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 7-11-2008 

# H arold Lee v

. M arva C e rullo 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 . 08-2227

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 author i 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 " H ar o ld L e e v

. M ar va C e r ullo " (2008). 2008 D e cisio n s . P ape r 846. http://d i git alc ommon s .l a

w . vi ll anova . e du/thir dc ir c uit_2008/846DLD-231 NOT 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. 08- 2227

___________ H A R O L D L E E , A ppel l ant

v. M A R V A C E R U L L O , M edi cal D ept . A dm i n. - SC I M ahanoy

DR . E DE L M AN, He a d o f P HS o f P A; BETTY SU E PUG LA

____________________________________ 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 M id d le D istric t o f P e n n sy lv a n ia ( D . C . C i vi l N o. 03- cv- 01026) D istri ct Ju d g e: H o n o rab le Jo h n E . Jo n es, II I

____________________________________ S ub m i t t ed fo r Possi ble D i sm i ssal D ue to U nti m el i ness o r P u rsu a n t to 2 8 U .S .C . § 1 9 1 5 (e )(2 )(B ) o r S u m m a ryA c tio n P u rsu a n t to T h ird C irc u it L A R 2 7 .4 a n d I.O .P . 1 0 .6 J une 19, 2008 B efor e: B A R R Y , C H A G A R E S and N Y G A A R D , C i r cui tJ udges

( O pi ni on fi l ed: J ul y11, 2008)

_________ OP I NI ON

_________ P E R C UR I AM H ar ol d L ee, an i nm at e atSC I - M ahanoy( form er l yi m pr i s oned atSC I - C oalT he D i stri ctC ou rtdis m i ssed L ee’s ori ginal com plai nt ( w hich nam ed ten defen dan t s) 1 p u rsu a n t to 2 8 U .S .C . § 1 9 1 5 (e )(2 )(b )(i),(ii), b u t g ra n ted h im lea v e to a m e n d h is compl ai ntw i t hi n a ce r t ai n per i od of t i m e. L ee f ai l ed t o t i m el yfi l e an a m ended c om pl ai nt and the D i s t r i ctC our tdi s m i s s ed hi s cas e. L ee f i l ed a mot i on forr econs i der at i on, w hi ch w a s g ra n te d . L e e th e n f ile d h is a m e n d e d c o m p la in t.

2 T ow ns hi p) , appea l s pr o s e fr om an or derof the U ni t ed St at es D i s t r i ctC our tforthe M i ddl e D i s t r i ctof Penns y l vani a, gr ant i ng the mot i ons fors um m aryj udgm entfi l ed by D efe ndant s / A ppel l ees B et t ySue Pugl a, D r . E del m an, and M arva C erul l o. B eca us e no s ubs t ant i al ques t i on i s pr es ent ed, L . A . R . 27. 4, w e w i l l s um m ar i l yaff i r m the D i s t r i ct C o u rt ’s ord er. A s t he part i es ar e fa m i l i arw i t h t he fa ct s , w e w i l l di s cus s them onl yt o t he ext ent nece s s aryt o expl ai n ourdeci s i on. O n A pr i l 28, 2004, L ee f i l ed an a m ended c om pl ai nt nami ng s i x defe ndant s , i ncl udi ng W i l m a Sew el l , J udyR odi chok, D r . K or t , M arva C erul l o, D r . E del m an, and N ur s e B ett ySue Pugl a. T he compl ai ntal l eged thathe had 1 b e e n d e n ied h im m e d ica l ca re in v io latio n o f th e E ig h th A m e n d m e n t b e c a u se d e f e n d a n ts had del ay ed and/ orw i t hhel d t r eatm entof hi s tuber cul os i s ( T B ) , H epat i t i s C , and s l eep apnea . T hr ee of

t he def endant s ( D r . K or t , D r . E del m an, and J udi t h R odi chok, w ho w as m ed ical directo r at S C I-C o al T o w n sh ip) fil ed a m o ti o n to d ism iss. T h e D istri ct C o u rt found thatt he al l egat i ons agai ns tD r . K or tand R odi chok w er e t i m e- barr ed, as L ee f i l ed h is o rig in a l co m p lain t o n Ju n e 2 0 , 2 0 0 3 , an d a ll alle g a tio n s a g a in st th o se tw o d e f e n d a n ts con cerned ev ents w hich occu rr ed, atthe lat est , som et i m e i n 2 00 0. T he D i stri ctC ou rtal so3

