Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_08-cv-00401/USCOURTS-azd-2_08-cv-00401-0/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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WO RP

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Clinton Lee Spencer, 

Plaintiff, 

vs.

Jeffrey A. Sharp,

Defendant. 

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No. CV 08-401-PHX-SMM (JJM)

ORDER

Plaintiff Clinton Lee Spencer, who is confined in the Arizona State Prison ComplexEyman, has filed a pro se civil rights Complaint pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 (Doc. #1) and

four motions (Doc. ##5, 6, 7, and 8). The $350.00 filing fee has been paid. 

The Court will order the Defendant to answer the Complaint, grant one motion (Doc.

#5), and deny the remaining motions (Doc. ##6, 7, and 8). 

I. Statutory Screening of Prisoner Complaints

The Court is required to screen complaints brought by prisoners seeking relief against

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

§ 1915A(a). The Court must dismiss a complaint or portion thereof if a plaintiff 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). 

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II. Complaint

Named as Defendant in the Complaint is Jeffrey A. Sharp, employed as a physician

with the Arizona Department of Corrections (ADOC). 

Plaintiff alleges three counts in the Complaint in which he claims that Defendant

Sharp violated his Eighth and Fourteenth Amendment rights by treating him with deliberate

indifference to his serious medical needs. In Count I, Plaintiff claims that Defendant Sharp

deliberately overdosed him with insulin, resulting in a “Trauma One” seizure. 

In Count II, Plaintiff claims that he fell from his bunk due to an insulin overdose and

fractured his foot, and that Defendant Sharp failed to have x-rays done or to prescribe

anything for pain when Plaintiff complained of pain and inability to walk two months after

the fall. Plaintiff further claims that nine months after the fall, Defendant Sharp confirmed

that Plaintiff had broken his foot but delayed and denied Plaintiff any pain medication and

denied Plaintiff any repair of his broken foot.

In Count III, Plaintiff claims Defendant Sharp has denied him a balanced American

Diabetes Association (ADA) diet “with calories commensurate to an appropriate level as

determined by a Nutritionist.”

Plaintiff seeks a jury trial, compensatory and punitive monetary damages, reasonable

costs, and attorney’s fees.

Liberally construed, Plaintiff's Complaint adequately state claims for relief.

Accordingly, the Court will call for an answer to the Complaint from Defendant Sharp.

III. Motions

A. Motion for Service by United States Marshal

On March 7, 2008, Plaintiff filed a Motion entitled “Plaintiff Demand Court Order

Waiver of Service on Defendants Pursuant to Rule 4(d) F.R.C.P.” (Doc. #5), in which he

seeks a service packet and appears to seek service on the Defendant by the United States

Marshal. Plaintiff’s Motion will be granted to the extent that this Order directs that a service

packet be sent to Plaintiff and that, after the Plaintiff returns the service packet, the United

States Marshal serve the Summons and Complaint upon Defendant Sharp by either waiver

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of service or personal service.

B. Motions to Require Defendant to Respond to Grievance

Plaintiff has filed two Motions which the Court will construe as Motions to require

the Defendant to respond to Plaintiff’s grievance. Plaintiff’s Motions are entitled “Plaintiff

Demand Court Order for Court Ordered Central Official ASPC-Eyman Referee Inmate

Grievance Applies to lawsuit Exhaust Administrative Remedies” (Doc. #6), filed on March

17, 2008, and “Plaintiff Second Demand Order Court Abuse of Discretion Recognizing

Defendants failed Exhaust Administrative Remedies on Serious Medical needs” (Doc. #8),

filed on May 20, 2008. Both Motions will be denied because Plaintiff is required by 42

U.S.C. § 1997e(a) to exhaust available administrative remedies prior to bringing his civil

rights action. Accordingly, the Court will not require non-party ADOC officials to respond

to Plaintiff’s grievance after Plaintiff has filed this action. In so doing, the Court declines to

rule at this time whether Plaintiff exhausted all of his available administrative remedies prior

to filing this action. 

C. Motion for New Notice of Assignment

On April 23, 2008, Plaintiff filed a Motion entitled “Plaintiff Demand Court Order for

Correctly Magistrate Judge case above referred. L R Civ. 7.1(a)” (Doc. #7), in which he

appears to allege that the Clerk of Court erred by sending him a document with the handwritten case number of this case, indicating that the case is referred to Magistrate Judge

Virginia A. Mathis, when in fact it should have indicated a referral to Magistrate Judge

Jacqueline J. Marshall. Plaintiff requests a new, correct Notice of Assignment. Plaintiff’s

Motion will be denied. The Court’s docket in this case reflects that the original Notice of

Assignment (Doc. #2) and an Amended Notice (Doc. #3) incorrectly indicated a referral to

retired Magistrate Judge Mathis. However, another Amended Notice (Doc. #4), correctly

indicated a referral to Magistrate Judge Marshall. Moreover, the docket reflects that a copy

of the correct Notice (Doc. #4) was mailed to Plaintiff on February 29, 2008.

