Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-4_06-cv-02799/USCOURTS-cand-4_06-cv-02799-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 550
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Civil Rights (U.S. defendant)
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Prisoner Civil Rights

---

United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28 1

On May 23, 2007, Plaintiff notified the Court that he was

living at 263 Vernon Street, San Francisco, California.

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JEROME L. GRIMES,

Plaintiff,

 v.

RN ROBINSON, et al.,

Defendants. /

No. C 06-02799 CW

ORDER GRANTING

REQUEST TO PROCEED

IN FORMA PAUPERIS, REVIEWING AND

DISMISSING AMENDED

COMPLAINT 

Plaintiff Jerome L. Grimes, a state prisoner incarcerated at

San Francisco County Jail at the time of the events at issue,1

filed this pro se civil rights complaint alleging that two public

defenders who had represented him had obstructed justice, that

Deputies Sanchez, Fields and Santiago violated his Eighth Amendment

right to be free from excessive force, that another Deputy violated

unspecified constitutional rights by placing him in administrative

segregation, and that two inmates also violated unspecified

constitutional rights. On February 1, 2007, the Court issued an

Order Denying Without Prejudice Leave to Proceed In Forma Pauperis

[and] Dismissing Complaint With Leave to Amend (February, 2007

Order) (Docket # 14). 

Case 4:06-cv-02799-CW Document 20 Filed 02/14/08 Page 1 of 6
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28 2

In the February 1, 2007 Order, the Court dismissed without

leave to amend the claims against the two public defenders and the

two inmates on the ground that they are not state actors and, thus,

cannot be sued for a civil rights violation under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. 

The Court dismissed with leave to amend Plaintiff’s claim regarding

being placed in administrative segregation because he did not

allege who put him in administrative segregation nor did he allege

how this violated his constitutional rights. The Court dismissed

with leave to amend the claims against Defendants Robinson, Young

and Ficher on the ground that he had not stated any facts that

would support claims of constitutional violations against them. 

The Court found that the excessive force claims against Defendants

Sanchez, Fields and Santiago were cognizable but that they could

not go forward because Plaintiff had not alleged facts which, if

proven, would establish that these Defendants applied force

“maliciously and sadistically to cause harm,” rather than in a

good-faith effort to maintain or restore discipline.

On April 9, 2007, Plaintiff filed a First Amended Complaint

(FAC) (Docket # 17) alleging the following. On March 2, 2006,

Defendant RN Robinson did not immediately X-ray Plaintiff’s right

injured elbow and “signaled inmate attack weapon, inmate Lamont

Rider to punch Plaintiff’s jaw after [Robinson] bootlegged anticoagulated antibiotics pre-surgery terror piece-mell [sic] terror

and at least once sneaked into cell at night while Plaintiff slept

and taser gun immobilized and put acid in mouth to help prefracture lower mandibular jaw bone. [sic]” On various days in

February, 2006, newly-named Defendant RN Litvinova refused

Case 4:06-cv-02799-CW Document 20 Filed 02/14/08 Page 2 of 6
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28 3

Plaintiff’s pleas for X-rays and emergency medical treatment for a

fractured right elbow which was injured on February 15, 2006 and on

two nights, “sneaked into Plaintiff’s cell and put acid in the

mouth, lower jaw area . . . to help pre-fracture lower mandibular

jaw bond, while, simultaneously, X26C taser gun back bar plumbing

area aim X26C blocking covert area . . . dog training device/taser

chip terror to keep Plaintiff semi-sleep immobilized with multiple

prior days of medical prescription drug poisoning/

tampering/bootlegging with anti-coagulate chemical warfare to cause

unstoppable bleeding during premeditated future resulting broken

jaw surgery death disguised as daily antibiotic distribution for

Plaintiff’s tooth infection. . . .” 

The FAC also alleges that, on or about February 10, 2006,

Defendant Deputy Sanchez moved Plaintiff from a “secure and stable”

cell to an “unsafe and unstable” cell which resulted in injury to

Plaintiff through the use of an inmate attack weapon. Defendant

Deputy Young also placed Plaintiff in an unsafe living condition in

disciplinary administrative segregation in a cell with another

inmate attack weapon. Defendant Deputy Fields told Plaintiff to

put on handcuffs while another inmate attack weapon was

unrestrained. Deputy Fields taser-gunned Plaintiff so that the

inmate attack weapon could attempt to hurt Plaintiff’s eye with a

sharp homemade paperclip ring so that Plaintiff’s cornea could be

smuggled to a covert hospital emergency room. Defendant Deputy

Santiago engaged in the same conduct as Defendant Fields. 

