Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_06-cv-02038/USCOURTS-caed-2_06-cv-02038-0/pdf.json

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

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

ERIC WILLIAMS, 

Plaintiff, No. CIV S-06-2038 LKK KJM P

vs.

SGT. SWAN, et al., ORDER AND

Defendants. FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

 /

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

U.S.C. § 1983 and has requested leave to proceed in forma pauperis pursuant to 28 U.S.C.

§ 1915. This proceeding was referred to this court by Local Rule 72-302 pursuant to 28 U.S.C.

§ 636(b)(1).

Plaintiff has submitted a declaration that makes the showing required by 28

U.S.C. § 1915(a). Accordingly, the request to proceed in forma pauperis will be granted.

Plaintiff is required to pay the statutory filing fee of $350.00 for this action. 28

U.S.C. §§ 1914(a), 1915(b)(1). An initial partial filing fee of $3.98 will be assessed by this

order. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1). By separate order, the court will direct the appropriate agency to

collect the initial partial filing fee from plaintiff’s trust account and forward it to the Clerk of the

Court. Thereafter, plaintiff will be obligated for monthly payments of twenty percent of the

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preceding month’s income credited to plaintiff’s prison trust account. These payments will be

forwarded by the appropriate agency to the Clerk of the Court each time the amount in plaintiff’s

account exceeds $10.00, until the filing fee is paid in full. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(2).

The court is required to screen complaints brought by prisoners seeking relief

against a governmental entity or officer or employee of a governmental entity. 28 U.S.C.

§ 1915A(a). The court must dismiss a complaint or portion thereof if the prisoner has raised

claims that are legally “frivolous or malicious,” that fail to state a claim upon which relief may

be granted, or that seek monetary relief from a defendant who is immune from such relief. 28

U.S.C. § 1915A(b)(1),(2). 

In addition, the Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA) provides that “[n]o action

shall be brought with respect to prison conditions under section 1983 of this title, . . . until such

administrative remedies as are available are exhausted.” 42 U.S.C. § 1997e(a). “Conditions of

confinement” subject to exhaustion has been defined broadly as “‘the effects of actions by

government officials on the lives of persons confined in prisons.’” 18 U.S.C. § 3626(g)(2);

Smith v. Zachary, 255 F.3d 446, 449 (7th Cir. 2001), cert. denied, 535 U.S. 906 (2002); see also

Lawrence v. Goord, 304 F.3d 198, 200 (2d Cir. 2002). The exhaustion requirement is

mandatory. Booth v. Churner, 532 U.S. 731, 741 (2001). In California, administrative

procedures generally are exhausted once a plaintiff has received a “Director’s Level Decision,”

or third level review, with respect to his issues or claims. 15 Cal. Code Regs. § 3084.5. 

The Ninth Circuit has recognized that a prisoner’s concession of failure to exhaust

is a proper basis for dismissal. Wyatt v. Terhune, 315 F.3d 1108, 1119 (9th Cir), cert. denied sub

nom. Alameida v. Terhune, 540 U.S. 810 (2003). 

Plaintiff asserts three causes of action. One states a claim; one is not exhausted;

and the third fails to state a claim even if it is exhausted. 

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A. First Cause Of Action

Plaintiff alleges that on February 25, 2006, as he was being escorted, he was

handcuffed too tightly. When he asked defendant Swan, the escort officer, to loosen the

handcuffs, defendant Swan replied, “So what, I’m not going to loosen the handcuffs, just file a

lawsuit . . . .” Defendant Swan left plaintiff in a holding cell for two hours, still too tightly

handcuffed, which caused numbness and pain in plaintiff’s wrist area. Complaint at 5, 8. This

action states a claim against defendant Swan.

B. Second Cause Of Action

Plaintiff alleges that although prison doctors ordered that he be taken to an

outside hospital because he was running a high fever, defendant Guido, the escorting officer, did

not want to wait at the hospital and so convinced doctors to send plaintiff back to the California

Medical Facility. Prison doctors again examined him, found he was worse, and directed that he

be returned to the outside hospital.

Plaintiff has attached the grievance he filed concerning this event, which is

stamped “REJECTED,” and the explanation from the appeals coordinator that the grievance was

not timely. 

The regulations provide that a grievance must be filed within fifteen working days

of the event or decision which triggered the grievance. Cal. Code Regs. tit. 15, § 3084.6 (c). In

this case, the incident about which plaintiff complained occurred on December 24, 2005; his

grievance was dated March 16, 2006. This grievance, filed outside of the applicable time limits,

cannot serve to exhaust plaintiff’s administrative remedies. Woodford v. Ngo, U.S. , 126

S.Ct. 2378, 2386 (2006) (“proper exhaustion demands compliance with an agency's deadlines

and other critical procedural rules”). The attachments to plaintiff’s complaint are in essence a

concession that he has failed to exhaust administrative remedies as to his second cause of action.

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C. Third Cause Of Action

Plaintiff alleges that defendant Cry, the appeals coordinator, has not handled

several of his grievances appropriately, which denies him the right to petition the government for

redress of grievances. 

Plaintiff has not exhausted his administrative remedies on this claim. The “papers

related to grievance procedure for claim #3,” attached to the complaint, include only a 602 form

and a staff complaint, with no indication that plaintiff received a director’s level decision or any

other determination from the levels of review. Indeed, under category H, “reasons for requesting

a Director’s Level Review,” plaintiff has written that the grievance was screened out. These

documents also are a concession of a failure to exhaust administrative remedies. 

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

1. Plaintiff’s request for leave to proceed in forma pauperis is granted.

2. Plaintiff is obligated to pay the statutory filing fee of $350.00 for this action. 

Plaintiff is assessed an initial partial filing fee of $3.98. All fees shall be collected and paid in

accordance with this court’s order to the Director of the California Department of Corrections

and Rehabilitation filed concurrently herewith.

3. Service is appropriate for the following defendant: Swan.

4. The Clerk of the Court shall send plaintiff one USM-285 form, one summons,

an instruction sheet and a copy of the complaint filed September 13, 2006.

5. Within thirty days from the date of this order, plaintiff shall complete the

attached Notice of Submission of Documents and submit the following documents to the court:

a. The completed Notice of Submission of Documents;

b. One completed summons;

c. One completed USM-285 form for the defendant listed in number 3

above; and 

d. Two copies of the endorsed complaint filed September 13, 2006. 

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6. Plaintiff need not attempt service on defendant and need not request waiver of

service. Upon receipt of the above-described documents, the court will direct the United States

Marshal to serve the above-named defendant pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 4

without payment of costs. 

IT IS HEREBY RECOMMENDED that claims two and three of the complaint be

dismissed for failure to exhaust administrative remedies. 

DATED: March 6, 2007.

2

will2038.1+56

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

ERIC WILLIAMS,

Plaintiff, No. CIV S-06-2038 LKK KJM P

vs.

SST. SWAN, et al., NOTICE OF SUBMISSION

Defendant. OF DOCUMENTS

 /

Plaintiff hereby submits the following documents in compliance with the court's

order filed :

 1 completed summons form

 1 completed USM-285 forms

 2 copies of the September 13, 2006 Complaint

DATED: 

 

Plaintiff

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