Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_05-cv-00060/USCOURTS-caed-2_05-cv-00060-19/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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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

RONALD REED, 

Plaintiff, No. CIV S-05-0060 RRB GGH P

vs.

DR. WILLIAMS, et al.,

Defendants. ORDER

 /

Pursuant to this court’s Order and subpoena, filed and issued on July 25, 2007,

defendants were ordered to produce the medical and disciplinary records of Inmate Thornton,

CDCR No. P-76816 in their entirety for in camera review. The court has now reviewed the

copies of the records that were produced. As to the medical records, particularly any records

related to Thornton’s psychological profile or to any mental health evaluation or any

psychological/psychiatric treatment, the court finds that such records are either irrelevant to the

events at issue in this action or that such disclosure is foreclosed by Jaffe v. Redmond, 518 U.S.

1, 116 S. Ct. 1923 (1996), wherein, as noted in the Order, filed on July 25, 2007, the United

States Supreme Court recognized a specific, and virtually inviolable, psychotherapist-patient

privilege, even eschewing any balancing test involving the importance of the information versus

the need for privacy. Id. at 17-18, 116 S. Ct. 1932. Nor is there any record in this case of

Case 2:05-cv-00060-JAM-KJN Document 72 Filed 10/18/07 Page 1 of 2
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Inmate Thornton having waived the privilege.

On the other hand, to the extent that Thornton was being prescribed psychotropic

medications, or any medicine for the treatment of his mental health, during a period of time that

is relevant for this lawsuit, from January, 2000, through January, 2002, the court will order these

medications disclosed to plaintiff unless, within ten (10) days of the filed date of this order,

defendants can demonstrate that these prescriptions would not have been disclosed to

correctional officers or to any prison personnel beyond any treating physician, clinical or

pharmaceutical staff within the facility. 

As to Inmate Thornton’s prison disciplinary records, however, the court will order

disclosure to plaintiff, subject to a protective order, of all of those prison disciplinary records

submitted to this court for its review. These records cover a period of time from June, 2001,

until December, 2004. Defendants, within ten (10) days, will submit a proposed protective order

designed to preclude any dissemination of the information disclosed to plaintiff.

Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. Records of Inmate Thornton’s medical and/or mental health history and

treatment, which treatment includes privileged communications, will not be disclosed; 

2. Defendants must, within ten (10) days, demonstrate that confidentiality within

the prison has been maintained with respect to medications prescribed to Inmate Thornton to

treat any mental health condition for the period from January, 2000, until January, 2002;

otherwise, these medication prescriptions must be disclosed to plaintiff;

3. Inmate Thornton’s disciplinary records will be disclosed to plaintiff, as set

forth above, subject to a protective order;

4. Defendants must, within ten days, submit a proposed protective order and

retrieve the documents submitted to the court for in camera review.

DATED: 10/18/07 /s/ Gregory G. Hollows

U.S. Magistrate Judge

GGH:009/reed0060.dsc

Case 2:05-cv-00060-JAM-KJN Document 72 Filed 10/18/07 Page 2 of 2