Defendant Deputy Ficher was acting suspiciously and made an unsafe

condition of confinement. Defendant Deputy Kencade sneaked into

Case 4:06-cv-02799-CW Document 20 Filed 02/14/08 Page 3 of 6
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28 4

Plaintiff’s cell at night, while Plaintiff slept, and dropped acid

drops into Plaintiff’s mouth to help pre-fracture Plaintiff’s lower

jawbone while simultaneously taser gunning Plaintiff. Defendants

Deputies Clayborn, Smith and Tek also put acid drops in Plaintiff’s

mouth. Defendant Deputy Dupre threatened Plaintiff with physical

abuse because he said Plaintiff was talking too much. This attempt

to stop Plaintiff from talking was aided by Deputies Flores,

Calacug-Martin and Johnson. 

Defendant Deputy Josif, while escorting Defendant RN Williams,

signaled an inmate attack weapon to punch Plaintiff’s jaw. 

Defendant Josif also sneaked into Plaintiff’s cell at night, while

Plaintiff slept, and dropped acid drops into Plaintiff’s mouth to

help pre-fracture his jaw bone and simultaneously taser-gunned

Plaintiff.

DISCUSSION

Because, in his original complaint, Plaintiff’s allegations,

if taken as true, demonstrated that he was in imminent danger of

serious physical injury, the case was excepted from the 28 U.S.C. 

§ 1915(g) “three-strikes” provision, which the Court previously

found applies to Plaintiff. See C 00-1100 CW, Order Dismissing

Complaint, filed May 19, 2000. 

In the February 1, 2007 Order, the Court allowed Plaintiff to

amend his claims against Defendants Sanchez, Fields, Santiago, 

Robinson, Young and Ficher. The Court also allowed Plaintiff to

amend his allegation about being placed into administrative

segregation to state who put him in administrative segregation and

how that individual or individuals violated Plaintiff’s

Case 4:06-cv-02799-CW Document 20 Filed 02/14/08 Page 4 of 6
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28 5

constitutional rights. In his FAC, Plaintiff names many new

Defendants. Because, with the exception of individuals who were

involved in Plaintiff’s administrative segregation claim, the Court

did not allow Plaintiff to add new Defendants, all claims against

all newly named Defendants are dismissed. 

In regard to the excessive force claim against Defendants

Sanchez, Fields and Santiago, the Court finds that the TAC, even

construed liberally, does not contain allegations that are

sufficient to state such claims. The Court similarly finds that

the FAC fails to contain allegations sufficient to state claims

against Robinson and Ficher. In regard to his administrative

segregation claim, Plaintiff alleges that Defendant Young violated

Plaintiff’s constitutional rights by placing him in administrative

segregation because he was put in a cell with an “inmate attack

weapon.” This allegation is insufficient to state a claim against

Defendant Young.

Therefore, Plaintiff’s request to proceed in forma pauperis is

granted and his complaint is DISMISSED. The Clerk shall enter

judgment and close the file.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: 2/14/08 

CLAUDIA WILKEN

United States District Judge

Case 4:06-cv-02799-CW Document 20 Filed 02/14/08 Page 5 of 6
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28 6

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JEROME L. GRIMES,

Plaintiff,

 v.

R.N. ROBINSON et al,

Defendant. /

Case Number: CV06-02799 CW 

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I, the undersigned, hereby certify that I am an employee in the Office of the Clerk, U.S. District Court,

Northern District of California.

That on February 14, 2008, I SERVED a true and correct copy(ies) of the attached, by placing said

copy(ies) in a postage paid envelope addressed to the person(s) hereinafter listed, by depositing said

envelope in the U.S. Mail, or by placing said copy(ies) into an inter-office delivery receptacle located

in the Clerk's office.

Jerome L. Grimes

263 Vernon St

San Francisco, CA 94132

Dated: February 14, 2008

Richard W. Wieking, Clerk

By: Sheilah Cahill, Deputy Clerk

Case 4:06-cv-02799-CW Document 20 Filed 02/14/08 Page 6 of 6