2008 D e c i sion s O p inion s of the U nit e d S t at e s C our t of Appe al s for the Thir d C ir c uit 1-25-2008 

# Ali v . M c an an y P r e c e de nt i al or N on-P r e c e de nt i al : N on-P r e c e de nt i al D ocke t N o . 06-3283

F o llow thi s and a dd it ion al work s at : http://d i git alc ommon s .l a w . vi ll anova . e du/thir dc ir c uit_2008

Thi s de c i sion i s br ou ght t o you for f r e e and ope n a c c e s s b y the O p inion s of the U nit e d S t at e s C our t of Appe al s for the Thir d C ir c uit at V i ll anova U nive r sity S choo l of L a

w Di git al Reposit ory

. It h as be e n a c c ept e d for inclusion in 2008 D e c i sion s b y an authori z e d a dmini s tr at or of V i ll anova U nive r sity S choo l of L a

w Di git al Reposit ory

. F or mor e inform at ion, p le as e c ont a ct Be n j amin . C arl s on@l a

w . vi ll anova . e du . Re c omme nde d C it at ion
" Al i v . M can an y " (2008). 2008 D e cisio n s . P ape r 1706. http://d i git alc ommon s .l a

w . vi ll anova . e du/thir dc ir c uit_2008/1706NOT P RE CE DE NT I AL UN I TED STATES CO UR T OF A PP EALS F O R T H E T H IR D C IR C U IT

N o. 06- 3283

_________ IM A N U E L B A S S IL A L I, A ppel l ant

v. JO H N M C A N A N Y , N u rse S u p e rv iso r; T A M M Y H O F F M A N , N u rse ;

L T . H A Y W O O D ; C P T . H A L L , R H U C o m m a n d e r; D E N IS E H E L V E R D IN G , N u rse ; S H A R O N D ’E L E T T O , G ri ev an ce C o o rdin ator; L
. S. FO L I N O , Super i nt endent

_________________________ O n A p p ea l from the U n it ed S tat es D istri ct C o u rt f o r th e W e ste rn D istric t o f P e n n sy lv a n ia ( D
. C
. C i v. N o. 06- cv- 00096) D i stri ctJudg e: H on . D on et t a W
. A m brose

__________________________ Subm i t t ed underT hi r d C i r cui tL A R 34. 1( a)

on A ugus t16, 2007
B efor e: B A R R Y , C H A G A R E S and R O T H , C i r cui tJ udges

( fi l ed: J anuary25, 2008 )2 _________ O P I N I O N

_________ P E R C UR I AM A ppel l ant , I m anuel B as s i l A l i , pr ocee di ng pr o s e and i n form a paupe r i s , appea l s an
o rd e r o f th e U n ited S tate s D istric t C o u rt o f W e ste rn P e n n sy lv a n ia d ism iss in g A li ’ s c iv il rig h ts c laim s. F o r th e re a so n s s tate d b e lo w , w e w ill a f f irm th e D istric t C o u rt’s o rd e r in p a rt, vacate i n p art , and rem and for further proceedings. A li, a n in m a te a t th e S ta te C o r r e c tio n a l In stitu tio n a t G re e n e (“ S C I-G re e n e ” ) in W a yn e sb u rg , P e n n sy lv a n ia, f iled su it u n d e r 4 2 U .S .C . § 1 9 8 3 a lleg in g v io latio n s o f th e F irst, E ig h th , an d F o u rte e n th A m e n d m e n ts o f th e U n it e d S tate s C o n stitu tio n . T h e d e f e n d a n ts named i n hi s or i gi nal and amended compl ai nt s ar e pr i s on nur s es T amm yH o ffman and D eni s e H el ver di ng, N ur s e Supervi s o rJ o h n M c Ana n y , C orr ect i ons O ffi cer s L t . H ayw ood and C ap t. H all , G ri ev an ce C o o rdin ator S h aro n D ’E let to, and S u p erinten d en t L
. S
. F o li n o . In J anu ary2004, w hi l e i ncar cer at ed atSC I
- G r eene , A l i w as or der ed t o under go a bl ood extr act i on pr ocedur e for the purpos e of pr ovi di ng the C om m onw eal th w i th a D N A s ampl e. H e al l eges thatdi ffi cul t i es ar os e dur i ng the cour s e of thi s pr ocedur e bec aus e he i s aff l i ct ed wi th a me d i c a l c o n d i t i o n k n o wn a s r o l l i n g v e i n s . Ac c o r d i n g t o Al i , Ho f f ma n ma d e t wo att empt s t o dr aw bl ood bypunctur i ng A l i ’ s r i ghtarm and l efthand w i th a hypoderm i c nee dl e. A f te r th e se a ttem p ts f

