FI LED U. S . COURT OF AP PE ALS E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT O c t obe r 30, 2006 T HOM AS K. KAHN CL E RK [ DO NO T P UB L I S H] I N THE UN I TE D STATE S C OU RT OF APPE ALS F O R T H E E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT

________________________ N o. 06- 12542 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D . C . D ocketN o. 04 -008 50 -C V -F -N B E RN I C E M C R E Y N O L D S , a s M o th e ra n d n e x t f

r ie n d o f D .M ., P la in tif f - A p p e lla n t,

v ersu s A L A B A M A D E P A R T M E N T O F Y O U T H S E R V I C E S , e t a l., D e f e n d a n ts - A p p e lle e s .

________________________ A pp ea l fr om the U ni t ed S t at es D i stri ctC ou rt f o rth e M i d d l e D i s tr i c to f A l ab a ma

_________________________ ( O c t ob e r 30, 2006) B efo re A N D E R S O N , B IR C H an d W IL S O N , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M:2

P l ai nt i ff -A pp el l antB erni ce M cR ey no l ds, as m other a nd nextfr i end o f her s o n D . M . , f

i l e d ac o mp l a i n ti n th e d i s tr i c tc o u r ta l l e g i n g th a tth e A l ab a ma D e pa r tm e ntof

Y outh S e rvi c e s , a dm i ni s tr a t or s , a nd s e ve r a l gua r ds vi ol a t e d a num be rof

s t a t e a nd f

e de r a l l a w s a nd he rs on’ s c ons t i tut i ona l r i ght s . T he defe nd ant s f

i l ed a m ot i on t o d i sm i ss the ent i re ty of c l ai m s f or fa i l ure t o st at e a c l a i m , a nd the di s tr i c tc our tgr a nt e d the m ot i on. M c R e y nol ds now appe a l s the d i s mi s s a l o f

th e 4 2 U . S. C. § 1 9 8 3 c l a i m b a s e d o n Ei g h th A me n d me n tc l a i ms br oughta ga i ns tgua r ds , B i l l y R a y C ox, J a m e s D a ni e l , R obe r tH ow a r d, a nd E m e r s o n M o o r e . S h e a ls o ap p e a ls th e d is m is s a l o f th e 4 2 U .S .C . § 1 9 8 3 c la im ba s e d on the F our t e e nth A m e ndm e ntbr oughtge ne r a l l y a ga i ns tthe de f e nda nt s a nd spec i fi ca l l y a gai nstadm i ni stra t ors, J. W al t erW oo d, Jr . , Ja ni ce C ol es , and D erri ck B ol l i ng. A f

t e rr e vi e w i ng the pa r t i e s ’ br i e f s a nd the r e c or d, w e r e ve r s e the d is m is s a l o f

th e c la im s b a s e d o n e x c e s s iv e f o r c e . B AC KG R OU ND T h e r e le v a n t f

a c ts o f th is c a s e , a s a lle g e d b y M c R e y n o ld s , a r e a s f o llo w s . W h ile D . M . w a s i n c us t ody of the A l aba m aD e pa r tm e ntof Y outh S e rvi c e s a nd he l d a tthe M t . M e i gs J uve ni l e D e t e nt i on C om pl e x, he s uf f e r e d i nj ur i e s a f

t e rbe i ng be a t e n by g u a r d s . Th e a l l e g e d a l t e r c a t i o n b e g a n a f t e rth e mi n o rr e q u e s t e d c o mp l a i n tf o rms f r om uni ts t a f

f , de f e nda ntE m e r s on M oor e . T hi s w a s notthe f i r s tt i m e the m i nor3

h ad tro u b l e w i th M o o re. T h e m i n o r h ad p rev i o u sl y fi l ed a co m p l ai n tag ai n st M oo re , w hi ch re sul t ed i n M oo re ’ s s uspensi on . T he m i no r w ant ed t o m ake a no ther c o m p la in t ab o u t M o o r e f o rd e p r iv in g h im o f

r e c r e a tio n tim e . M o o r e r e f u s e d to p r o v id e th e c o m p la in t f o rm s a n d s u m m o n e d th r e e g u a r d s , d e f e n d a n ts D a n ie l, H ow a r d, a nd C ox. A f

t e rr e m ovi ng the m i nor ’ s m a ttr e s s , the gua r ds a s ke d the m i no r t o rem ov e hi s c l othes. W hen the m i no r r ef used, D ani el hi thi m i n the back of the l e gs w i th ani ght s t i c k c aus i ng hi m t o f a l l t o the gr ound. W hi l e on the gr ound, H ow a r d he l d the m i norw hi l e D a ni e l r e m ove d hi s c l othi ng f r om the l ow e rha l f

