(PC) Flores v. Corcarn ( 2021 )

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 9 FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 10 11 CESAR FLORES, 12 Plaintiff, 13 v. Case No. 2:20-cv-01973-KJM-CKD P 14 CORCARN, et al., 15 Defendants. 16 17 Plaintiff is a state prisoner proceeding pro se and seeking relief pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 18 1983. This proceeding was referred to this court by Local Rule 302 pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 19 636(b)(1). Currently pending before the court is plaintiff’s second amended complaint. ECF No. 20 22. 21 I. Screening Requirement 22 As plaintiff is aware, the court is required to screen complaints brought by prisoners 23 seeking relief against a governmental entity or officer or employee of a governmental entity. 28 24 U.S.C. § 1915A(a). The court must dismiss a complaint or portion thereof if the prisoner has 25 raised claims that are legally “frivolous or malicious,” that fail to state a claim upon which relief 26 may be granted, or that seek monetary relief from a defendant who is immune from such relief. 27 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b)(1), (2). 28 ///// 1 II. Allegations in the Second Amended Complaint 2 At all times relevant to the allegations in the amended complaint, plaintiff was an inmate 3 at Deuel Vocational Institution who used a cane and was given a mobility impaired vest to wear. 4 In this civil action, plaintiff names three correctional officers as well as the Warden of Deuel 5 Vocational Institution as defendants. Plaintiff alleges that he was wrongfully housed on the third 6 tier of the E-wing. Plaintiff informed defendant Romero of his medical need to be on the lower 7 tier but was refused a cell move because plaintiff did not have a medical chrono for lower tier 8 housing. Defendant Muldindo stood by and watched plaintiff climb the stairs from the first tier to 9 the third tier. Plaintiff alleges that defendants were negligent in their duty to ensure inmate safety 10 and discriminated against his medical need for a lower tier. Plaintiff further states that he 11 suffered a fall and was injured, but he provides no further details. By way of relief, plaintiff seeks 12 monetary damages. 13 III. Legal Standards 14 A. Linkage Requirement 15 The civil rights statute requires that there be an actual connection or link between the 16 actions of the defendants and the deprivation alleged to have been suffered by plaintiff. See 17 Monell v. Department of Social Services, 436 U.S. 658 (1978); Rizzo v. Goode, 423 U.S. 362 18 (1976). The Ninth Circuit has held that “[a] person ‘subjects' another to the deprivation of a 19 constitutional right, within the meaning of section 1983, if he does an affirmative act, participates 20 in another's affirmative acts or omits to perform an act which he is legally required to do that 21 causes the deprivation of which complaint is made.” Johnson v. Duffy, 588 F.2d 740, 743 (9th 22 Cir. 1978) (citation omitted). In order to state a claim for relief under section 1983, plaintiff must 23 link each named defendant with some affirmative act or omission that demonstrates a violation of 24 plaintiff's federal rights. 25 B. Supervisory Liability 26 Government officials may not be held liable for the unconstitutional conduct of their 27 subordinates under a theory of respondeat superior. Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 677 (2009) 28 (“In a § 1983 suit ... the term “supervisory liability” is a misnomer. Absent vicarious liability, 1 each Government official, his or her title notwithstanding is only liable for his or her own 2 misconduct.”). When the named defendant holds a supervisory position, the causal link between 3 the defendant and the claimed constitutional violation must be specifically alleged; that is, a 4 plaintiff must allege some facts indicating that the defendant either personally participated in or 5 directed the alleged deprivation of constitutional rights or knew of the violations and failed to act 6 to prevent them. See Fayle v. Stapley, 607 F.2d 858, 862 (9th Cir. 1979); Taylor v. List, 880 F.2d 7 1040, 1045 (9th Cir. 1989); Mosher v. Saalfeld, 589 F.2d 438, 441 (9th Cir. 1978). 