a iled , H o f

f m a n a lleg e d lyre c o m m e n d e d th e u se o f a n o ra l sw a b to
o b tain a D N A sa m p le a n d sta ted to th o se p re se n t th a t n o f u rth e r a ttem p ts s h o u ld b e m a d e toO n appea l , A l i al s o chal l enges the cons t i tut i onal i tyof t he pri s on’ s pol i cy cal l i ng forthe 1 us e of a hypoderm i c nee dl e ratherthan a s w ab ki tt o obt ai n a D N A s ampl e. W e w i l l not a d d re ss th is c laim b e c a u se h e d id n o t as se rt it i n h is a m e n d e d c o m p lain t. T he or derbei ng appea l ed di d notdi s pos e of A l i ’ s Fi r s tA m endmentcl ai m s . A l i has 2 s i n c e s u c c e s s f

u l l y mov e d t o wi th d r a w h i s Fi r s t Am e n d me n t c l a i ms , th e r e b y r e n d e r i ng t he D is tr ic t C o u rt ’s o rd e r f

in a l an d a p p e a la b le
. S e e A lu m in u m C o . o f A m . v . B e a z e r E a s t, I n c ., 124 F. 3d 551, 557 ( 3d C i r . 1997) ( “Even i f the appeal s courtw oul d have l acke d j ur i s di ct i on 3 d ra w b lo o d
. M c A n a n y a lleg e d ly d isre g a rd e d H o f f m a n ’s a d v ice a n d tried tw o m o re tim e s to dr aw bl ood. T he s econd a t t empt w as s ucce s s ful
. A s a r es ul t of the r epea t ed att empt s t o dr aw bl ood, A l i cl ai m s that he suff er ed fr om s ever e pai n and t hat vi s i bl e i nj ur i es devel oped i n the
are a o f h is pu n cture w o u n d s. H e c lai m s tha t M cA n an yv io la te d th e E igh th A m en d m en t’ s p ro h ib iti o n a g a in st c ru e l an d u n u su a l p u n ish m e n t an d th a t H o f f m a n , L t. H a yw o o d a n d C a p t. H al l al s o vi ol at ed the Ei ghth A m endmentby fai l i ng t o i nt ervene on A l i ’ s behal f dur i ng t he p ro c e d u re . H e a lso a ss e rts a n E ig h th A m e n d m e n t cla im a g a in st H e lv e rd in g f o r f a ili n g to p ro c e ss h is s ick c a ll req u e st s lip s , a n d a g a in st D ’E letto a n d F o lin o f o r n o t ap p ro p ria tely
res po nd i ng t o h i s gri evan ces r egardi ng the m edical care he w as r ecei ving fo r hi s i njur i es. 1 T h e P e n n s y l v a n i a D e p a r t m e n to f C o rr e c t i o n s , a c t i n g o n b e h a l f o f M c A n a n y, H a y w oo d, H al l , H el verdi ng , D ’Elett o and Fo l i no , fi l ed a m oti on t o di sm i ss A l i ’s E ig h th A m endmentcl ai m s for fai l ur e t o s t at e a cl ai m upon w hi ch r el i ef maybe gr ant ed; H offman fil ed a se p ara te m o ti o n to d ism iss. T h e M ag istrate Ju d g e a ssign ed to the ca se issu ed a R ep o rt and R ecom m end at i on (“R & R ”) advi si ng the D i stri ctC ou rtt o g rantthe m oti on s t o d i sm i ss. O v e rA l i ’ s o b

