Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-arwd-5_06-cv-05193/USCOURTS-arwd-5_06-cv-05193-3/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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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

WESTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS

FAYETTEVILLE DIVISION

DAVID JAMES FOUGERE PLAINTIFF

v. Civil No. 06-5193

CAPTAIN HUNTER PETRAY;

DR. NEIL MULLINS; and

NURSE SUE McDONALD DEFENDANTS

O R D E R

Now on this 10th day of March, 2008, come on for

consideration the Report And Recommendation Of The Magistrate

Judge (document #23), and defendants' Objection To Report And

Recommendation (document #24), and the Court, having carefully

reviewed said documents, and defendants' underlying Motion For

Summary Judgment (document #18), finds and orders as follows:

1. Plaintiff alleges that while he was an inmate at the

Benton County Detention Center ("BCDC") the defendants were

deliberately indifferent to his serious medical needs, thus

violating his right to be free from cruel and unusual punishment.

2. The Magistrate Judge reported that there was no basis

for any claim against Captain Hunter Petray, and recommended

granting the Motion For Summary Judgment as to that defendant.

There is no objection to that recommendation, and the Court finds

that it should be adopted.

3. With regard to defendants Dr. Mullins and Nurse

McDonald, the Magistrate Judge reported that an issue of fact

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existed as to whether they were deliberately indifferent to

plaintiff's serious medical needs, because plaintiff did not

receive any treatment for "stress or anxiety" between August 1,

2006, and September 27, 2006. He recommended that the Motion For

Summary Judgment should be denied as to these defendants.

4. Dr. Mullins and Nurse McDonald object, arguing that

plaintiff has failed to show that his stress or anxiety "rose to

the level of a serious medical need," and that being off

prescription medication for two months is only a "delay" and not

a "denial" of medical care.

The Court does not agree. Dr. Mullins' chart note of July

19, 2006, reported "some stress" and "I'll give him some

Thorazine." According to Physicians' Desk Reference, 1995

Edition, Thorazine is an antipsychotic medication with side

effects including tardive dyskinesia, "a syndrome consisting of

potentially irreversible, involuntary, dyskinetic movements," and

neuroleptic malignant syndrome, a "potentially fatal symptom

complex." Considering Thorazine's dangerous and potentially

permanent side effects, the fact that Dr. Mullins prescribed it at

all is some evidence that he recognized plaintiff's stress and

anxiety as a serious medical need. 

Dr. Mullins took plaintiff off Thorazine on August 1, 2006,

not because his stress or anxiety had improved, but because

plaintiff said the Thorazine was not helping. Plaintiff also

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An antidepressant sold under the trade name Elavil, according to Physicians' Desk 1

Reference, 1995 Edition.

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stated in Medical Requests that the Thorazine gave him the

"shakes" and made him feel bad. However, rather than change his

medication, Dr. Mullins refused to prescribe anything else for

stress or anxiety. Refusal to treat can certainly be seen as

denial rather than delay, especially when evaluating a motion for

summary judgment.

Although plaintiff continued to complain of stress and

anxiety, he states that Nurse McDonald refused several times to

put him on the list to see Dr. Mullins, and told him repeatedly

that BCDC did not provide mental health care. Although

eventually, on September 27, 2006, Dr. Mullins prescribed

Amitriptyline for "acute anxiety and stress," there is no 1

evidence that plaintiff received any medical care for stress or

anxiety in the intervening two months.

The Court believes that, based on the foregoing, the trier of

fact could reasonably conclude that Dr. Mullins and Nurse McDonald

were deliberately indifferent to plaintiff's serious health need.

That being so, the Court finds the Magistrate Judge's

recommendation sound as it pertains to plaintiff's claims against

Dr. Mullins and Nurse McDonald.

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that the Report And Recommendation Of

The Magistrate Judge is adopted in toto, and the Objections

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thereto are overruled.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, for the reasons stated in the

Report And Recommendation Of The Magistrate Judge, the Motion For

Summary Judgment is granted in part and denied in part.

The Motion is granted insofar as it seeks summary judgment in

favor of Captain Hunter Petray, and plaintiff's claims against

Captain Hunter Petray are hereby dismissed.

The motion is denied in all other respects, and this matter

is remanded to the Magistrate Judge for further report and

recommendation on plaintiff's claims against Dr. Mullins and Nurse

McDonald.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

 /s/ Jimm Larry Hendren 

JIMM LARRY HENDREN

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

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