Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_03-cv-06615/USCOURTS-caed-1_03-cv-06615-1/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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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JOSEPH W. CRAWFORD,

Plaintiff, CV F 03 6615 LJO WMW P

vs. ORDER DISMISSING 

 COMPLAINT

WITH LEAVE TO AMEND

C/O FOUCH,

Defendant.

Plaintiff is a state prisoner proceeding pro se. Plaintiff seeks relief pursuant to 42

U.S.C. § 1983. This proceeding was referred to this court by Local Rule 72-302 pursuant to 28

U.S.C. § 636(b)(1).

This action proceeds on the original complaint. Plaintiff, an inmate in the custody

of the California Department of Corrections at the R.J. Donovan Correctional Facility, brings

this civil rights action against Defendant Correctional Officer Fouch, an employee of the

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation at the Substance Abuse Treatment

Facility at Corcoran. Plaintiff’s sole allegation in this complaint is that C/O Fouch “Beat the

hell out of me.” 

The statute under which this action proceeds plainly requires that there be an

actual connection or link between the actions of the defendants and the deprivation alleged to

have been suffered by plaintiff. See Monell v. Department of Social Services, 436 U.S. 658

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(1978); Rizzo v. Goode, 423 U.S. 362 (1976). The Ninth Circuit has held that “[a] person

‘subjects’ another to the deprivation of a constitutional right, within the meaning of section 1983,

if he does an affirmative act, participates in another’s affirmative acts or omits to perform an act

which he is legally required to do that causes the deprivation of which the complaint is made.” 

Johnson v. Duffy, 588 F.2d 740, 743 (9th Cir. 1978).

The Eighth Amendment provides that "[e]xcessive bail shall not be

required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted." The

proscription applies to the states through the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. 

Robinson v. California, 370 U.S. 660 (1962). Prison brutality is part of the total punishment to

which the individual is being subjected for his crime and, as such, is a proper subject for Eighth

Amendment scrutiny. Ingraham v. Wright, 430 U.S. 651, 669, (1977). The Eighth Amendment

is specifically concerned with the unnecessary and wanton infliction of pain in penal institutions

and serves as the primary source of substantive protection to convicted prisoners in cases where

the deliberate use of force is challenged as excessive and unjustified. Whitley v. Albers, 475

U.S. 312, 327,(1986); see also Graham v. Connor, 490 U.S.386, 392 n.10 (1989).

To constitute the "unnecessary and wanton infliction of pain" in the prison context, the

United States Supreme Court requires that both the objective and subjective component of the

Eighth Amendment be satisfied. Wilson v. Seiter, 501 U.S. 294 (1991). First, the deprivation

complained of must be sufficiently serious by objective standards. Id. 501 U.S. at 297. A

deprivation is sufficiently serious if it denies "'the minimal civilized measure of life's

necessities.'" Id. (quoting Rhodes v. Chapman, 452 U.S. 337, 347 (1981) (violation requires

showing of unnecessary and wanton infliction of pain resulting in a physical injury which is of

such base, inhumane and barbaric proportions as to shock the sensibilities)). See Hudson v.

McMillian, 503 U.S.1,(1992) (objective prong not met where injury is de minimus); but see,

Jordan v. Gardner, 986 F.2d 1521 (9th Cir. 1993) (Hudson substantial injury requirement met by

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psychological harm alone, such that body searches of female inmates by male guards constitutes

cruel and unusual punishment).

Second, the prison officials responsible for the deprivation must act with a sufficiently

culpable state of mind by subjective standards. Id. To be sufficiently culpable, "the offending

conduct must be wanton." Wilson, 501 U.S. at 299. In situations where officials are not acting

under pressure, "deliberate indifference" constitutes wantonness. Id. at 299-300. Where a

prison security measure is undertaken to resolve a disturbance, the question of whether the

measure taken inflicted unnecessary and wanton pain and suffering in violation of the Eighth

Amendment turns on whether force was applied in a good faith effort to maintain or restore

discipline, or maliciously and sadistically for the purpose of causing harm. Whitley v. Albers,

475 U.S. 312, 320-21 (1986).

The court finds the allegations in plaintiff's complaint vague and conclusory. 

Specifically, Plaintiff has not charged C/O Fouch with specific conduct that states a claim for

excessive force, as that term is defined above. The court has determined that the complaint does

not contain a short and plain statement as required by Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a)(2). Although the

Federal Rules adopt a flexible pleading policy, a complaint must give fair notice and state the

elements of the claim plainly and succinctly. Jones v. Community Redev. Agency, 733 F.2d

646, 649 (9th Cir. 1984). Plaintiff must allege with at least some degree of particularity overt

acts which defendants engaged in that support plaintiff's claim. Id. Because plaintiff has failed

to comply with the requirements of Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a)(2), the complaint must be dismissed. 

The court will, however, grant leave to file an amended complaint.

If plaintiff chooses to amend the complaint, plaintiff must demonstrate how the

conditions complained of have resulted in a deprivation of plaintiff's constitutional rights. See

Ellis v. Cassidy, 625 F.2d 227 (9th Cir. 1980). Also, the complaint must allege in specific terms

how each named defendant is involved. There can be no liability under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 unless

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there is some affirmative link or connection between a defendant's actions and the claimed

deprivation. Rizzo v. Goode, 423 U.S. 362 (1976); May v. Enomoto, 633 F.2d 164, 167 (9th Cir.

1980); Johnson v. Duffy, 588 F.2d 740, 743 (9th Cir. 1978). 

In addition, plaintiff is informed that the court cannot refer to a prior pleading in

order to make plaintiff's amended complaint complete. Local Rule 15-220 requires that an

amended complaint be complete in itself without reference to any prior pleading. This is

because, as a general rule, an amended complaint supersedes the original complaint. See Loux

v. Rhay, 375 F.2d 55, 57 (9th Cir. 1967). Once plaintiff files an amended complaint, the original

pleading no longer serves any function in the case. Therefore, in an amended complaint, as in an

original complaint, each claim and the involvement of each defendant must be sufficiently

alleged. 

In accordance with the above, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. Plaintiff's complaint is dismissed; and

2. Plaintiff is granted thirty days from the date of service of this order to file a

first amended complaint that complies with the requirements of the Civil Rights Act, the Federal

Rules of Civil Procedure, and the Local Rules of Practice; the amended complaint must bear the

docket number assigned this case and must be labeled "First Amended Complaint." Failure to

file an amended complaint in accordance with this order will result in a recommendation that this

action be dismissed.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: August 17, 2007 /s/ William M. Wunderlich 

mmkd34 UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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