FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P E ALS E LE V EN T HC IRC U IT JUNE 22 , 2006 THOMAS K. KAH

N CLERK [ 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. 05- 15207 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D. C . Do c k e tNo . 0 4 - 0 0 0 4 8 - C V- 4 - S P M- AK A N T H O N Y K O Z U H , P la in tif f - A p p e lla n t, v ersu s N I C H O L S , RN , S T O N E , N u r s e , RN , J O M O R G A N , S H S A , B E A S L E Y , M r s ., C la s s if ic a tio n , S L O A N E , M r ., C la s s if ic a tio n , 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 orthe N or the rn D i s tr i c tof F l or i da

_________________________ ( Ju n e 22, 2006)Inh isc o mp laint, Ko zuhn ame d Jo hnD o ea s th ew ard e n . T h ec o urt l ater s u b s titute d 1 Petrovsky as the named par

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ptain B ur nh am re c e ive d s e rv ic eof

thec omp laint . 2 2 B efo re T JO F L A T , A N D E R S O N an d K R A V IT C H , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M: A nthony K oz uh, a F l or i da s t a t e pr i s one rpr oc e e di ng pr o s e , appe a l s the di stri ctcourt ’ s di sm i ss al of hi s c i vi l ri gh t s c om pl ai nt , 42 U . S . C . § 1 98 3, for f ai l ure t o e xhaus ta dm i ni s tr a t i ve r e m e di e s , 42 U . S . C . § 1997e . A f t e ra thor ough r e vi e w of th e r e c o r d , w e a f

f ir m . K o zu h fi l ed a p ro se co m p l ai n tu n d er § 1 9 8 3 ag ai n stS an t a R o sa C orr e c t i ona l F a c i l i ty W a r de n P e tr ovs ky , S H S A M or ga n, N ur s e s N i c hol s a nd 1 St o n e , Cl a s s i f

i c a t i o n O f

f i c e r s Be a s l e y a n d Sl o a n e , Cap t a i n s D i c k s a n d Bu rn h a m, a nd O f f i c e r s K ni ghta nd S t e i n, a l l i n the i ri ndi vi dua l c apa c i t i e s , a l l e gi ng f our in c id e n ts o f

d e lib e r a te in d if

f e r e n c e to h is m e d ic a l n e e d s in v io la tio n o f th e E ig h th A m e ndm e nt . T he a l l e ga t i ons of de l i be r a t e i ndi f

f e r e nc e i nvol ve d tr e a tm e ntf or K o zu h ’ s h ern i a an d fo l l o w -u p care after K o zu h recei v ed su rg ery. 2 A s e vi de nc e tha the e xha us t e d the gr i e va nc e pr oc e s s , K oz uh s ubm i tt e d the fol l ow i ng : In F ebruary20 03 , K ozuh fi l ed an i nform al gri evance w i th the m edi ca l departm entre gardi ng hi s tre atm ent . H e s ub m i tt ed thi s gri evance t o D r. T haye r a t N orth F l ori da R ec ept i on C ent er(“ N R F C ”) , w here K ozuh w as adm i tt ed for m edi ca lEac h gri e va nc edenial c ontaine d th esameinf or matio n c on c e rningtheri ght to a pp e al. 3 3 ca re . T haye r deni ed the gri evance bec ause i tcont ai ned al l egat i on s of c on du ctat S a nt a R os a , a nd i ns truc t e d K oz uh t o br i ng hi s gr i e va nc e t o the w a r de n orthe i ns pe c t orge ne r a l ’ s of

f i c e . T hi s de ni a l a l s o i nc l ude d i nf or m a t i on i ns truc t i ng K oz uh th a t h e c o u ld f

ile a f o r m a l g r ie v a n c e o ra n ap p e a l. 3 In M arch 2 0 0 3 , K o zu h fi l ed a req u estseek i n g t o d et erm i n e w h atau th o ri ty a nur s e ha d t o ove rr i de a doc t or ’ s or de r , a nd a s ki ng t o be r e turne d t o m e di c a l f or prop erca re . T he gri evance w as deni ed because K ozuh di d n otfol l ow prop er p r o c e d u r e in f