of h is b o d y . C o x a tte m p te d to r e m o v e h is s h ir t, b u t th e m in o rh e ld o n to th e g a rm e n t. C ox then repeat edl y s truck the m i no r i n the head w i th a ni gh t st i ck. O n the thi rd bl ow , bl oo d b egan t o “ gu sh ou t ” of the m i no r’ s hea d; neverthel es s, C ox cont i nu ed t o s tr i ke the m i norunt i l s t oppe d by D a ni e l . M oor e w a t c he d the a tt a c k butdi d not att em ptt o p re venti t . T he m i no r w as t aken t o a ho spi t al for tre atm entof the head w ou nd . H e r ec ei ved el even st i t ches –o ne i nt ernal and t en ext ernal . T hese st i t ches w e r e la te rr e m o v e d a t th e M e ig s f a c ility . T he pl ai nt i ff

further a l l eges thatgu ar ds rout i nel y a ss aul t ed stud ent s a t M ei gs. T he st af

f a l so perm i tt ed stud ent s t o p hysi ca l l y a ss aul tother s tud ent s that the s t a f f m e m be r s di s l i ke d. T he m i norm a de a tl e a s tthr e e c om pl a i nt s aboutthe tr e a tm e nthe r e c e i ve d a tM e i gs t o the D i r e c t orof I ns t i tut i ona l S e rvi c e s , G . W a y ne B oo ker.4 ST AN DA RD OF RE VI EW We r e v i e w de nov o th e d is m is s a l o f ac o m p la in t f

o rf a ilu r e to s ta te ac la im . C ot tone v . J

e nne , 3 2 6 F .3 d 1 3 5 2 , 1 3 5 7 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 3 ) . W h e n c o n s id e r in g aR u le 12 (b)( 6) m ot i on t o d i sm i ss , a c ou rtm ustac ce ptthe al l egat i on s i n the com pl ai ntas tru e , c o n s tru in g th e m in th e lig h t m o s t f a v o r ab le to th e p la in tif

f s . See R ob er t

s v . Flor i da P ow e r& L i

ght C o. , 1 4 6 F .3 d 1 3 0 5 , 1 3 0 7 ( 1 1 th C ir .1 9 9 8 ) , ce rt. deni ed , 5 2 5 U .S . 1 1 3 9 , 1 1 9 S .C t. 1 0 2 7 , 1 4 3 L .E d .2 d 3 8 ( 1 9 9 9 ) . S uc h am ot i on s houl d be g r a n te d o n ly if

“it ap p e a r s b e y o n d d o u b t th a t th e p la in tif f s c a n p r o v e n o s e t o f

f a c ts i n sup po rtof thei r a l l egat i on s w hi ch w ou l d ent i t l ed them t o rel i ef . ” I d. A t th is st ag e, w e d o n o tseek t o d et erm i n e w h eth er th e p l ai n t i ff w i l l p rev ai l o n h i s cl ai m s, “b u t w h e th e rth e a lle g a tio n s a r e s u f f ic ie n t to a llo w th e m to c o n d u c t d is c o v e ry in att em ptt o p rove thei r a l l egat i on s. ” J a c ka m v . H

o s p ita l C o r p . o f A m e r ic a Mide a s t, L td. 80 0 F . 2d 15 77 , 15 79 (11th C i r. 19 86 ). DI S C US S I ON M cR ey no l ds as se rt s thatthe m i no r’ s E i gh th A m endm entconst i tut i on al r ig h ts w e r e v io la te d b y th e d e f e n d a n t g u a r d s ’ u s e o f

e x c e s s iv e f

o r c e a n d th e ir de ni a l of m e di c a l tr e a tm e nt . S he f ur the ra s s e r t s tha thi s F our t e e nth A m e ndm e nt ri gh t s w er e deni ed by the defendantadm i ni stra t ors. D ef endant s a rgue that M cR ey no l ds has notal l eged an E i gh th o r F ou rt ee nth am endm entconst i tut i on al v io la tio n , a n d th a t th e y a r e p r o te c te d f r o m liab ility b y q u a lif

ie d im m u n ity .5

Q u a lif ie d I m m u n ity Q u a lif ie d I m m u n ity p r o te c ts g o v e rn m e n t o f f ic ia ls f r o m s u its a s in d iv id u a ls f o rd is c r e tio n a ry f

u n c tio n s p e r f

o rm e d in th e iro f

f ic ia l c ap a c ity . Se e C ot tone , 326 F . 3d at13 57 . H ow ever , such i m m un i ty i s r em ov ed w hen a pl ai nt i ff es t abl i shes th a t ac le a r ly e s tab lis h e d c o n s titu tio n a l r ig h t h a s b e e n v io la te d . Se e i d. W he n the c o n s titu tio n a l v io la tio n is e x c e s s iv e f o r c e in v io la tio n o f