8 C. Deliberate Indifference to a Serious Medical Need 9 Denial or delay of medical care for a prisoner’s serious medical needs may constitute a 10 violation of the prisoner’s Eighth and Fourteenth Amendment rights. Estelle v. Gamble, 429 U.S. 11 97, 104-05 (1976). An individual is liable for such a violation only when the individual is 12 deliberately indifferent to a prisoner’s serious medical needs. Id.; see Jett v. Penner, 439 F.3d 13 1091, 1096 (9th Cir. 2006); Hallett v. Morgan, 296 F.3d 732, 744 (9th Cir. 2002); Lopez v. 14 Smith, 203 F.3d 1122, 1131-32 (9th Cir. 2000). 15 In the Ninth Circuit, the test for deliberate indifference consists of two parts. Jett, 439 16 F.3d at 1096, citing McGuckin v. Smith, 974 F.2d 1050 (9th Cir. 1991), overruled on other 17 grounds by WMX Techs., Inc. v. Miller, 104 F.3d 1133 (9th Cir. 1997) (en banc). First, the 18 plaintiff must show a “serious medical need” by demonstrating that “failure to treat a prisoner’s 19 condition could result in further significant injury or the ‘unnecessary and wanton infliction of 20 pain.’” Id., citing Estelle, 429 U.S. at 104. “Examples of serious medical needs include ‘[t]he 21 existence of an injury that a reasonable doctor or patient would find important and worthy of 22 comment or treatment; the presence of a medical condition that significantly affects an 23 individual’s daily activities; or the existence of chronic and substantial pain.’” Lopez, 203 F. 3d 24 at 1131-1132, citing McGuckin, 974 F.2d at 1059-60. 25 Second, the plaintiff must show the defendant’s response to the need was deliberately 26 indifferent. Jett, 439 F.3d at 1096. This second prong is satisfied by showing (a) a purposeful act 27 or failure to respond to a prisoner’s pain or possible medical need and (b) harm caused by the 28 indifference. Id. Under this standard, the prison official must not only “be aware of facts from 1 which the inference could be drawn that a substantial risk of serious harm exists,” but that person 2 “must also draw the inference.” Farmer v. Brennan, 511 U.S. 825, 837 (1994). This “subjective 3 approach” focuses only “on what a defendant’s mental attitude actually was.” Id. at 839. A 4 showing of merely negligent medical care is not enough to establish a constitutional violation. 5 Frost v. Agnos, 152 F.3d 1124, 1130 (9th Cir. 1998), citing Estelle, 429 U.S. at 105-106. A 6 difference of opinion about the proper course of treatment is not deliberate indifference, nor does 7 a dispute between a prisoner and prison officials over the necessity for or extent of medical 8 treatment amount to a constitutional violation. See, e.g., Toguchi v. Chung, 391 F.3d 1051, 1058 9 (9th Cir. 2004); Sanchez v. Vild, 891 F.2d 240, 242 (9th Cir. 1989). Furthermore, mere delay of 10 medical treatment, “without more, is insufficient to state a claim of deliberate medical 11 indifference.” Shapley v. Nev. Bd. of State Prison Comm’rs, 766 F.2d 404, 407 (9th Cir. 1985). 12 Where a prisoner alleges that delay of medical treatment evinces deliberate indifference, the 13 prisoner must show that the delay caused “significant harm and that Defendants should have 14 known this to be the case.” Hallett, 296 F.3d at 745-46; see McGuckin, 974 F.2d at 1060. 15 D. Americans with Disabilities Act 16 Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) “prohibit[s] discrimination on the 17 basis of disability.” Lovell v. Chandler, 303 F.3d 1039, 1052 (9th Cir. 2002). Title II of the 18 ADA applies to inmates within state prisons. Pennsylvania Dept. of Corrections v. Yeskey, 524 19 U.S. 206, 208 (1998). “To establish a violation of Title II of the ADA, a plaintiff must show that 20 (1) [he] is a qualified individual with a disability; (2) [he] was excluded from participation in or 21 otherwise discriminated against with regard to a public entity’s services, programs, or activities; 22 and (3) such exclusion or discrimination was by reason of [his] disability.” Lovell, 303 F.3d at 23 1052. “To recover monetary damages under Title II of the ADA, a plaintiff must prove 24 intentional discrimination on the part of the defendant,” and the standard for intentional 25 discrimination is deliberate indifference. Duvall v. County of Kitsap, 260 F.3d 1124, 1138 (9th 26 Cir. 2001). 