Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_13-cv-04929/USCOURTS-cand-3_13-cv-04929-8/pdf.json

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

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

BERNARDOS GRAY, JR.,

Plaintiff,

v.

G. D. LEWIS; et al., 

Defendants. /

No. C 13-4929 SI (pr)

ORDER DISMISSING REQUEST FOR

PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION

In this action, plaintiff sued prison officials for impeding his efforts to practice his House

of Yahweh religion at Pelican Bay State Prison by denying him a kosher diet and other religious

accommodations. At the parties’ mutual request, this action was referred to the Pro Se Prisoner

Mediation Program on June 29, 2015, with an instruction that the mediation proceedings take

place within 120 days. See Docket # 56 at 12.

On August 11, 2015, plaintiff filed a “motion for an emergency injunctive order,”

asserting that prison officials at Pelican Bay have not provided him with a kosher diet since his

return to Pelican Bay from CSP-Sacramento. Docket # 57. (This is his second motion for

injunctive relief. He withdrew his first motion. See Docket # 50.) 

The current motion for injunctive relief has several evidentiary gaps. First, plaintiff stated

that he had to be treated with an “I.V. injection because he was not able to eat kosher food on

the transfer to PBSP,” Docket # 57 at 2, although it is not clear whether this occurred while in

transit or while at Pelican Bay. This assertion raises the same issue noted in an earlier order

regarding whether, even if he is not being offered a meal labeled as a “kosher meal,” there is

other food on the food trays offered to plaintiff that does not offend kosher dietary restrictions.

Case 3:13-cv-04929-SI Document 58 Filed 08/18/15 Page 1 of 2
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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See Docket # 44 at 1-2. Second, plaintiff did not state the amount of time he was deprived of

kosher meals, but it appears to have been not more than three days as of the date he filed his

motion. Compare Docket # 57 at 2 (motion sent from plaintiff at Pelican Bay with signature

date of August 6, 2015) with Gray v. Virga, E. D. Cal. Case No. 2:12-cv-03006-KJM (motion

sent from plaintiff at CSP - Sacramento with an August 3, 2015 signature date). The short

duration of the problem casts some doubt on his assertion that he needed an I.V. injection due

to the non-provision of kosher meals. Third, plaintiff did not state whether he actually requested

kosher meals from Pelican Bay officials upon his return before filing his motion – a fact that may

well make a difference in the analysis of his entitlement to an injunction Setting a briefing

schedule so that plaintiff can make a more detailed evidentiary presentation, defendants can file

any opposition, and plaintiff can file a reply will take several weeks, so that the matter may not

be ready for decision until mid- to late September. The pendency of a motion for interim relief

also likely will impede the parties’ ability to reach a successful resolution in the mediation

proceedings in which the provision of kosher meals to plaintiff will be the primary issue. Those

mediation proceedings should occur less than ten weeks from now under the court’s June 29,

2015 order. For these reasons, plaintiff’s motion for an emergency injunctive order is DENIED

without prejudice to plaintiff filing a new motion with an adequate evidentiary presentation, but

only if the parties are unable to resolve their disputes through mediation. Docket # 57. 

The clerk shall send a copy of this order to Magistrate Judge Vadas, the judicial officer

in charge of the Pro Se Prisoner Mediation Program. Magistrate Judge Vadas is requested to

attempt to schedule a mediation session for this action in September 2015. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: August 18, 2015 _______________________

 SUSAN ILLSTON

United States District Judge

Case 3:13-cv-04929-SI Document 58 Filed 08/18/15 Page 2 of 2