Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_97-cv-05767/USCOURTS-caed-1_97-cv-05767-2/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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Protective Order

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BILL LOCKYER

Attorney General of the State of California

ROBERT R. ANDERSON

Chief Assistant Attorney General

FRANCES T. GRUNDER

Senior Assistant Attorney General

JAMES E. FLYNN

Supervising Deputy Attorney General

MARIA G. CHAN, State Bar No. 192130

Deputy Attorney General

1300 I Street, Suite 125

P.O. Box 944255

Sacramento, CA 94244-2550

Telephone: (916) 323-1940

Fax: (916) 324-5205

Attorneys for Defendants Madruga, 

Espinosa, and Black

48149280-CF1998CX0071

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

FRESNO DIVISION 

ALLEN A. FULTON,

Plaintiff,

v.

E. MADRUGA, et al.,

Defendants.

NO. CV F-97-5767 OWW DLB P

PROTECTIVE ORDER

A. CONFIDENTIAL MATERIAL SUBJECT TO THIS PROTECTIVE ORDER

During the course of discovery, Plaintiff requested information pertaining to any

citizen complaints, disciplinary hearings, or other recorded complaints against Defendants for

excessive force, assaults, batteries, and other acts of violence. On March 13, 2001, the Court

ordered that Defendants Madruga, Espinosa, and Black produce documents from their personnel

files relating to: (1) Defendants’ use of excessive force, assault battery, and other forms of

physical violence against other inmates, citizens or other staff members; (2) Citizens’ complaints

Case 1:97-cv-05767-OWW -DLB Document 304 Filed 06/29/05 Page 1 of 4
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Protective Order

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pursuant to California Penal Code section 832.5, the investigation of those complaints and any

discipline imposed as a result of such investigations; (3) the events surrounding Plaintiff’s

November 8, 1996 incident; and (4) the fabrication of evidence against inmates. 

In response to the Court’s Order, Defendants produced 23 multi-page exhibits. The

Court conducted an in camera review of the documents and on December 12, 2001, the Court

ordered Defendants to produce 10 of the 23 exhibits, or portions thereof. The 10 exhibits consist

of internal affairs investigation reports (the confidential material). 

The confidential material concerns CDC employees who are not Defendants in this

action as well as inmates who are not parties to this action. The confidential material includes

confidential interviews with the subjects and other witnesses. All confidential material is

considered to be “official information” within the meaning of California Evidence Code sections

1043 and 1045 and Penal Code section sections 832.7 and 832.8. In addition, the confidential

material is subject to a qualified privilege as official information under Federal common law. 

As are countless other investigative reports by CDC’s Internal Affairs Division, these

10 investigative reports were prepared on the basis of, among other things, interviews with

custodial staff with the understanding that statements made in the course of the interviews would

remain confidential. The disclosure of these investigative reports without a protective order

would undermine the CDC’s ability to assure its employees that their statements will be

maintained in confidence. The likely result of unprotected disclosure of these reports is that

CDC employees, whether subjects of investigations or witnesses to incidents being investigated,

will be unwilling or less willing to cooperate with investigators. Accordingly, a protective order

is warranted for these reports. 

B. CONDITIONS FOR RELEASE OF CONFIDENTIAL MATERIAL

Because of their relevance to this action, however, the Defendants will produce the

confidential material subject to this protective order on the following conditions: 

1. The social security numbers and any other confidential personal information of the

CDC employees who are the subject of the confidential material shall be redacted. 

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Protective Order

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2. The confidential material may be disclosed only to the following persons: 

 (a) Plaintiff, representing himself in this action; 

 (b) Court personnel and stenographic reporters engaged in such proceedings as are

incidental to the preparation for the trial in this action; 

 (c) Witnesses to whom the confidential material may be disclosed during or in

preparation for a deposition taken in this matter or otherwise during the preparation for trial and

trial, provided that the witness may not leave any deposition with copies of any of the

confidential material, and shall be informed and agree to be bound by the terms of this order; 

3. Plaintiff shall not make copies of the confidential material except as necessary for

purposes of this litigation. 

4. All confidential material in Plaintiff’s possession shall be destroyed or returned to

the CDC within 20 days of the time it is no longer needed for purposes of this litigation. 

5. When Plaintiff returns or destroys the confidential material, he shall provide

Defendants’ counsel with a declaration stating the all confidential material has been returned or

destroyed. 

6. All confidential material obtained by Plaintiff shall not be disclosed except as is

necessary in connection with this or related litigation, including appeals, and not for any other

purpose, including any other litigation. 

7. Any confidential material filed with the Court by either party shall be filed and

maintained under seal. 

8. Nothing in this protective order is intended to prevent officials or employees of the

State of California, or other authorized government officials, from having access to confidential

material to which they would have access in the normal course of their official duties. 

9. The provisions of this protective order are without prejudice to the right of any

party: 

 (a) To apply to the Court for a further protective order relating to any confidential

material or relating to discovery in this litigation; 

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Protective Order

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 (b) To apply to the Court for an order removing the confidential material

designation from any documents; 

 (c) To object to a discovery request. 

10. The provisions of this order shall remain in full force and effect until further order

of this Court. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: June 29, 2005 /s/ Dennis L. Beck 

3c0hj8 UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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