j e c t i o n s , th e D i s tr i c tC o u r ti s s u e d a n o r d e ra d o p t i n g t h e R & R i n i t s e n t i r e ty. A l i t i m el yappea l s thatdeci s i on. 2atthe ti m e an app eal w as f i l ed, the cou rt has j uri sdi ct i on i f, as a res ultof sub sequen teven t s, ther e ar e no l onger any cl ai m s l eftt o be r es ol ved bythe di s tr i ctcourt . ”)
. W e ther efor e have ju ri s d ic tio n u n d e r 2 8 U .S .C . § 1 2 9 1
. 4 O urr eview o f t he D i s tr i ctC our t ’ s j udgm enti s pl enary . C ur ay - C r amerv. U r s ul i ne A cad. , 450 F. 3d 130, 133 ( 3d C i r . 2006)
. W e m u st li b eral l ycons true a c om pl ai ntfi l ed by
a p r o s e l i t i g a n t . Dl u h o s v . S tr a s b e r g , 3 2 1 F
. 3 d 3 6 5 , 3 6 9 ( 3 d Ci r . 2 0 0 3 )
. F u r th e r mo r e , we
m us t“ac ceptas t rue al l al l egat i ons i n the com p lai n t an d al l r eas onabl e i nfer ence s thatcan be dr aw n ther efr om , and vi ew them i n the l i ght m os t favor abl e t o the pl ai nt i ff. ” Evancho v. F ishe r, 4 2 3 F
. 3 d 3 4 7 , 3 5 0 (3d C ir
. 2 0 0 5 ). Fi r s t , w e addr es s A l i ’ s cl ai m agai ns tH el ver di ng, w ho i s i dent i fi ed i n the amended compl ai nt as the nur s e r es pons i bl e forcol l ect i ng s i ck ca l l s l i ps fr om i nm at es r es i di ng i n t he
re stric ted h o u sin g u n it at S C I-G re e n e . A li cla im s th a t H e lv e rd in g “ e x e rc ise d d e lib e ra te i ndi ffe r ence t o A l i ’ s s er i ous m edi cal needs by cont i nual l y r efus i ng t o acc ept/pr oces s hi s s i ck
c a ll s lip s b ea ri n g h is true su rna m e in c o n jun cti o n w ith h is co m m itn am e a n d n u m b er.” A m end. C om pl
. ¶ 29. A l i al l egedl ys ubm i t t ed a s i ck ca l l s l i p t o H el ver di ng the dayaft ert he bl ood extr act i on r eques t i ng m ed i cal att ent i on for“exc ruci at i ng pai n, s w el l i ng, i nfl am[m ] at i on, and s ki n br eaka ge” i n the ar ea of hi s punctur e w ounds
. A m end. C om pl
. ¶¶ 16- 17. H e w ai ted tw o day s fora r es pons e bef or e s ubm i t t i ng a s econd s i ck ca l l s l i p. H el ver di ng then al l egedl yi nform ed A l i that the fi r s tr eques tw as di s car ded bec aus e he s i gned th e d o c u m e n t w ith th e su rn a m e “ A li” ra th e r th a n h is n a m e o f c o m m itm e n t a n d th a t sh e w o u ld
n o t p ro c e ss th e s e c o n d r e q u e st f o r th e sa m e re a so n . A li m a in tain s th a t b o th slip s b o re h is5