th e E ig h th a m e n d m e n t, qua l i f i e d i m m uni ty i s a n una va i l abl e de f e ns e be c aus e the us e of

m a l i c i ous a nd s a di s t i c us e of

f or c e t o c aus e ha rm i s ac l e a rvi ol a t i on of the C ons t i tut i on a nd S u p r e m e C o u r t p r e c e d e n t. Skr t i c h v . T hornton , 28 0 F . 3d 12 95 , 13 01 (11th C i r. 2 0 0 2 ) . T h e r e f

o r e if M c R e y n o ld s h a s a lle g e d f a c ts s u f f ic ie n t to m a k e o u t a v i o l at i o n o f th e E i g h th A m en d m en t , th i s cl ai m w i l l su rv i v e th e m o t i o n t o d i sm i ss. E xces si ve F orce T h e E ig h th A m e n d m e n t b a n o n c ru e l a n d u n u s u a l p u n is h m e n t p r o te c ts pr i s one r s f

r om puni s hm e nti nvol vi ng “ the unne c e s s a ry a nd w a nt on i nf l i c t i on of pai n [and] the i m po si t i on of pai n t ot al l y w i tho utpenal og i ca l j ust i fi ca t i on . ” E v ans v. D ug ger , 9 0 8 F .2 d 8 0 1 , 8 0 3 ( 1 1 th C ir . 1 9 9 0 ) . W h e n p r is o n g u a r d s u s e f o r c e in the cont extof a s ec uri ty m ea sure , the i ss ue ul t i m at el y turns on “ w hether f orce w as appl i e d i n good e f

f or tt o m a i nt a i n orr e s t or e di s c i pl i ne orm a l i c i ous l y a nd sa di st i ca l l y f

or the verypu rpose of c ausi ng harm . ” W h i t ley v. A lb ers , 475 U . S . 312, 320- 321, 106 S . C t . 1078, 85 L . E d. 2d 251( 1986) ( quot i ng John son v. G l i ck , 4816

F . 2d 1028, 1033 ( 2d C i r . 1973) ) . T o e s t abl i s h ac l a i m f ore xc e s s i ve f

or c e , the p la in tif f m u s t s h o w th a t ( 1 ) th e d e f e n d a n ts a c te d w ith am a lic io u s a n d s a d is tic p u rp o s e to in f

lic t h a rm a n d ( 2 ) th a t m o r e th a n ad e m in im is in ju ry r e s u lte d . See John son v. B re eden , 2 8 0 F .3 d 1 3 0 8 , 1 3 2 1 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 2 ) . I n de t e rm i ni ng w he the rm a l i c i ous a nd s a di s t i c i nt e nte xi s t e d, “ ava r i e ty of f a c t or s a r e c ons i de r e d i nc l udi ng: ‘ the ne e d f orthe appl i c a t i on of

f or c e , the r e la tio n s h ip b e tw e e n th a t n e e d a n d th e a m o u n t o f f o r c e u s e d , th e th r e a t r e a s o n ab ly p e r c e iv e d b y th e r e s p o n s ib le o f f ic ia ls , a n d a n y e f

f o r ts m a d e to te m p e rth e s e v e r ity of a f orce ful re spon se . ’ ” Skrt i ch , 280 F . 3d a t1300 ( quot i ng H uds on v . McMi l l i an , 503 U . S . 1, 7- 8, 112 S . C t . 995, 117 L . E d. 2d 156 ( 1992) ) . W hi l e w i de - r a ngi ng d e f e r e n c e is g iv e n to o f

f ic e r s ’ c h o ic e s w h e n f

a c e d w ith as e c u r ity r is k , C am pb el l v. Si kes , 16 9 F . 3d 13 53 , 13 74 (11th C i r. 19 99 ), i ti s a l so w el l es t abl i sh thatoffi ce rs c a n n o t c o n tin u e th e u s e o f f o r c e o n c e th e th r e a t h a s p a s s e d o rth e p r is o n e ris s u b d u e d . See Skr t i ch , 280 F . 3d a t1303. L i abi l i ty c a n a l s o be i m pos e d on pr i s on gua r ds pr e s e nta tthe s c e ne f orf a i l ur e t o t a ke r e a s onabl e s t e ps t o pr e ve nte xc e s s i ve f o r c e b y o th e rg u a r d s . I

