Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_09-cv-01165/USCOURTS-azd-2_09-cv-01165-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 555
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Prison Condition
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Prisoner Civil Rights

---

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

TERMPSREF

WO MDR

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Joseph Sam Parisi, 

Plaintiff, 

vs.

Joseph Arpaio, 

Defendant. 

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

No. CV 09-1165-PHX-MHM (JRI)

ORDER

Plaintiff Joseph Sam Parisi, who is confined in the Maricopa County Lower Buckeye

Jail, has filed a pro se civil rights Complaint pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 (Doc. #1) and an

Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis (Doc. #3). The Court will order Defendant to

answer Counts One and Two of the Complaint and will dismiss without prejudice Count

Three. 

I. Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis and Filing Fee

Plaintiff’s Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis will be granted. 28 U.S.C.

§ 1915(a). Plaintiff must pay the statutory filing fee of $350.00. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1).

The Court will assess an initial partial filing fee of $2.71. The remainder of the fee will be

collected monthly in payments of 20% of the previous month’s income each time the amount

in the account exceeds $10.00. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(2). The Court will enter a separate

Order requiring the appropriate government agency to collect and forward the fees according

to the statutory formula. 

Case 2:09-cv-01165-MHM Document 4 Filed 06/11/09 Page 1 of 6
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

TERMPSREF - 2 -

II. Statutory Screening of Prisoner Complaints

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

a governmental entity or an officer or an employee of a governmental entity. 28 U.S.C.

§ 1915A(a). The Court must dismiss a complaint or portion thereof if a plaintiff 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). 

III. Complaint

In his three-count Complaint, Plaintiff sues Defendant Maricopa County Sheriff

Joseph Arpaio. In each count, he alleges a violation of his Fifth, Eighth, and Fourteenth

Amendment rights.

In Count One, Plaintiff claims Defendant Arpaio sets policy and instructs his staff to

feed inmates only two meals per day. Plaintiff contends that the meals are stale, spoiled, and

lack necessary nutrition. Plaintiff alleges that Defendant Arpaio deliberately provides an

insufficient number of calories in order to cause daily hunger pains.

In Count Two, he asserts that Defendant Arpaio sets policy and directs his staff to

overcrowd the holding cells in the Fourth Avenue Jail. He claims that he was in the holding

cell for three days with 22-26 men, there was no place to sit or lay down, the toilet was

clogged and there was no toilet paper, the floor was wet from the overflowing toilet, and he

was not given a blanket, a mat, or a place to sleep.

In Count Three, Plaintiff asserts that he contracted a staphylococcus infection in the

holding cell, he received no medical treatment other than a heat pack for seven days, the onduty doctor’s request on day eight that Plaintiff be taken to a hospital for emergency

treatment was denied by the doctor’s supervisor, and Plaintiff received “emergency surgery

to lance and drain the lump” on day nine. 

In his Request for Relief, Plaintiff seeks monetary damages and an order that sets cell

maximums and directs Defendant Arpaio to provide adequate food for pretrial detainees and

to correct all violations.

Case 2:09-cv-01165-MHM Document 4 Filed 06/11/09 Page 2 of 6
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

TERMPSREF - 3 -

IV. Failure to State a Claim

To state a valid claim under § 1983, plaintiffs must allege that they suffered a specific

injury as a result of specific conduct of a defendant and show an affirmative link between the

injury and the conduct of that defendant. See Rizzo v. Goode, 423 U.S. 362, 371-72, 377

(1976). To state a claim against a supervisory official, the civil rights complainant must

allege that the supervisory official personally participated in the constitutional deprivation

or that the supervisory official was aware of widespread abuses and, with deliberate

indifference to the inmate’s constitutional rights, failed to take action to prevent further

misconduct. See Ortez v. Washington County, 88 F.3d 804, 809 (9th Cir. 1996); Taylor v.

List, 880 F.2d 1040, 1045 (9th Cir. 1989); King v. Atiyeh, 814 F.2d 565, 568 (9th Cir. 1987);

see also Monell v. New York City Dep’t of Soc. Servs., 436 U.S. 658, 691-92 (1978). There

is no respondeat superior liability under § 1983, and therefore, a defendant’s position as the

supervisor of persons who allegedly violated Plaintiff’s constitutional rights does not impose

liability. Monell, 436 U.S. at 691-92; Taylor, 880 F.2d at 1045.

In Count Three, Plaintiff does not allege any specific conduct by Defendant Arpaio,

and does not allege that Defendant Arpaio personally participated in a constitutional

deprivation or that he was aware of widespread abuses and, with deliberate indifference to

Plaintiff’s constitutional rights, failed to take action to prevent further misconduct, or that he

formed policies that resulted in Plaintiff’s injuries. Therefore, the Court will dismiss without

prejudice Count Three.