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IV. Warnings

A. Address Changes

Plaintiff must file and serve a notice of a change of address in accordance with Rule

83.3(d) of the Local Rules of Civil Procedure. Plaintiff must not include a motion for other

relief with a notice of change of address. Failure to comply may result in dismissal of this

action.

B. Copies

Plaintiff must serve Defendant, or counsel if an appearance has been entered, a copy

of every document that he files. Fed. R. Civ. P. 5(a). Each filing must include a certificate

stating that a copy of the filing was served. Fed. R. Civ. P. 5(d). Also, Plaintiff must submit

an additional copy of every filing for use by the Court. See LRCiv 5.4. Failure to comply

may result in the filing being stricken without further notice to Plaintiff.

C. Possible Dismissal

If Plaintiff fails to timely comply with every provision of this Order, including these

warnings, the Court may dismiss this action without further notice. See Ferdik v. Bonzelet,

963 F.2d 1258, 1260-61 (9th Cir. 1992) (a district court may dismiss an action for failure to

comply with any order of the Court).

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED: 

(1) “Plaintiff Demand Court Order Waiver of Service on Defendants Pursuant to

Rule 4(d) F.R.C.P.” (Doc. #5) is granted to the extent that this Order directs that a service

packet be sent to Plaintiff and that, after the Plaintiff returns the service packet, the United

States Marshal serve the Summons and Complaint upon Defendant Sharp by either waiver

of service or personal service.

(2) “Plaintiff Demand Court Order for Court Ordered Central Official ASPCEyman Referee Inmate Grievance Applies to lawsuit Exhaust Administrative Remedies”

(Doc. #6), “Plaintiff Demand Court Order for Correctly Magistrate Judge case above

referred. L R Civ. 7.1(a)” (Doc. #7), and “Plaintiff Second Demand Order Court Abuse of

Discretion Recognizing Defendants failed Exhaust Administrative Remedies on Serious

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Medical needs” (Doc. #8) are all denied.

(3) The Clerk of Court must send Plaintiff a service packet including the

Complaint (Doc. #1), this Order, and both summons and request for waiver forms for

Defendant Jeffrey A. Sharp.

(4) Plaintiff must complete and return the service packet to the Clerk of Court

within 20 days of the date of filing of this Order. The United States Marshal will not provide

service of process if Plaintiff fails to comply with this Order.

(5) If Plaintiff does not either obtain a waiver of service of the summons or

complete service of the Summons and Complaint on Defendant within 120 days of the filing

of the Complaint or within 60 days of the filing of this Order, whichever is later, the action

may be dismissed. Fed. R. Civ. P. 4(m); LRCiv 16.2(b)(2)(B)(I).

(6) The United States Marshal must retain the Summons, a copy of the

Complaint, and a copy of this Order for future use.

(7) The United States Marshal must notify Defendant Jeffrey A. Sharp of the

commencement of this action and request waiver of service of the summons pursuant to Rule

4(d) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. The notice to Defendant must include a copy

of this Order. The Marshal must immediately file requests for waivers that were returned as

undeliverable and waivers of service of the summons. If a waiver of service of summons is

not returned by Defendant within 30 days from the date the request for waiver was sent by

the Marshal, the Marshal must:

(a) personally serve copies of the Summons, Complaint, and this Order

upon Defendant pursuant to Rule 4(e)(2) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure; and

(b) within 10 days after personal service is effected, file the return of service

for Defendant, along with evidence of the attempt to secure a waiver of service of the

summons and of the costs subsequently incurred in effecting service upon Defendant.

The costs of service must be enumerated on the return of service form (USM-285) and

must include the costs incurred by the Marshal for photocopying additional copies of

the Summons, Complaint, or this Order and for preparing new process receipt and

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return forms (USM-285), if required. Costs of service will be taxed against the

personally served Defendant pursuant to Rule 4(d)(2) of the Federal Rules of Civil

Procedure, unless otherwise ordered by the Court.

(8) If Defendant agrees to waive service of the Summons and Complaint, he

must return the signed waiver forms to the United States Marshal, not the Plaintiff.

(9) Defendant must answer the Complaint or otherwise respond by appropriate

motion within the time provided by the applicable provisions of Rule 12(a) of the Federal

Rules of Civil Procedure.

(10) This matter is referred to Magistrate Judge Jacqueline J. Marshall pursuant to

Rules 72.1 and 72.2 of the Local Rules of Civil Procedure for further proceedings.

DATED this 23rd day of June, 2008.

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