Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_12-cv-00312/USCOURTS-caed-1_12-cv-00312-2/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 550
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Civil Rights (U.S. defendant)
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Prisoner Civil Rights

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

LEWIS PERRY,

Plaintiff,

v.

DR. JOHN GARCIA, et al.,

Defendants.

 /

CASE NO. 1:12-cv-00312-AWI-SKO PC

FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

RECOMMENDING DISMISSAL OF ACTION,

WITH PREJUDICE, FOR FAILURE TO

STATE A CLAIM UNDER SECTION 1983

(Doc. 12)

THIRTY-DAY OBJECTION DEADLINE

Findings and Recommendations Following Screening of Amended Complaint

I. Screening Requirement and Standard

Plaintiff Lewis Perry, a state prisoner proceeding pro se and in forma pauperis, filed this civil

rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 on February 21, 2012. On October 3, 2012, the Court

screened Plaintiff’s complaint and dismissed it, with leave to amend, for failure to state a claim

under section 1983. Plaintiff filed an amended complaint on October 31, 2012. 

The Court is required to screen complaints brought by prisoners seeking relief against a

governmental entity or an officer or employee of a governmental entity. 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(a). The

Court must dismiss a complaint or portion thereof if the prisoner has raised claims that are legally

“frivolous or malicious,” that fail to state a claim upon which relief may be granted, or that seek

monetary relief from a defendant who is immune from such relief. 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b)(1), (2). 

“Notwithstanding any filing fee, or any portion thereof, that may have been paid, the court shall

dismiss the case at any time if the court determines that . . . the action or appeal . . . fails to state a

claim upon which relief may be granted.” 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B)(ii). 

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A complaint must contain “a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader

is entitled to relief. . . .” Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a)(2). Detailed factual allegations are not required, but

“[t]hreadbare recitals of the elements of a cause of action, supported bymere conclusory statements,

do not suffice,” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678, 129 S.Ct. 1937 (2009) (citing Bell Atlantic

Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 555, 127 S.Ct. 1955 (2007)), and courts “are not required to

indulge unwarranted inferences,” Doe I v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 572 F.3d 677, 681 (9th Cir. 2009)

(internal quotation marks and citation omitted). While factual allegations are accepted as true, legal

conclusions are not. Iqbal, 556 U.S. at 678.

While prisoners proceeding pro se in civil rights actions are still entitled to have their

pleadings liberally construed and to have any doubt resolved in their favor, the pleading standard is

now higher, Hebbe v. Pliler, 627 F.3d 338, 342 (9th Cir. 2010) (citations omitted), and to survive

screening, Plaintiff’s claims must be facially plausible, which requires sufficient factual detail to

allow the Court to reasonably infer that each named defendant is liable for the misconduct alleged,

Iqbal, 556 U.S. at 678 (quotation marks omitted); Moss v. U.S. Secret Service, 572 F.3d 962, 969

(9th Cir. 2009). The sheer possibility that a defendant acted unlawfully is not sufficient, and mere

consistency with liability falls short of satisfying the plausibility standard. Iqbal, 556 U.S. at 678

(quotation marks omitted); Moss, 572 F.3d at 969.

II. Discussion

A. Summary of Allegations

Plaintiff is currently incarcerated at Pleasant Valley State Prison, and he brings this action

against Doctor John Garcia, a general surgeon; Doctor Freeman, a plastic surgeon; and Warden R.

H. Trimble for violating his rights under the Eighth Amendment of the United States Constitution. 

In his amended complaint, Plaintiff alleges that Defendant Garcia had “full knowledge of the

end result of an incomplete surgical procedure such as in [Plaintiff’s] case [which] could result in

a real and true d[e]trimental condition” such as Plaintiff suffers to date. (Doc. 12, Amend. Comp., 1

Plaintiff’s amended complaint contains less detail than his original complaint, and therefore, the Court

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takes judicial notice of its prior screening order, in which it stated, “Plaintiff’s claims arise out of the ongoing issues

he is having with boils that will not heal.” (Doc. 11, Order, 2:19.)

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p. 3.) Plaintiff alleges that as of October 11, 2012, a new, corrective surgery is needed to stop the

ongoing infection, which will render him sterile. 

Plaintiff alleges that these events are a direct result of Defendant Garcia’s lack of

professionalism and that Defendant Freeman should also be held responsible because he played a

large part in the events. Plaintiff alleges that the wounds were not surgically cleaned or properly

closed by Defendant Garcia, and the situation now requires additional surgery at great pain to

Plaintiff. 

Finally, Plaintiff alleges that Defendant Trimble violated his rights under the Eighth

Amendment and while he may not allege the facts professionally, the end result of his previous

surgery is proof. 

B. Legal Standard

The Eighth Amendment’s prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment protects

prisoners not only from inhumane methods of punishment but also from inhumane conditions of

confinement. Morgan v. Morgensen, 465 F.3d 1041, 1045 (9th Cir. 2006) (citingFarmer v. Brennan,

511 U.S. 825, 847, 114 S.Ct. 1970 (1994) and Rhodes v. Chapman, 452 U.S. 337, 347, 101 S.Ct.

2392 (1981)) (quotation marks omitted). While conditions of confinement may be, and often are,

restrictive and harsh, they must not involve the wanton and unnecessary infliction of pain. Morgan,

465 F.3d at 1045 (citing Rhodes, 452 U.S. at 347) (quotation marks omitted). 

Prison officials have a duty to ensure that prisoners are provided adequate shelter, food,

clothing, sanitation, medical care, and personal safety, Johnson v. Lewis, 217 F.3d 726, 731 (9th Cir.