name of com m i t m ent i n addi t i on t o “A l i , ” and that H el ver di ng had pr evi ous l y pr oces s ed s i ck
c a ll r e q u e s ts c o n ta in in g b o th s u rn a m e s . W e conc l ude thatthe amended compl ai nts t at es a cogni zabl e Ei ghth A m endment cl ai m agai ns tH el ver di ng. A pr i s on offi ci al vi ol at es the Ei ghth A m endmentbydeny i ng or del ay i ng r eas onabl e r eques t s byan i nm ate fo r m edi cal tr eatm ent , pr ovi ded the cha l l enged conductcons t i tut es del i ber at e i ndi ffe r ence t o s er i ous m edi cal needs
. See E s t el l e v. G ambl e, 429 U
. S. 97, 104 ( 1976) ; M onm outh C ounty C orr . I ns t . I nm at es v. L anza r o, 834 F. 2d 326, 346- 47 ( 3 d Ci r . 1 9 8 7 )
. Th e a l l e g a t i o n s i n th e a me n d e d c o mpl a i n ti n d i c a t e th a tAl i was
su f f e rin g f ro m a se rio u s m e d ica l n e e d a t th e tim e h e p re se n ted th e sic k c a ll slip s to H el ver di ng. See Sprui l l , 372 F. 3d at235- 36. T he al l egat i ons al s o s ugges tthatH el ver di ng d eli b era tel yan d arb itraril yref u sed to p ro ce ss A li ’s req u ests fo r m ed ical att en ti o n . In addr es s i ng the cl ai m agai ns tH el ver di ng , the C o m m onw eal th does notci t e t o anypr i s on
r egul at i ons thati ndi cat e thatthe form o f A l i ’ s r eques t s w as i m pr oper . N ordoes t he C o m m o n w e a lth a d d re ss th e a lleg a tio n s re g a rd in g H e lv e rd in g ’s p rio r a c c e p tan c e o f sic k c a ll
s l i ps bear i ng both of A l i ’ s s urnames. W e ther efor e do notfi nd s uppor ti n the r ecor d forthe M agi s tr at e J u d g e’s det erm i nat i on thatA l i , r atherthan H el ver di ng, w as r es pons i bl e fort he d e la yin re c e iv in g m e d ic a l c a re . A s t o the al l egat i ons agai ns tthe r emai ni ng defe ndant s , w e conc l ude thatthe amended
co m p lai n t fa il s to st ate a claim u p o n w h ich re li ef m ayb e g ran ted. F ir st, the D istri ct C o u rt
corr ect l yrul ed thatthe amended compl ai ntdoes nots t at e a congi zabl e Ei ghth A m endment6

cl ai m agai ns tM cA nany . A n E i ghth A m endment vi ol at i on occur s w her e a pr i s on offi ci al
u n n ec essa ri lyan d w an ton ly inf li cts p ain o n an inm ate in a m an n er that o ff en d s co n tem p o rary sta n d a rd s o f

d e c e n c y . S e e H u d so n v . M c M il lia n , 5 0 3 U .S . 1 , 8 (1 9 9 2 ). T h e E ig h th A m endmenti s al w ay s vi ol at ed “w hen pr i s on offi ci al s m al i ci ous l yand s adi s t i cal l yus e for ce to c a u se h a rm .” Id
. a t 9
. T h e f a c ts se t f o rth in th e o rig in a l an d a m e n d e d c o m p lain ts in d ica te thatM cA nanym ade tw o att empt s atobt ai ni ng a bl ood s ampl e w i th a hypoderm i c nee dl e and that he ceas ed engagi ng i n the offendi ng conduct aft er hi s s econd a t t empt atdr aw i ng bl ood pr oved s ucce s s ful
. B eca us e thes e al l egat i ons do notgi ve r i s e t o a r eas onabl e i nfer ence that M c An a n yi n f

