovery.
Accordingly, plaintiff's failure to intervene claims against Sgt. Miller, C.O. Phillips, C.O. Brokaw, and C.O. Lorde-Gray may proceed. Plaintiff's failure to intervene claims are dismissed as to the remaining eighteen defendants.
Plaintiff fails to state claims against Dr. Bentivegna for deliberate indifference to serious medical needs.
A claim for deliberate indifference brought by a convicted prisoner is analyzed under the Eighth Amendment.
The objective component has two subparts. "The first inquiry is whether the prisoner was actually deprived of adequate medical care," keeping in mind that only "reasonable care" is required.
The
Here, plaintiff brings deliberate indifference claims to his serious medical needs based on two incidents. First, plaintiff alleges on March 6, 2015, he asked defendant Dr. Bentivegna why he had stopped giving plaintiff pain medication. Dr. Bentivegna responded that the medication was not working for plaintiff, which plaintiff contends was a lie. Second, plaintiff alleges at some point in early 2015 after the alleged February 10, 2015, assault, plaintiff asked for x-rays on his back and knees and did not receive them.
Plaintiff's allegations do not satisfy the objective component because plaintiff fails to allege what harm he suffered, if any, from the failure to receive pain medication or x-rays. Indeed, plaintiff's claim regarding his pain medication constitutes a mere disagreement over the type of treatment he received. Plaintiff also does not allege that Dr. Bentivegna acted with sufficient
Accordingly, plaintiff's deliberate indifference to serious medical needs claims against Dr. Bentivegna are dismissed.
Plaintiff also fails to state unconstitutional conditions of confinement claims against unnamed correction officers or C.O. Sullivan.
To satisfy the objective requirement of a deliberate indifference claim based on unconstitutional conditions of confinement, "the inmate must show that the conditions, either alone or in combination, pose an unreasonable risk of serious damage to his health."
With respect to the
Plaintiff alleges two incidents that relate to potential claims for unconstitutional conditions of confinement. First, plaintiff alleges between late April and May 2014, he was given a new job, and for one night was required to stay in a room with no toilet, no sink, a stretcher for sleeping, and an ice machine making loud noises. Plaintiff calls it a "cage" that he had to stay in overnight. (Am. Compl. ¶ 36). Second, plaintiff alleges on March 7, 2015, C.O. Sullivan opened all of the windows, presumably in plaintiff's cell, "knowing that it was freezing outside." (
Plaintiff's allegations fail to satisfy either the objective or mens rea prong, as plaintiff does not allege an unreasonable risk of serious damage to his health, or that any prison official, including C.O. Sullivan, was aware of a risk of serious harm to plaintiff.
Accordingly, plaintiff's conditions of confinement claims against C.O. Sullivan and unnamed correction officers are dismissed. III.
Plaintiff asserts First Amendment retaliation claims against all defendants. Plaintiff's allegations are insufficient to state a claim.
To adequately plead a First Amendment retaliation claim, plaintiff must allege (i) he engaged in constitutionally protected speech or conduct; (ii) a defendant took adverse action against him; and (iii) the protected speech and adverse action are causally connected.
Regarding the first element, "[i]t is well-established that `retaliation against a prisoner for pursuing a grievance violates the right to petition government for the redress of grievances' and is therefore actionable under Section 1983."
To satisfy the second element, an inmate must allege "retaliatory conduct that would deter a similarly situated individual of ordinary firmness from exercising . . . constitutional rights."
As for the third element, plaintiff's allegations "must support an inference that the protected conduct was "a substantial or motivating factor for the adverse actions taken by prison officials."
Plaintiff's retaliation claims fail because plaintiff does not allege sufficient facts to suggest a causal connection. Except for the timing of the alleged retaliatory acts, plaintiff's allegations are entirely conclusory: plaintiff merely alleges he repeatedly told defendants he believed he was being retaliated against. (
Further, plaintiff does not allege any reason why defendants would retaliate against him for asserting there was a person posing as an inspector general.
Plaintiff also claims defendants retaliated against him to prevent him from being a witness in the investigation of C.O. V. Cruz, for whom he had been a porter. Plaintiff's only nonconclusory allegation to support this claim is that C.O. Valle called him snitch and other names. But C.O. Valle's name-calling does not constitute an adverse action.
Moreover, plaintiff alleges only that C.O. Valle and defendants attempted to "prevent" plaintiff from testifying. (
Accordingly, plaintiff fails to state First Amendment retaliation claims against any defendant.
To the extent plaintiff asserts a claim against IGRC Supervisor Stanaway for failure to file grievances, the Court construes this as a denial of access to the courts claim, which the Court dismisses.
To state a claim for denial of access to the courts, "a plaintiff must allege that the defendant took or was responsible for actions that hindered [a plaintiff's] efforts to pursue a legal claim."
Plaintiff fails to allege he was hindered in his effort to pursue a legal claim. Accordingly, plaintiff's First Amendment claim against IGRC Supervisor Stanaway for denial of access to the courts is dismissed.
Plaintiff also fails to state claims for violation of due process against Dep. Supt. D. Wilkins, Lt. Hann., Lt. Murphy, or Supt. T. Griffin.
Procedural due process requires "that a deprivation of life, liberty, or property be preceded by notice and opportunity for hearing appropriate to the nature of the case."
As to the first element, "[a] prisoner's liberty interest is implicated by prison discipline, such as SHU confinement, only if the discipline imposes an atypical and significant hardship on the inmate in relation to the ordinary incidents of prison life."