2000) (quotation marks and citations omitted), but not every injury that a prisoner sustains while in

prison represents a constitutional violation, Morgan, 465 F.3d at 1045 (quotation marks omitted). 

To maintain an Eighth Amendment claim, a prisoner must show that prison officials were

deliberately indifferent to a substantial risk of harm to his health or safety. E.g., Farmer, 511 U.S.

at 847; Thomas v. Ponder, 611 F.3d 1144, 1151-52 (9th Cir. 2010); Foster v. Runnels, 554 F.3d 807,

812-14 (9th Cir. 2009); Morgan, 465 F.3d at 1045; Johnson, 217 F.3d at 731; Frost v. Agnos, 152

F.3d 1124, 1128 (9th Cir. 1998). 

///

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For claims arising out of medical care in prison, Plaintiff “must show (1) a serious medical

need by demonstrating that failure to treat [her] condition could result in further significant injury

or the unnecessary and wanton infliction of pain,” and (2) that “the defendant’s response to the need

was deliberately indifferent.” Wilhelm v. Rotman, 680 F.3d 1113, 1122 (9th Cir. 2012) (citing Jett

v. Penner, 439 F.3d 1091, 1096 (9th Cir. 2006)). 

Deliberate indifference is shown by “(a) a purposeful act or failure to respond to a prisoner’s

pain or possible medical need, and (b) harm caused by the indifference.” Wilhelm, 680 F.3d at 1122

(citing Jett, 439 F.3d at 1096). The requisite state of mind is one of subjective recklessness, which

entails more than ordinary lack of due care. Snow v. McDaniel, 681 F.3d 978, 985 (9th Cir. 2012)

(citation and quotation marks omitted); Wilhelm, 680 F.3d at 1122. Deliberate indifference may be

shown “when prison officials deny, delay or intentionally interfere with medical treatment, or it may

be shown by the way in which prison physicians provide medical care.” Wilhelm, 680 F.3d at 1122

(citing Jett, 439 F.3d at 1096) (internal quotation marks omitted).

C. Failure to Allege Facts Sufficient to Support Eighth Amendment Claim

Defendants Garcia and Freeman presumably work for an outside medical provider, and

assuming without deciding that they acted under color of law as state contract providers, see e.g.,

Brentwood Academy v. Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Assoc., 531 U.S. 288, 295, 121 S.Ct.

924 (2001); Villegas v. Gilroy Garlic Festival Ass’n, 541 F.3d 950, 954-55 (9th Cir. 2008), there are

no factual allegations supporting a claim that they knowingly disregarded an excessive risk of harm

to Plaintiff’s health and Plaintiff’s amended complaint is entirely devoid of facts suggesting that

Defendant Trimble acted with deliberate indifference. That Plaintiff’s initial surgery was not

successful does not render Defendants liable under section 1983. Assuming that Defendant Garcia

failed to clean and close the surgical site properly, as alleged, these failures would amount to medical

malpractice at most and an Eighth Amendment claim may not be premised on even gross negligence

by a physician. Wood v. Housewright, 900 F.2d 1332, 1334 (9th Cir. 1990); accord Snow, 681 F.3d

at 987-88.

“The deliberate indifference doctrine is limited in scope,” Wilhelm, 680 F.3d at 1122, and

neither a disagreement over the course of treatment nor medical malpractice will support a claim,

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Snow, 681 F.3d at 987-88. Rather, Plaintiff must allege facts supporting a claim that each named

defendant knowingly disregarded an excessive risk of harm to his health. Snow, 681 F.3d at 985. 

While infected wounds which will not heal constitute a serious medical need, Plaintiff’s factual

allegations do not support a claim that Defendants Garcia, Freeman, and Trimble acted with

deliberate indifference toward his medical needs. Snow, 681 F.3d at 985; Wilhelm, 680 F.3d at

1122.

III. Conclusion and Recommendation

Plaintiff’s amended complaint fails to state a claim upon which relief may be granted under

section 1983. Plaintiff was previously given notice of the deficiencies and leave to amend, and given

the nature of the deficiencies at issue, further leave to amend is not warranted. Lopez v. Smith, 203

F.3d 1122, 1130 (9th Cir. 2000); Noll v. Carlson, 809 F.2d 1446, 1448-49 (9th Cir. 1987). 

Accordingly, it is HEREBY RECOMMENDED that this action be DISMISSED, with

prejudice, based on Plaintiff’s failure to state a claim upon which relief may be granted under section

1983.

These Findings and Recommendations will be submitted to the United States District Judge

assigned to the case, pursuant to the provisions of Title 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(l). Within thirty (30)

days after being served with these Findings and Recommendations, Plaintiff may file written

objections with the Court. The document should be captioned “Objections to Magistrate Judge’s

Findings and Recommendations.” Plaintiff is advised that failure to file objections within the

specified time may waive the right to appeal the District Court’s order. Martinez v. Ylst, 951 F.2d

1153 (9th Cir. 1991).

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: January 22, 2013 /s/ Sheila K. Oberto 

ie14hj UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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