l i c t e d th e two p u n c t u r e wou n d s f o rth e p u rp o s e o f

c a u s i n g Al i h a r m, we
c o n c l u d e th a tth e D i s tr i c tC o u r tc o r r e c t l y g r a n t e d th e m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s a s t o M c A n a n y. N ext , A l i ar gues that H offman, H ayw ood, and H al l act ed i m pr oper l y dur i ng the bl ood extr act i on byfai l i ng t o “i nt ervene i m m edi at el yt o pr ot ectA l i fr om fur theri nj ur yby M cA nany . ” A m end. C om pl
. ¶ 2 8
. A ccor di ng t o A l i , thes e part i es had a dutyt o i nt ervene
a n a l og ou s t o the duty of corr ect i on s off i cers t o t ake r easona ble st eps t o prot ect a n in m a te fr om exce s s i ve for ce i nfl i ct ed byanotheroffi cer . See Sm i th v. M ens i nger , 293 F. 3d 641, 650 ( 3d C i r . 2002)
. A s w e not ed i n Sm i th, s uch a dutyonl y ar i s es w her e an offi ceri s pr es ent ed
w i th a “reasonab l e and real i st i c op po rtun i tyt o int ervene. ” Id. W e rej ect the clai m s agai nst H ayw ood and H al l beca us e A l i has notpl ed fa ct s i ndi cat i ng thatthes e d ef endant s had a
r e a s o n a b l e a n d r e a l i s t i c o p p o r tu n i ty t o p r o t e c tA l i f r o m th e f

o r c e i n f l i c t e d b y M c A n a n y. Spe cifica l l y , ther e i s no i ndi cat i on thatthe off i cer s w i tnes s ed the al l eged mi s conduct , hadA li h as f il ed a m o ti o n to d ism iss H o ff m an ’s brief

as u n ti m ely
. Ina sm u ch as H o ff m an ’s 3 b rie f w a s f iled in a c c o rd a n c e w ith th is C o u rt’s s c h e d u lin g o rd e r, w e d e n y t h e m o tio n . A li h a s a lso f

iled a m o tio n re q u e stin g th is C o u r t to c o n v e rt th e m o tio n to d ism iss in to a re p ly b ri e f. W e g ra n t th is m o tio n . 7 r eas on t o kno w that exce s s i ve for ce w as bei ng us ed, orcoul d have r eas onabl ypr event ed f u rth e r h a r m th ro u g h th e ir in ter v e n tio n . T h e c laim a g a in st H o f f m a n is a lso su b

jec t to di s m i s s al beca us e s he i s not a corr ect i ons offi cerand thus di d nothave a dutyt o i nt ervene underthe rul e ac know l edged i n Sm i th. A l i al s o cl ai m s thatD ’ E l ett o and Fol i no vi ol at ed the Ei ghth A m endmentbynot i m m ed ia t el yr es pondi ng t o hi s admi ni s tr at i ve gr i evanc e cha l l engi ng the ade quacyof the
m edi cal car e he w as rec eiving forhi s i nj ur i es . I n the gr i evanc e, w hi ch i s att ache d t o the
a me n d e d c o mp l a i n t , Al i a d mi t s th a ta p h y s i c i a n ’ s a s s i s t a n t e x a mi n e d th e i n j u r i e s o n t wo
occa s i ons . B eca us e A l i w as cl ea rl y u n d er m edi cal car e atthe t i m e he s ubm i t t ed the gr i evance , D ’ E l ett o and Fol i no di d notexhi bi tdel i ber at e i ndi ffe r ence i n vi ol at i on of the E i ghth A m endmentbyfai l i ng t o i s s ue a s ui t abl e r es pons e t o the gr i evanc e. See Sprui l l , 372 F .3 d a t 2 3 6 ; D u rm e r v . O ’C a rr o ll, 9 9 1 F .2 d 6 4 , 6 9 (3 d C ir . 1 9 9 3 ). F o r th e f o re g o in g re a so n s, w e w ill af f i rm th e ju d g m e n t in p a rt , vacat e the j udgm ent in p art , and r e m and t o the D i stri ct C ou rt for further proceed i ng s con si st ent w ith th is opi ni on. 3