found thatanycl ai m r el at i ng t o L ee’ s tr eatm entforT B w as barr ed, beca us e he w as d iagn o sed w ith T B in 1 9 9 7 . T h e D istri ct C o u rtd ism issed the c o m p lai n t as t o D r. E del m an and N ur s e Pugl a, fi ndi ng thatL ee di d nots t at e a va l i d cl ai m form edi cal m i s t r eatm entundert he Ei ght h A m endment , butr atherhad al l eged onl ya di s agr eement c o n c e rn in g w h a t th e a p p ro p ri a te tr e a tm e n t w a s f o r h is c o n d itio n . T he D i s t r i ctC our tdi s m i s s ed the compl ai ntas t o W i l m a Sew el l , A dm i ni s t r at orof t he medi cal depart m entatSC I - C oal T ow ns hi p, and as t o M arva C erul l o, A dm i ni s t r at orof th e m e d ica l d e p a rtm e n t at S C I-M a h a n o y , b e c a u se L e e w a s a ttem p tin g to im p o se liab ili ty b a se d o n re sp o n d e a t su p e rio r. T h e D istric t C o u rt a lso f o u n d th a t L e e ’s c o n sp ira c yc laim w a s w ith o u t m e rit. T hi s C our taff

i r m ed the di s m i s s al of D efe ndant s K or t , R odi chok and Sew el l , and r ever s ed the di s m i s s al of D efe ndant s E del m an, C erul l o, and Pugl a. See C . A . N o. 05- 1 6 0 3 . W e d isa g re e d w ith th e D istric t C o u rt th a t L e e ’s a m e n d e d c o m p lain t f a iled to sta te an Ei ght h A m endmentcl ai m as t o E del m an and Pugl a, r eas oni ng that“I tm aybe that E d e lm a n ’s d e c isio n to p o stp o n e tre a tm e n t f o r a y e a r w a s b a se d o n a m e d ica l ju d g m e n t, butt aki ng t he al l egat i ons of the compl ai ntt o be true, i tm ayal s o be thati tw as bas ed on del i ber at e i ndi ffe r ence . Si m i l ar l y , N ur s e Pugl a t ol d hi m thathe nee ded t o w ai tfour m ont hs fora new pr ot ocol . I ti s notcl earfr om the r ecor d t hatheract i ons w er e bas ed on m ed ical j u d g m en t. ” W e f u rth er c o n clud ed that L ee ’s all eg ati o n s reg ard ing C eru ll o ’s a c tio n s o r i n a c tio n w ith re s p e c t to h is g ri e v a n c e s w e re n o t b a s e d o n re s p o n d e a t s u p e ri o r.O n rem an d , the D istri ct C o u rtap p ea rs t o h av e im p li cit lyd eterm ined that L ee ’s 2 cl ai m s agai ns tt he r emai ni ng defe ndant s conce r ni ng hi s T B and s l eep apnea c ondi t i ons w e re n o t b a rre d b yth e sta tu te o f lim itatio n s. W e c o n c lu d e th a t th e se c laim s a re tim e lyto t he ext entt hatL ee c om pl ai ns of an a l l eged c ont i nui ng fai l ur e t o t r eatthes e condi t i ons at S C I- M a h a n o y . 4 I n addi t i on, w e di r ect ed the D i s t r i ctC our tt o r eexa m i ne w hetherL ee’ s cl ai m s abouta l ack of tr eatm entof hi s T B and s l eep a pnea w er e t i m e- barr ed bec aus e hi s compl ai ntcoul d be c o n s t ru e d a s a l l e g i n g t h a tt h i s n o n - tr e a t me n twa s a c o n t i n u i n g p r o b l e m. U pon r emand, t he r emai ni ng defe ndant s ( C errul l o, N ur s e Pugl a, and D r . E del m an) f iled m o tio n s f

