Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_01-cv-06359/USCOURTS-caed-1_01-cv-06359-3/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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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

DEWAYNE HOLMES, )

)

Plaintiff, )

)

v. )

)

C. PLATH, )

)

Defendant. )

 )

1:01-CV-6359 AWI WMW P

ORDER DIRECTING ENTRY OF 

DEFAULT JUDGMENT AND 

DENYING MOTION FOR

SUMMARY JUDGMENT AS MOOT

(Document #70)

This is a civil action for damages in which the Clerk of the Court previously entered default.

Plaintiff now seeks the entry of a default judgment in his favor.

BACKGROUND

This action proceeds on the January 16, 2002, first amended complaint. Plaintiff is an

inmate in the custody of the California Department of Corrections at Mule Creek State Prison.

Plaintiff brings this civil rights action against Correctional Officer Craig Plath for conduct that

occurred while plaintiff was housed at the Substance Abuse Treatment Facility at Corcoran. Plaintiff

claims that he was subjected to unwanted sexual advances by defendant Plath. Plaintiff brings this

action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983.

Plaintiff specifically alleges that between November of 2000 and January of 2001, defendant

Plath “on numerous occasions sexually assaulted plaintiff by cuffing plaintiff up and rubbing himself

against against plaintiff forcefully and threatening plaintiff to let defendant C. Plath grab plaintiff’s

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penis and stroke it.” [sic] (Am. Compl. at 4:2-5). Plath allegedly warned plaintiff that if plaintiff

didn’t comply, “during a cell search a homemade knife could easily be found, keeping plaintiff in

prison for life.” Id. Plaintiff was also forced to stand naked, and write letters to “satisfy” Plath. 

Plaintiff filed a grievance, and wrote “numerous legal letters to Sacramento.” Plaintiff lists

the various officials to whom he sent letters. Plaintiff alleges that his letters were not acknowledged,

and officers “refused to redress his situation and threw out legal mail threatened and harassed

plaintiff.” Id. at 3:24. 

The Ninth Circuit has held that sexual harassment can constitute an Eighth Amendment

violation, but not in a case without physical contact. Bowie v. California Dept. of Corrections, 99

F.3d 1145 (9 Cir. 1991), citing Jordan v. Gardner, 986 F.2d 1521 (9 Cir. 1993); Hernandez v. th th

Denton, 861 F.2d 1421 (9 Cir.), cert. denied, 112 S.Ct. 75 (1991). Here, plaintiff has alleged that th

Plath rubbed up against him while he was cuffed, and suggested that plaintiff grab his penis. The

court found that plaintiff stated a claim for sexual harassment as to defendant Plath.

Service of the summons and complaint in this action was made on Defendant on November

25, 2002. Defendant did not file an answer or any other respond to Plaintiff’s complaint. 

Therefore, on March 19, 2003, following Plaintiff’s request, the court entered default against

Defendant in this action.

LEGAL STANDARD

Plaintiff, having obtained a default against Defendant, now seeks entry of a default judgment

and an award of damages. The controlling federal rule is Rule 55, Federal Rules of Civil Procedure,

which provides in pertinent part as follows:

(a) Entry. When a party against whom a judgment for affirmative relief is

sought has failed to plead or otherwise defend as provided by these rules and that fact

is made to appear by affidavit or otherwise, the clerk shall enter the party's default.

(b) Judgment. Judgment by default may be entered as follows:

(1) By the Clerk. When the plaintiff's claim against a defendant is for

a sum certain or for a sum which can by computation be made certain, the clerk upon

request of the plaintiff and upon affidavit of the amount due shall enter judgment for

that amount and costs against the defendant, if the defendant has been defaulted for

failure to appear and is not an infant or incompetent person.

(2) By the Court. In all other cases the party entitled to a judgment by

default shall apply to the court therefor; but no judgment by default shall be entered

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against an infant or incompetent person unless represented in the action by a general

guardian, committee, conservator, or other such representative who has appeared

therein. If the party against whom judgment by default is sought has appeared in the

action, the party (or, if appearing by representative, the party's representative) shall

be served with written notice of the application for judgment at least 3 days prior to

the hearing on such application. If, in order to enable the court to enter judgment or

to carry it into effect, it is necessary to take an account or to determine the amount

of damages or to establish the truth of any averment by evidence or to make an

investigation of any other matter, the court may conduct such hearings or order such

references as it deems necessary and proper and shall accord a right of trial by jury

to the parties when and as required by any statute of the United States.

“‘The general rule of law is that upon default the factual allegations of the complaint, except those

relating to the amount of damages, will be taken as true.’ (citations omitted).” Televideo Systems,

ms, Inc. v. Heidenthal, 826 F.2d 915, 917 -18 (9th Cir. 1987) (quoting Geddes v. United Financial

Group, 559 F.2d 557, 560 (9th Cir.1977).

The court previously denied Plaintiff’s request for the entry of default on the ground that

Plaintiff had failed to submit any evidence of damages pursuant to Rule 55(b)(2). Plaintiff, an

incarcerated prisoner proceeding pro se, has limited opportunities in which to submit evidence to

prove damages. On September 30, 2006, the court denied Plaintiff’s request to conduct discovery

in order to determine damages, finding that Plaintiff had failed to identify any specific discovery that

would lead to the determination of damages.

The court finds that in the interest of justice, damages should be awarded to Plaintiff. The

facts of the complaint clearly state that a violation of Plaintiff’s civil rights occurred, as defendant

Plath engaged in conduct that constitutes sexual harassment within the meaning of the Eighth

Amendment. Defendant Plath has been served with the complaint, and a clerk’s default has been

entered. The court finds that Plaintiff has made a good faith effort to prove damages. Plaintiff

initially sought 7 million dollars in damages, then reduced that demand to $70,000.00. The court

finds that it is just to compensate Plaintiff for his subjection to sexual harassment. 

Accordingly, THE COURT HEREBY ORDERS that:

1. Default judgment be entered against Defendant and for Plaintiff, and that damages

be awarded for violation of 42 U.S.C. Section 1983, the sum of $20,000.00 in

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compensatory damages and $20,000 in punitive damages.

2. Plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment filed on October 30, 2006, be denied as

moot.

3. The Clerk is directed to close this case.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: September 21, 2007 /s/ Anthony W. Ishii 

0m8i78 UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

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