27 IV. Analysis 28 The court has reviewed plaintiff’s complaint and finds that it fails to state a claim upon 1 which relief can be granted under federal law. With respect to defendant Romero, the allegations 2 in the second amended complaint do not establish the subjective prong of an Eighth Amendment 3 deliberate indifference claim. Defendant Romero did not transfer plaintiff to a lower tier because 4 plaintiff did not have a medical chrono indicating the need for that specific housing assignment. 5 Plaintiff does not indicate whether he was ever issued a medical chrono for the lower tier nor does 6 he identify any defendant who was responsible for transferring him to the third tier in the E-wing. 7 Allegations of general negligence are insufficient to establish an Eighth Amendment violation. 8 The second amended complaint fails to allege any facts demonstrating that plaintiff was excluded 9 from, or denied the benefits of any services, programs or activities because of his alleged 10 disability. As a result, he has failed to state an ADA claim against any defendant. For all these 11 reasons, plaintiff’s complaint must be dismissed. The court will, however, grant leave to file an 12 amended complaint. 13 If plaintiff chooses to amend the complaint, plaintiff must demonstrate how the conditions 14 complained of have resulted in a deprivation of plaintiff’s constitutional rights. See Ellis v. 15 Cassidy, 625 F.2d 227 (9th Cir. 1980). Also, in his amended complaint, plaintiff must allege in 16 specific terms how each named defendant is involved. There can be no liability under 42 U.S.C. 17 § 1983 unless there is some affirmative link or connection between a defendant’s actions and the 18 claimed deprivation. Rizzo v. Goode, 423 U.S. 362 (1976). Furthermore, vague and conclusory 19 allegations of official participation in civil rights violations are not sufficient. Ivey v. Board of 20 Regents, 673 F.2d 266, 268 (9th Cir. 1982). 21 Finally, plaintiff is informed that the court cannot refer to a prior pleading in order to 22 make plaintiff’s amended complaint complete. Local Rule 220 requires that an amended 23 complaint be complete in itself without reference to any prior pleading. This is because, as a 24 general rule, an amended complaint supersedes the original complaint. See Loux v. Rhay, 375 25 F.2d 55, 57 (9th Cir. 1967). Once plaintiff files an amended complaint, the original pleading no 26 longer serves any function in the case. Therefore, in an amended complaint, as in an original 27 complaint, each claim and the involvement of each defendant must be sufficiently alleged. 28 ///// ] V. Plain Language Summary for Pro Se Party 2 The following information is meant to explain this order in plain English and is not 3 || intended as legal advice. 4 The court has reviewed the allegations in your second amended complaint and determined 5 || that they do not state any claim against the defendants. Your amended complaint is being 6 || dismissed, but you are being given the chance to fix the problems identified in this screening 7 || order. 8 Although you are not required to do so, you may file a third amended complaint within 30 9 || days from the date of this order. If you choose to file a third amended complaint, pay particular 10 || attention to the legal standards identified in this order which may apply to your claims. 1] In accordance with the above, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that: 12 1. Plaintiff's second amended complaint (ECF No. 22) is dismissed. 13 2. Plaintiff is granted thirty days from the date of service of this order to file an amended 14 | complaint that complies with the requirements of the Civil Rights Act, the Federal Rules of Civil 15 || Procedure, and the Local Rules of Practice. The amended complaint must bear the docket 16 || number assigned this case and must be labeled “Third Amended Complaint.” Failure to file an 17 || amended complaint in accordance with this order will result in a recommendation that this action 18 || be dismissed. 19 | Dated: August 11, 2021 □□ / del a 20 CAROLYNK. DELANEY 21 UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE 22 23 24 25 26 27 12/flor1973.FAC.14.docx 28