o r su m m a ryju d g m e n t. T h e D istric t C o u rt g ra n ted th e m o tio n s. W ith resp ec t t o L ee ’s claim reg ard ing tr ea tm en t of h is H ep ati ti s C co n d it ion , the D istri ct C o u rt hel d t hati ti s “pat ent l ycl earfr om t he r ecor d t hatL ee’ s r eques t s form edi cal tr eatm ent w ere n o t i g n o red b ythe p ri so n m ed ical st af f o r un rea so n ab lyd elay ed . Ind ee d , the re co rd ind icates su b stan ti al an d m ea n ing fu l eff o rt s b yd ef

en d an ts t o p rov ide L ee w ith n ec essa ry a n d re q u e ste d m e d ica l ca re .” T h e D istric t C o u rt f u rth e r c o n c lu d e d th a t d e f e n d a n ts pr ovi ded appr opr i at e ca r e w i t h r es pectt o L ee’ s i nact i ve TB beca us e def endant s began a cour s e of pr event i ve TB t her apyatt he conc l us i on of hi s H epat i t i s C tr eatm ent . T he D i s t r i ctC our tal s o hel d t hatL ee’ s E i ght h A m endmentcl ai m r egar di ng hi s s l eep apnea fai l ed bec aus e the onl yevi dence i n t he r ecor d conce r ni ng a s l eep pr obl em w as a medi cal pr ogr es s not e thatL ee pa r t i ci pat ed i n a s l eep s tudyw hi l e atSC I - C oal T ow ns hi p. L ee o f f e re d n o o th e r e v id e n c e o f a sle e p a p n e a p ro b lem , the e f f e c t o f th is p ro b lem o n h is heal t h, orr eques t s fort r eatm ent . W i t h r es pectt o L ee’ s cl ai m agai ns tC erul l o, the 2T he D i s t r i ctC our t ’ s or dergr ant i ng s um m aryj udgm entw as ent er ed on M ar ch 18, 3 2008. L ee, t her efor e, had unt i l A pr i l 17, 2008, t o fi l e a t i m el ynot i ce of appea l . A l t hough L ee’ s not i ce of

appea l w as notr ece i ved bythe D i s t r i ctC our tunt i l A pr i l 22, 2008, he has s ubm i t t ed a de cl ar at i on i n compl i ance w i t h 28 U . S. C . § 1746 demonstr at i ng thathe deli vered t he n oti ce of

app eal i n q uest i on t o p ri son au t ho ri t i es on A pri l 17 , 20 08 . T hu s, w e d o n o t d is m is s th e a p p e a l a s u n tim e ly. S e e F e d . R . A p p . P . 4 (c )( 1 ). 5 D i s t r i ctC our tgr ant ed s um m aryj udgm enti n herfavorbeca us e, t o t he ext entL ee ha d m ade outanycl ai m agai ns ther , t he r ecor d evi dence contr adi ct ed Lee’ s al l egat i on thats he ig n o re d h is c o m p lain ts. T h e D istric t C o u rt f u rth e r c o n c lu d e d th a t C e ru llo w a s e n tit led to r el yon t he medi cal s t aff’ s pr ofes s i onal j udgm entr egar di ng L ee’ s tr eatm entand coul d not b e h e ld lia b le b a s e d o n a th e o ry o f re s p o n d e a t s u p e ri o r. W e hav e j uri sdi ct i on ov er this app eal un der 28 U . S . C . § 1 29 1. W e exerci se 3 pl enaryr evi ew overa di s t r i ctcour t ’ s or derof s um m aryj udgm ent . See K auche rv. C o u n tyo f B u ck s, 4 5 5 F . 3 d 4 1 8 , 4 2 2 (3d C ir . 2 0 0 6 ). I n or dert o es t abl i s h a §1983 ci vi l r i ght s cl ai m , a cl ai m antm us ts how : “( 1) thatt he conductcompl ai ned of w as comm i t t ed bya per s on act i ng undercol orof s t at e l aw ; and ( 2) t hatt he conduc tdepr i ved a pe r s on of r i ght s , pr i vi l eges , ori m m uni t i es s ecur ed bythe C ons t i tut i on orl aw s of the U ni t ed St at es . ” R obb v. C i t yof Phi l adel phi a, 733 F. 2d 286, 29 0-91 (3d C i r. 19 84 ) ( ci t i ng P arr at tv. T ay l or, 45 1 U . S . 52 7, 53 5 (198 1)) . S ee al so C o ll ins v . C ityo f H ark er H eigh ts, 5 0 3 U . S . 1 1 5 , 1 2 0 (19 9 2 ) (m u n ici p ali ti es a re co n side red “p erso n s” u n d er se cti o n 1 9 8 3 an d m ayb e h eld liable f o r a c o n sti tuti o n al t o rt w h e re th e m u n icip a l en tityw a s re sp o n sib le f o r th e v io latio n ). T o su c c e e d o n a n E ig h thF or purpo ses of t his app eal , w e w i l l assum e w i t ho ut deci ding t hat Lee ’s H epati t i s C 4 con dit i on , sl eep ap nea, and T B al l con st i tute s eri ou s m edical need s. 6 A m en d m en t cl aim , L ee m u st de m o n str ate tw o thing s: “(1) tha t th e d ef en d an ts w ere del i ber at el yi ndi ffe r entt o [hi s ] m edi cal needs and ( 2) thatthos e nee ds w er e s er i ous . ” R ous e v. Pl ant i er , 182 F. 3d 192, 197 ( 3d C i r . 1999) . A compl ai ntthata phy s i ci an has 4 b e e n “ n e g lig e n t in d iag n o sin g o r tre a tin g a m e d ica l co n d iti o n d o e s n o t sta te a v a lid c laim of m edi cal m i s t r eatm entundert he Ei ghth A m endment . ” Est el l e v. G ambl e, 429 U . S. 97, 1 0 6 (1 9 7 6 ). A n in m a te’ s d isa g re e m e n t w ith a p riso n p h y sic ian ’s m e d ica l ju d g m e n t is i ns uffi ci entt o es t abl i s h del i ber at e i ndi ffe r ence . See D ur m erv. O ’ C arr ol l , 991 F. 2d 64, 6 9 (3 d C ir . 1 9 9 3 ). Fores s ent i al l yt he r eas ons expl ai ned bythe D i s t r i ctC our t , s um m aryj udgm entw as properl yenter ed in favo r of D r. E delm an an d N urse Pug l a beca use L ee fail ed to est abli sh t hatt heyw er e del i ber at el yi ndi ffe r entt o a s er i ous m edi cal need. Speci fi cal l y , L ee f ai l ed t o demonstr at e thatt her e w as a genui ne i s s ue of mat er i al fac tr egar di ng w hether defe ndant s del ay ed nec es s arym edi cal tr eatm entof hi s H epat i t i s C condi t i on fornonm edi cal r eas ons . See M onm out h C ount yC orr ect i onal I ns t i tut i onal I nm at es v. L anza r o, 8 3 4 F .2 d 3 2 6 , 3 4 6 -4 7 (3 d C ir. 1 9 8 7 ). M o re o v e r, L e e ’s c o m p lain t f a iled to sp e c if

ica lly i m pl i cat e anyof the r emai ni ng defe ndant s w i t h r es pectt o t he tr eatm ent , orl ack ther eof, of hi s T B ors l eep a pnea. I n anyevent , L ee f ai l ed t o pr es entevi dence fr om w hi ch a r eas onabl e j ur ycoul d concl ude thatthe cour s e of t r eatm ent , orl ack ther eof, thathe7

r ece i ved fort hes e tw o condi t i ons amount ed t o del i ber at e i ndi ffe r ence . W e furt heragr ee t hats um m aryj udgm entw as pr oper l yent er ed i n favorof C erul l o beca us e, even a s s um i ng t hatL ee’ s al l egat i ons s t at ed a c ogni zabl e cl ai m agai ns ther , the r ecor d evi dence c o n tra d icts L e e ’s a lleg a tio n th a t sh e ig n o re d h is c o m p lain ts. F u rth e r, C e ru llo is n o t a p h y sic ian a n d u n d e r th e c irc u m sta n c e s p re se n ted h e re c a n n o t b e c o n sid e re d d e lib e ra tely i ndi ffe r entbeca us e s he al l egedl y“fa i l ed t o r es pond di r ect l yt o t he medi cal compl ai nt s of a pr i s onerw ho w as al r eadybei ng t r eat ed bythe pr i s on doct or . ” D ur m er , 991 F. 2d at69. F o r th e f o reg o ing rea so n s, n o su b stan ti al qu esti o n is prese n ted a n d w e w il l aff irm th e o rd e r o f

th e D istric t C o u rt.