Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_12-cv-00750/USCOURTS-caed-1_12-cv-00750-30/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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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

ROBERTO M. GARCIA, Jr.

 Plaintiff,

 vs.

MATTHEW M. JUAREZ, Jr.,

 Defendant.

1:12-cv-00750-AWI-EPG

ORDER GRANTING REQUEST FOR 

RECONSIDERATION OF COURT’S 

AUGUST 24, 2016 ORDER TO ALLOW 

DISCS TO BE HELD IN PRISON 

LITIGATION OFFICE

(ECF No. 99)

Roberto M. Garcia Jr. (“Plaintiff”) is a state prisoner proceeding pro se and in forma 

pauperis with this civil rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. This case now proceeds on 

the First Amended Complaint, filed on June 14, 2013, against defendant Sergeant Matthew M. 

Juarez, Jr. (“Defendant”) for excessive force. 

On August 24, 2016, this Court issued an Order requiring the California Department of 

Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) to “provide Plaintiff with all documents withheld under 

the official information privilege and provided in camera to the Court in its July 25, 2016 

submitting.” The Court further ordered that “[t]o the extent that Plaintiff’s confinement 

prevents him from viewing or listening to such evidence, the CDCR shall make available a 

mechanism for Plaintiff to review such evidence consistent with the CDCR’s security measures 

within 30 days from delivery to Plaintiff.” (ECF No. 96, p.2) 

On September 7, 2016, the CDCR filed a request for reconsideration of the Court’s 

August 24, 2016 order to allow discs to be held in the prison litigation office. The CDCR 

represents that “California inmates are not allowed to possess compact discs unless they are . . . 

Case 1:12-cv-00750-AWI-EPG Document 101 Filed 09/09/16 Page 1 of 2
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factory sealed and pre-recorded,” and that allowing Plaintiff to possess the compact discs 

would be a violation of departmental policy. The CDCR requests modification of the Court’s 

order “to allow the litigation office to hold the compact discs for Garcia and make them 

available to him for review.” The CDCR also represents that the litigation office has already 

arranged for Plaintiff to review the interviews on the discs on September 22, 2016.

The Court is mindful of the security issues presented by Plaintiff’s incarceration and 

finds that the proposal from the CDCR appropriately balances the security interests of the 

prison with the Plaintiff’s need to view the evidence in support of his case. Accordingly, it is 

ordered that:

 So long as Plaintiff remains incarcerated, the CDCR may make any evidence 

available only in disc form available to Plaintiff by maintaining those discs in 

the litigation office and providing Plaintiff an opportunity to review them in the 

litigation office at a reasonable time. The Court finds that September 22, 2016 

is a reasonable time.

 If Plaintiff’s incarceration ends while this case is still pending, the CDCR shall 

make the discs available to Plaintiff at that time.

 To the extent Plaintiff is represented by counsel, the CDCR shall also make a 

copy of the discs available to Plaintiff’s counsel upon notification of that 

representation.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: September 9, 2016 /s/

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 1:12-cv-00750-AWI-EPG Document 101 Filed 09/09/16 Page 2 of 2