Estrada v. Kruse , 38 F. App'x 498 ( 2002 )

F I L E D
United States Court of Appeals
Tenth Circuit
MAR 15 2002
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE TENTH CIRCUIT PATRICK FISHER
Clerk
JOHNNY DAVID ESTRADA,
Plaintiff - Appellant, No. 01-1381
(D.C. No. 00-B-1896)
v. (D. Colorado)
CAPTAIN KRUSE,
Defendant - Appellee.
ORDER AND JUDGMENT *
Before KELLY , BRISCOE , and LUCERO , Circuit Judges.
Plaintiff Johnny D. Estrada, a prisoner of the State of Colorado appearing
pro se, appeals from the district court’s dismissal under Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6)
of his civil rights suit brought under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. He also moves for leave
to proceed on appeal in forma pauperis. We have jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C.
§ 1291.
*
The case is unanimously ordered submitted without oral argument pursuant
to Fed. R. App. P. 34(a)(2) and 10th Cir. R. 34.1(G). This order and judgment is
not binding precedent, except under the doctrines of law of the case, res judicata,
and collateral estoppel. The Court generally disfavors the citation of orders and
judgments; nevertheless, an order and judgment may be cited under the terms and
conditions of 10th Cir. R. 36.3.
Plaintiff asserted five claims, four of which were dismissed sua sponte by
the district court. Plaintiff asserted in his remaining claim that he was subjected
to cruel and unusual punishment when he was held for four nights and five days
in a stripped basement intake cell in September 1998 with minimal clothing and
bedding, no personal hygiene items, and no cleaning supplies for the cell. He
later moved to add another plaintiff and other defendants, and also moved to
amend his complaint to add an allegation that he could not sleep well while
confined in his basement cell because it was cold.
Defendant moved to dismiss under Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6). The magistrate
judge considered plaintiff’s claim on the merits, recommending that his motions
be denied and the complaint dismissed. The magistrate judge reasoned that
plaintiff failed to allege or demonstrate, even in his tendered amended complaint,
that he suffered physical injury as a result of his confinement, as required by 42
U.S.C. § 1997e(e). The magistrate judge further determined that plaintiff’s claim
for punitive damages failed because he did not show that defendant’s actions were
motivated by evil motive or intent, or involved reckless or callous indifference to
plaintiff’s federally protected rights. See Smith v. Wade , 461 U.S. 30, 56 (1983).
Finally, the magistrate judge concluded that plaintiff’s claims of inhumane
treatment did not rise to the level of a constitutional violation in any event.
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The district court reviewed plaintiff’s objections de novo, adopted the
magistrate judge’s recommendation, denied plaintiff’s motions, and dismissed the
complaint. “We review the sufficiency of a complaint de novo . . . and will
uphold a dismissal [under Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6)] only when it appears that the
plaintiff can prove no set of facts in support of the claims that would entitle the
plaintiff to relief.” Roman v. Cessna Aircraft Co. , 55 F.3d 542, 543 (10th Cir.
1995) (quotation omitted).
Plaintiff argues on appeal that: (1) the magistrate judge and the district
court improperly used a life-threatening standard for physical injury; (2) he was
improperly denied leave to amend his complaint before it was dismissed; (3) the
district court’s dismissal was contrary to law; (4) he was improperly denied leave
to add parties under Fed. R. Civ. P. 19(a); and (5) counsel should be appointed.
We have carefully reviewed the parties’ materials and the record on appeal.
We agree with the reasoning of the magistrate judge, as adopted by the district
court, that plaintiff’s allegations of cruel and unusual punishment do not rise to
the level of a constitutional violation. We also agree that amendment would have
been futile, and his motion to amend was appropriately denied. We need not
address plaintiff’s other claims of error.
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The motion to proceed on appeal in forma pauperis is GRANTED . We
remind plaintiff that he is obligated to continue making partial payments until the
entire fee has been paid.
The judgment is AFFIRMED . The mandate shall issue forthwith.
Entered for the Court
Carlos F. Lucero
Circuit Judge
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