V. Claims for Which an Answer Will be Required

Liberally construed, Plaintiff has stated claims in Counts One and Two. The Court

will require Defendant Arpaio to answer Counts One and Two.

VI. Warnings

A. Release

Plaintiff must pay the unpaid balance of the filing fee within 120 days of his release.

Also, within 30 days of his release, he must either (1) notify the Court that he intends to pay

Case 2:09-cv-01165-MHM Document 4 Filed 06/11/09 Page 3 of 6
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

TERMPSREF - 4 -

the balance or (2) show good cause, in writing, why he cannot. Failure to comply may result

in dismissal of this action.

B. Address Changes

Plaintiff must file and serve a notice of a change of address in accordance with Rule

83.3(d) of the Local Rules of Civil Procedure. Plaintiff must not include a motion for other

relief with a notice of change of address. Failure to comply may result in dismissal of this

action.

C. Copies

Plaintiff must serve Defendant, or counsel if an appearance has been entered, a copy

of every document that he files. Fed. R. Civ. P. 5(a). Each filing must include a certificate

stating that a copy of the filing was served. Fed. R. Civ. P. 5(d). Also, Plaintiff must submit

an additional copy of every filing for use by the Court. See LRCiv 5.4. Failure to comply

may result in the filing being stricken without further notice to Plaintiff.

D. Possible Dismissal

If Plaintiff fails to timely comply with every provision of this Order, including these

warnings, the Court may dismiss this action without further notice. See Ferdik v. Bonzelet,

963 F.2d 1258, 1260-61 (9th Cir. 1992) (a district court may dismiss an action for failure to

comply with any order of the Court).

IT IS ORDERED: 

(1) Plaintiff’s Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis (Doc. #3) is granted. 

(2) As required by the accompanying Order to the appropriate government agency,

Plaintiff must pay the $350.00 filing fee and is assessed an initial partial filing fee of $2.71.

(3) Count Three is dismissed without prejudice.

(4) Defendant Arpaio must answer Counts One and Two.

(5) The Clerk of Court must send Plaintiff a service packet including the

Complaint (Doc. #1), this Order, and both summons and request for waiver forms for

Defendant Arpaio.

Case 2:09-cv-01165-MHM Document 4 Filed 06/11/09 Page 4 of 6
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

TERMPSREF - 5 -

(6) Plaintiff must complete and return the service packet to the Clerk of Court

within 20 days of the date of filing of this Order. The United States Marshal will not provide

service of process if Plaintiff fails to comply with this Order.

(7) If Plaintiff does not either obtain a waiver of service of the summons or

complete service of the Summons and Complaint on Defendant within 120 days of the filing

of the Complaint or within 60 days of the filing of this Order, whichever is later, the action

may be dismissed. Fed. R. Civ. P. 4(m); LRCiv 16.2(b)(2)(B)(i).

(8) The United States Marshal must retain the Summons, a copy of the Complaint,

and a copy of this Order for future use.

(9) The United States Marshal must notify Defendant of the commencement of this

action and request waiver of service of the summons pursuant to Rule 4(d) of the Federal

Rules of Civil Procedure. The notice to Defendant must include a copy of this Order. The

Marshal must immediately file requests for waivers that were returned as undeliverable and

waivers of service of the summons. If a waiver of service of summons is not returned by

Defendant within 30 days from the date the request for waiver was sent by the Marshal, the

Marshal must:

(a) personally serve copies of the Summons, Complaint, and this Order upon

Defendant pursuant to Rule 4(e)(2) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure; and

(b) within 10 days after personal service is effected, file the return of service

for Defendant, along with evidence of the attempt to secure a waiver of service of the

summons and of the costs subsequently incurred in effecting service upon Defendant.

The costs of service must be enumerated on the return of service form (USM-285) and

must include the costs incurred by the Marshal for photocopying additional copies of

the Summons, Complaint, or this Order and for preparing new process receipt and

return forms (USM-285), if required. Costs of service will be taxed against the

personally served Defendant pursuant to Rule 4(d)(2) of the Federal Rules of Civil

Procedure, unless otherwise ordered by the Court.

Case 2:09-cv-01165-MHM Document 4 Filed 06/11/09 Page 5 of 6
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

TERMPSREF - 6 -

(10) If Defendant agrees to waive service of the Summons and Complaint, he

must return the signed waiver forms to the United States Marshal, not the Plaintiff.

(11) Defendant must answer the Complaint or otherwise respond by appropriate

motion within the time provided by the applicable provisions of Rule 12(a) of the Federal

Rules of Civil Procedure.

(12) This matter is referred to Magistrate Judge Jay R. Irwin pursuant to Rules 72.1

and 72.2 of the Local Rules of Civil Procedure for all pretrial proceedings as authorized

under 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1).

DATED this 9th day of June, 2009.

Case 2:09-cv-01165-MHM Document 4 Filed 06/11/09 Page 6 of 6