Regarding the second element, when an inmate's liberty interest is implicated, "[b]ecause prison disciplinary proceedings are not part of a criminal prosecution, . . . the full panoply of rights due a defendant in such proceedings does not apply."
Further, "a prison inmate has no general constitutional right to be free from being falsely accused in a misbehavior report."
Plaintiff alleges he was involved in five improper disciplinary hearings: on (i) January 15, 2015, before Lt. Hann; (ii) January 17, 2015, before Lt. Murphy; (iii) January 25, 2015, before Lt. Hann; (iv) February 4, 2015, before Lt. Murphy; and (v) April 17, 2015, before Dep. Supt. D. Wilkins. Plaintiff alleges Lt. Hann, Lt. Murphy, and Dep. Supt. D. Wilkins were biased, allowed the introduction of false statements at all of the hearings, and found plaintiff guilty because of their institutional and departmental loyalty. In addition, plaintiff alleges Lt. Hann and Dep. Supt. D. Wilkins refused to allow plaintiff to call witnesses at the January 25, 2015, and April 17, 2015, hearings.
Plaintiff's claims based on alleged due process violations at his January 15, 17, and 25, and February 4, 2015, hearings fail because plaintiff alleges he was sentenced to only thirty days keep lock at each hearing, and plaintiff does not allege that his conditions in the SHU following the hearings were more onerous than usual.
Plaintiff also fails to state a claim for due process violations at his April 17, 2015, hearing. Plaintiff makes only conclusory allegations that Dep. Supt. D. Wilkins was biased and refused to call witnesses. Further, plaintiff attached to his amended complaint a hearing record sheet that shows: (i) plaintiff received advanced notice of the charges against him; (ii) plaintiff was permitted to call seven witnesses; (iii) the hearing disposition was supported by at least some evidence in the record, as the hearing officer relied upon, among other things, the testimony of "[n]umerous" staff and inmate witnesses, whom plaintiff was allowed to question; and (iv) plaintiff received a written statement of the disposition, including the evidence relied upon and the reasons for the disciplinary actions taken. (Doc. #15-13 at 2-4).
In addition, plaintiff's allegations that he was falsely accused in misbehavior reports and in testimony at disciplinary hearings are insufficient to support a due process claim, as a prison inmate has no general right to be free from being falsely accused in misbehavior reports or at disciplinary hearings.
Accordingly, plaintiff fails to state due process claims.
Plaintiff alleges several incidents which, liberally construed, indicate plaintiff intends to assert claims based on the deprivation of his property:
"[A]n unauthorized intentional deprivation of property by a state employee does not constitute a violation of the procedural requirements of the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment if a meaningful postdeprivation remedy for the loss is available."
Accordingly, plaintiff's due process claims for alleged deprivation of property are dismissed.
Plaintiff's claims against Supt. Griffin are dismissed for lack of personal involvement.
To state a Section 1983 claim, plaintiff must allege defendants' personal involvement in an alleged deprivation of plaintiff's constitutional rights.
A defendant may not be held liable under Section 1983 solely because that defendant employs or supervises someone who violated the plaintiff's rights.
Here, the only claims remaining in this case are plaintiff's excessive force and failure to intervene claims arising from the alleged February 10, 2015, assault. Plaintiff fails to allege those claims involved ongoing violations when he complained to Supt. T. Griffin.
Accordingly, plaintiff's claims against Supt. T. Griffin are dismissed.
Defendants' motion to dismiss or for a more definite statement under Rules 8(a) and 12(e) is denied.
"[T]he basic requirements of Rule 8 apply to self-represented and counseled plaintiffs alike."
"When a complaint does not comply with the requirement that it be short and plain, the court has the power, on its own initiative or in response to a motion by the defendant, to strike any portions that are redundant or immaterial, or to dismiss the complaint."
Although the amended complaint is, as noted above, difficult to decipher, the Court concludes it is sufficient to permit defendants to have a fair understanding of what plaintiff is complaining about and whether there are legal bases for recovery, as the foregoing analysis demonstrates. Plaintiff "identifies discrete defendants and the actions taken by these defendants" that purportedly violated his rights.
Accordingly, the Court will not dismiss or strike plaintiff's amended complaint under Rules 8(a) or 12(e), or require plaintiff to file a more definite statement.
The partial motion to dismiss the amended complaint is GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART. The motion to dismiss or for a more definite statement is DENIED.
The sole remaining claims in this case are: (i) excessive force against Sgt. Miller, C.O. Chase, C.O. Erns, C.O. Carlson, C.O. Corey, C.O. Phillips C.O. Brokaw, and C.O. Lorde-Gray; and (ii) failure to intervene against Sgt. Miller, C.O. Phillips, C.O. Brokaw, and C.O. Lorde-Gray.
Defendants shall file an answer by March 20, 2019.
The Clerk is instructed to (i) terminate defendants Supt. T. Griffin, Dep. Supt. E. Burnett, Dep. Supt. D. Wilkins, Capt. Carry, Lt. Hann, Lt. Murphy, Sgt. Surber, Sgt. Rodriguez, Sgt. Conforti, C.O. V. Cruz, C.O. Chavers, C.O. Valle, C.O. Tagliaferry, C.O. Sullivan, I.G. Ortiz, I.G. John Doe, I.G. Isaac, IGRC Supervisor Stanaway, Dr. Bentivegna, and Imposter Inspector General Keyser from the docket, and (ii) terminate the motion. (Doc. #82).
The Court certifies pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(3) that any appeal from this order would not be taken in good faith, and therefore
SO ORDERED: