Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca8-06-03735/USCOURTS-ca8-06-03735-0/pdf.json

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

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1

The Honorable Jean C. Hamilton, United States District Judge for the Eastern

District of Missouri. 

United States Court of Appeals

FOR THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT

___________

No. 06-3735

___________

Cheryl Brewer Southworth, *

*

Appellant, *

* Appeal from the United States

v. * District Court for the

* Eastern District of Missouri.

Missouri Department of Corrections, *

* [UNPUBLISHED]

Defendant, *

*

Correctional Medical Services, *

*

Appellee. *

___________

Submitted: December 6, 2007

Filed: December 27, 2007

___________

Before MURPHY, SMITH, and SHEPHERD, Circuit Judges.

___________

PER CURIAM.

Missouri inmate Cheryl Brewer Southworth appeals the district court’s1

 adverse

grant of summary judgment to Correctional Medical Services (CMS) in her 42 U.S.C.

§ 1983 action. We review de novo the grant of summary judgment, viewing the

evidence in a light most favorable to Southworth. See Alberson v. Norris, 458 F.3d

Appellate Case: 06-3735 Page: 1 Date Filed: 12/27/2007 Entry ID: 3385959
-2-

762, 765 (8th Cir. 2006). To prevail in an Eighth Amendment lawsuit, an inmate must

show that her known serious medical needs were deliberately disregarded. See id. To

defeat CMS’s summary judgment motion, Southworth had to create trialworthy issues

as to whether there was a CMS policy, custom, or action by those who represent

official CMS policy, that inflicted an Eighth Amendment injury. See Sanders v.

Sears, Roebuck & Co., 984 F.2d 972, 975-76 (8th Cir. 1993) (corporate liability under

§ 1983). 

While Southworth offered documents showing that her physical and mental

condition significantly deteriorated during the period at issue, she did not establish a

jury question as to whether there was a CMS policy or custom of denying appropriate

tests and treatment to inmates who exhibit the signs and symptoms she reported or

experienced, or as to whether financial concerns dictated diagnostic and treatment

decisions. See Moody v. St. Charles County, 23 F.3d 1410, 1412 (8th Cir. 1994)

(party seeking to defeat summary judgment must substantiate allegations with

sufficient probative evidence to permit finding in his favor based on more than

speculation or conjecture). Southworth could not defeat summary judgment with

articles about CMS and prison medical care in general, or by offering the views of

laypersons that CMS provided Southworth with inadequate care, and that CMS

providers are known to base their treatment decisions on cost. See Brooks v. TriSystems, Inc., 425 F.3d 1109, 1111 (8th Cir. 2005) (hearsay cannot be used to defeat

summary judgment motion); Perry v. Kemna, 356 F.3d 880, 889 (8th Cir. 2004)

(noting that newspaper articles were hearsay and also unrelated to proceedings);

Erickson v. Farmland Indus., Inc., 271 F.3d 718, 728 (8th Cir. 2001) (affidavits

opposing summary judgment shall be made on personal knowledge, and show

affirmatively that affiant is competent to testify to matters stated therein).

Accordingly, we affirm. We also deny the pending motions. 

______________________________

Appellate Case: 06-3735 Page: 2 Date Filed: 12/27/2007 Entry ID: 3385959