Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ared-2_12-cv-00160/USCOURTS-ared-2_12-cv-00160-3/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 

EASTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS 

EASTERN DIVISION 

ANTONIO DEMARION COLEY PLAINTIFF 

ADC #92842 

v. Case No. 2:12-cv-00160 KGB/HDY 

MARYBETH FLOYD, et al. DEFENDANTS 

ORDER

 The Court has received Proposed Findings and Recommendations from United States 

Magistrate Judge H. David Young recommending that the Court grant plaintiff Antonio Demario 

Coley’s motion to dismiss voluntarily his claims against the Arkansas Department of Correction 

(“ADC”) defendants and deny Mr. Coley’s motion for preliminary injunction and temporary 

restraining order (Dkt. No. 109). After careful consideration, the Court finds that the Proposed 

Findings and Recommendations should be, and hereby are, approved and adopted in their 

entirety as this Court’s findings in all respects (Dkt. No. 109). The Court grants Mr. Coley’s 

motion to dismiss (Dkt. No. 108-1) and dismisses with prejudice Mr. Coley’s claims against 

defendants Danny Burl, Paulette Green, Larry May, Denise Jones, Claudia Harris, Wendy 

Kelley, and Ray Hobbs. The Court denies Mr. Coley’s motion for preliminary injunction and 

temporary restraining order (Dkt. No. 104). 

The Court also has received from Judge Young Proposed Findings and 

Recommendations recommending that the Court grant the motion for summary judgment filed 

by the remaining defendant, Dr. Marybeth Floyd (Dkt. 126). Mr. Coley has objected and moved 

for Judge Young’s recusal or disqualification (Dkt. Nos. 123, 124, 127, 128, 130). Mr. Coley 

asserts that Judge Young demonstrated prejudice and bias that requires his recusal by denying 

Mr. Coley’s motion to strike the declaration of Dr. Joseph Hughes that Dr. Floyd submitted in 

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support of her motion for summary judgment and through various other prior adverse rulings. A 

judge is required to disqualify himself “in any proceeding in which his impartiality might 

reasonably by questioned.” 28 U.S.C. § 455(a). “The question is ‘whether the judge’s 

impartiality might reasonably be questioned by the average person on the street who knows all 

the relevant facts of a case.’” United States v. Dehghani, 550 F.3d 716, 721 (8th Cir. 2008) 

(citation omitted). “A party introducing a motion to recuse carries a heavy burden of proof; a 

judge is presumed to be impartial and the party seeking disqualification bears the substantial 

burden of proving otherwise.” Pope v. Fed. Express Corp., 974 F.2d 982, 985 (8th Cir. 1992) 

(citation omitted). “[A] federal judge has a duty to sit where not disqualified which is equally as 

strong as the duty to not sit where disqualified.” Laird v. Tatum, 409 U.S. 824, 837 (1972) 

(citations omitted). 

“Adverse rulings, standing alone, do not establish judicial bias or prejudice, nor create a 

reasonable question of judicial impartiality.” United States v. Oaks, 606 F.3d 530, 537 (8th Cir. 

2010) (quoting United States v. Schwartz, 535 F.2d 160, 165 (2d Cir.1976)). Mr. Coley has 

pointed to no evidence suggesting that any of Judge Young’s adverse rulings were motivated by 

bias, and the Court sees no such evidence. The Court finds no basis for Judge Young’s 

disqualification and denies Mr. Coley’s motions to disqualify Judge Young. 

Turning to the Proposed Findings and Recommendations in regard to the pending motion 

for summary judgment, after carefully considering Mr. Coley’s objections and making a de novo 

review of the record in this case, the Court concludes that the Proposed Findings and 

Recommendations should be, and hereby are approved and adopted in their entirety as this 

Court’s findings in all respects (Dkt. No. 126). The Court grants Dr. Floyd’s motion for 

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summary judgment (Dkt. No. 110) and dismisses with prejudice Mr. Coley’s claims against Dr. 

Floyd. 

It is therefore ordered that: 

1. The Court grants Mr. Coley’s motion to dismiss voluntarily his claims against the 

ADC defendants (Dkt. No. 108-1) and dismisses with prejudice his claim against Mr. Burl, Ms. 

Green, Mr. May, Ms. Jones, Ms. Harris, Ms. Kelley, and Mr. Hobbs. 

2 The Court denies Mr. Coley’s motion for preliminary injunction and temporary 

restraining order (Dkt. No. 104). 

3. The Court denies Mr. Coley’s motions to disqualify Judge Young (Dkt. Nos. 123, 

128). 

4. The Court grants Dr. Floyd’s motion for summary judgment (Dkt. No. 110) and 

dismisses with prejudice Mr. Coley’s claims against Dr. Floyd. 

5. The Court grants Mr. Coley’s pending motion for copies (Dkt. No. 131). 

6. The Court denies as moot all other pending motions. 

7. The Court certifies that an in forma pauperis appeal from the order and judgment 

dismissing this action is considered frivolous and not in good faith. 

SO ORDERED this the 30th day of March, 2015. 

 

______________________________ 

 Kristine G. Baker 

 United States District Judge 

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