Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_04-cv-06678/USCOURTS-caed-1_04-cv-06678-1/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

NORRIS MAYS,

Plaintiff,

vs.

A.K. SCRIBNER, et al.,

Defendants.

 /

1:04-cv-06678-AWI-LJO-P

ORDER ADOPTING FINDINGS AND

RECOMMENDATIONS (Doc. 11)

ORDER DISMISSING ACTION, WITH

PREJUDICE, FOR FAILURE TO

STATE A CLAIM UPON WHICH

RELIEF MAY BE GRANTED UNDER

SECTION 1983

Plaintiff Norris Mays (“plaintiff”) is a state prisoner

proceeding pro se and in forma pauperis in this civil rights

action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. The matter was referred to

a United States Magistrate Judge pursuant to 28 U.S.C.

§ 636(b)(1)(B) and Local Rule 72-302.

On November 1, 2005, the Magistrate Judge filed a Findings

and Recommendations herein which was served on plaintiff and

which contained notice to plaintiff that any objections to the

Findings and Recommendations were to be filed within thirty (30)

days. On December 6, 2005, plaintiff filed objections to the

Case 1:04-cv-06678-AWI-LJO Document 13 Filed 12/21/05 Page 1 of 3
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Magistrate Judge’s Findings and Recommendations.

In accordance with the provisions of 28 U.S.C.

§ 636(b)(1)(C) and Local Rule 73-305, this court has conducted a

de novo review of this case. Having carefully reviewed the

entire file, the court finds the Findings and Recommendations to

be supported by the record and by proper analysis. As explained

by the Magistrate Judge, a prison official does not act in a

deliberately indifferent manner unless the official “knows of and

disregards an excessive risk to inmate health or safety.” Farmer

v. Brennan, 511 U.S. 825, 834 (1994); Toguchi v. Chung, 391 F.3d

1051, 1057 (9th Cir. 2004); Gibson v. County of Washoe, Nevada,

290 F.3d 1175, 1187 (9th Cir.2002). Under this standard, the

prison official must not only “be aware of facts from which the

inference could be drawn that a substantial risk of serious harm

exists,” but that person “must also draw the inference.” Farmer,

511 U.S. at 837. If a prison official should have been aware of

the risk, but was not, then the official has not violated the

Eighth Amendment, no matter how severe the risk. Gibson, 290

F.3d at 1188. This subjective approach focuses only “on what a

defendant's mental attitude actually was.” Farmer, 511 U.S. at

839. A “difference of medical opinion ... [is] insufficient, as

a matter of law, to establish deliberate indifference.” Jackson

v. McIntosh, 90 F.3d 330, 332 (9th Cir.1996). Here, Plaintiff

has alleged that Montoya should have realized Plaintiff was

suffering from more than a simple rash. Mere negligence in

diagnosing or treating a medical condition, without more, does

not violate a prisoner's Eighth Amendment rights. Toguchi, 391

F.3d at 1057. Plaintiff has not alleged sufficient facts that

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the risk to his health was so obvious that any reasonable person

would have realized the need for faster treatment. See Lolli v.

County of Orange, 351 F.3d 410, 421 (9th Cir.2003) (“Deliberate

indifference to medical needs may be shown by circumstantial

evidence when the facts are sufficient to demonstrate that a

defendant actually knew of a risk of harm”). Thus, the court

agrees with the Magistrate Judge. 

Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. The Findings and Recommendations, filed November 1,

2005, is ADOPTED IN FULL; and,

2. This action is DISMISSED, with prejudice, for

plaintiff’s failure to state a claim upon which relief may be

granted under section 1983.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: December 20, 2005 /s/ Anthony W. Ishii 

0m8i78 UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Case 1:04-cv-06678-AWI-LJO Document 13 Filed 12/21/05 Page 3 of 3