d. a t1301. W he n vi e w e d i n al i ghtm os tf a vor abl e t o he r , M c R e y nol ds ha s m a de s uf f i c i e nta l l e ga t i ons t o a l l ow the i nf e r e nc e of m a l i c i ous a nd s a di s t i c i nt e nt . S he al l eges thatthe m i no r had previ ou sl y m ade c om pl ai nt s abo utM oo re w hi ch re sul t ed i n M oo re bei ng suspended from du ty. W hen the m i no r a tt em pt ed t o m ake afurtherCases findingde minimis harm include Crosb yv . M on ro eCou nty , 3 94F .3 d 1 32 8 ( 11 th 1 Cir . 2 00 4) (f

oo t in thefac ec a

us ingnoinj ur

y ); Nolin v. I

sb e ll, 207 F.3d 1253, 1255 ( 11th Cir. 2000) (grabbe d plaintiff and shove d him a fewfeet ag ainst vehicle, pushe d knee in back and he ad ag ains t va

n, and ha ndcuf fe d him) ; Go ld v. Ci ty

of M iam i, 121 F.3d 1442, 1444 ( 11th Cir. 19 97 ) (ha ndcuf fe d to o ti ghtly

and toolong); Jones v. City of Dothan, 12 1 F .3 d 1 45 6, 14 58 (1 1th Cir . 1 99 7) (s lamme d p laintif f ag ains t th ewall, kicke d his l e g s a pa rt and re quire d p laintif

f to raise ha nd s a bo vehe ad a s o ff

ic ersc arrie d out a

rre st) ; Post v. City of Fort L auderdale, 7 F.3d 1552, 1556 (11th Cir.1993) (pushed plaintiff ag ainst wall while handcuffe d), modified, 14 F.3d 583 (1 1th Cir .1 99 4) ; see also Lee v. Ferraro, 284 F.3d 1188, 1199- 1200 (11th Cir. 2002) (discussing these deminimi s forc e ca ses). 7 com pl ai nt , M oo re sum m on ed the gu ar ds. M cR ey no l ds further a l l eges thatforc e w a s unne c e s s a ry be c aus e the m i norw a s ne i the rdi s rupt i ve norathr e a tt o s t a f f or othe ri nm a t e s . D ur i ng the a s s aul t , a tl e a s tone de f e nda ntc ont i nue d t o s tr i ke the m i nora f t e rhe w a s i nj ur e d. I n a ddi t i on, M c R e y nol ds a l l e ge s tha tone of the de f e nda nt s m a de s t a t e m e nt s i ndi c a t i ng tha the de r i ve d pl e a s ur e f r om a s s a i l i ng the m i nor . T he s e c l a i m s a r e s uf f i c i e ntt o a l l e ge tha tthe gua r ds ha d am a l i c i ous a nd s a d is tic in te n t. T h e m in o r’s in

ju ries w er e n o t d e m in im is. C o n trar y to th e a p p ellee’s sugg es t i on , m ul t i pl e i nj uri es or perm anenti nj uri es ar e notnece ss ary t o est abl i sh an exce ss i ve force cl ai m . W hi l e our cas es have foun d d e m i ni m i s i nj ury w here there w as no i nj ury or onl y m i no r di sc om fort , the m i no r’ s i nj uri es ar e c ert ai nl y s ever e 1 e nough t o ove r c om e thi s l ow s t a nda r d. T he l a c e r a t i on t o hi s he a d r e qui r e d a h o s p ita l v is it a n d e le v e n s titc h e s . T h is is c e r ta in ly n o t ad e m in im is in ju ry . M c R e y n o ld s h a s a lle g e d b o th e le m e n ts n e c e s s a ry f o rac la im o f

e x c e s s iv e f

o r c e in v io la tio n o f

th e E ig h th A m e n d m e n t.8 C ON C L US I ON U po n revi ew of the re cord and p art i es ’ bri ef s, w e f i nd thatthe di stri ctcourt prop er l y di sm i ss ed the cl ai m s bas ed on the F ou rt ee nth A m endm ent . H ow ever , w he n vi e w i ng the a l l e ga t i ons i n the c om pl a i nta s true , a nd c ons trui ng the m i n the l i gh tm ostfa vo rabl e t o the pl ai nt i ff , M cR ey no l ds m akes a c l ai m for e xces si ve force i n v i ol at i on of the E i gh th A m endm ent . A cc ordi ng l y, the deci si on of the di stri ct c o u r t is h e r e b y A F F I R M E D in p a r t, a n d R E V E R S E D in p a r t, a n d R E M A N D E D to th e d i s tr i c tc o u r tf

o rf u r th e rp r o c e e d i n g s o n th e me r i t s w i th r e g a r d t o th e c l a i ms agai nstdefe nd ant s C ox , H ow ar d, D ani el and M oo re .