Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca8-09-02368/USCOURTS-ca8-09-02368-0/pdf.json

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

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1

The Honorable Nanette K. Laughrey, United States District Judge for the

Western District of Missouri, adopting the report and recommendation of the

Honorable William A. Knox, United States Magistrate Judge for the Western District

of Missouri.

United States Court of Appeals

FOR THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT

___________

No. 09-2368

___________

C.J. Stewart, *

*

Appellant, *

*

v. * Appeal from the United States

* District Court for the

Thomas Baker, Physician; Katherine * Western District of Missouri.

Nolting; Leon Vickers; Dr. Rex *

Hardman; J. Cofield; E. Conley; * [UNPUBLISHED]

Jane/John Does, *

*

Appellees. *

___________

Submitted: January 6, 2010

Filed: January 12, 2010

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Before WOLLMAN, MURPHY, and BYE, Circuit Judges.

___________

PER CURIAM.

Missouri inmate C.J. Stewart appeals the district court’s1

 dismissal of his 42

U.S.C. § 1983 action. After careful de novo review, we conclude that dismissal was

proper for failure to state a claim. See McAdams v. McCord, 584 F.3d 1111, 1113

Appellate Case: 09-2368 Page: 1 Date Filed: 01/12/2010 Entry ID: 3623345
-2-

(8th Cir. 2009) (standard of review); Phipps v. FDIC, 417 F.3d 1006, 1010 (8th Cir.

2005) (court may affirm dismissal on any basis supported by record). As to the claim

against Thomas Baker, Stewart failed to allege sufficient facts to show that Dr. Baker

acted with deliberate indifference to his serious medical needs. See Meuir v. Greene

County Jail Employees, 487 F.3d 1115, 1118-19 (8th Cir. 2007) (prison’s medical

staff violates Eighth Amendment if they commit acts or omissions sufficiently harmful

to evidence deliberate indifference to inmate’s serious medical needs; inmate’s mere

difference of opinion over matters of expert medical judgment fails to rise to level of

constitutional violation under § 1983); Dulany v. Carnahan, 132 F.3d 1234, 1239 (8th

Cir. 1997) (inmates have no constitutional right to particular course of treatment;

prison doctors remain free to exercise their independent medical judgment). As to all

other defendants, Stewart did not allege that defendants were personally involved in

or had direct responsibility for the alleged deliberate indifference. See Ellis v. Norris,

179 F.3d 1078, 1079 (8th Cir. 1999) (complaint was properly dismissed because

plaintiff failed to allege facts supporting any individual defendant’s personal

involvement or responsibility for violations); Keeper v. King, 130 F.3d 1309, 1314

(8th Cir. 1997) (respondeat superior is not basis for liability under § 1983; general

responsibility for supervising operations of prison is insufficient to establish personal

involvement required to support liability).

Accordingly, we affirm the judgment.

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