ilin g th e g r ie v a n c e . A l s o i n M a r c h 2003, K oz uh f i l e d a nothe ri nf

or m a l gr i e va nc e w i th the m edi ca l departm entfor “ § 1 98 3 p re -e m pt i on . ” T hi s gri evance w as agai n sub m i tt ed t o s t a f f a tN F R C a nd pe r t a i ne d t o a l l e ga t i ons a ga i ns tthe s t a f f a tS a nt a R os a . T he g r i e v a n c e w a s d e n i e d . K o z u h i mme d i a t e l y f i l e d tw o o th e rg r i e v a n c e s a tN FRC m a ki ng a l l e ga t i ons a ga i ns tthe s t a f f a tS a nt a R os a . T ha y e ra ga i n de ni e d the gr i e va nc e s a nd i nf

or m e d K oz uh tha the s houl d r a i s e hi s i s s ue s w i th the c la s s if ic a tio n o f

f ic e ra n d th e in s p e c to rg e n e r a l. In M ay 2 0 0 3 , K o zu h fi l ed a req u estw i th q u al i ty co n tro l an d ri sk m anagem entt o ensure proper m edi ca l ca re up on re turn t o S ant a R osa. H e w as in f o r m e d th a t h e w o u ld n o t b e r e tu rn in g to S a n ta R o s a . K o z u h f o llo w e d u p w ith4

another r equestand w as t ol d t o add re ss hi s c on ce rns w i th the st af f a thi s new f a c ility . T hatsa m e m on th, K ozuh fi l ed an i nform al gri evance, w hi ch he ent i t l ed

“ fi n al i n st i t . st ep . ” In th i s fi l i n g , K o zu h req u est ed assi st an ce i n g ett i n g a resp o n se f r om the c l a s s i f

i c a t i on of

f i c e rr e ga r di ng a n A pr i l 2003 r e que s t . I n r e s pons e , K oz uh w as i nform ed thatthe qu es t i on s a nd re qu es t s he f i l ed w ou l d n otqu al i fyas g r ie v a n c e s f

o re x h a u s tio n p u rp o s e s . K ozuh then fi l ed an i nform al gri evance w i th the cl as si fi ca t i on departm entas a n “e x a c t c o p y ” o f

th e r e q u e s t s e n t in A p r il. I n r e s p o n s e , K o z u h w a s in s tru c te d to a d d r e s s h is is s u e s w ith th e m e d ic a l d e p a r tm e n t a n d th e in s p e c to rg e n e r a l’s o f f ic e . I n S e pt e m be r2003, K oz uh s ubm i tt e d a gr i e va nc e t o the S e c r e t a ry of the F l ori da D epartm entof C orre ct i on s ( “ D O C ”) re gardi ng the del i bera t e i nd i ff er ence atS ant a R osa a nd the l ac k o f r es po nse t o h i s c om pl ai nt s. In re spon se , K ozuh w as t ol d tha ti tw a s ne c e s s a ry t o f i l e a f or m a l gr i e va nc e a tthe i ns t i tut i ona l l e ve l , a nd th ath i s g ri ev an ce w as n o to f a sen si t i v e n atu re th atw o u l d en ab l e h i m t o b y-p ass the procedure. K ozuh then fi l ed a “ sum m ary not i ce ” di re ct ed t o the st at e a tt orney general ’ s off

i ce and the F l ori da D epartm entof L aw E nforcement ( “ F D L E ”) . In O ct o b er 2 0 0 3 , h e su b m i tt ed a g ri ev an ce t o th e w ard en , w h i ch w as d en i ed b ecau se it in v o lv e d p e r s o n n e l a t a n o th e rin s titu tio n .5

T h e d efen d an t s m o v ed t o d i sm i ss th e co m p l ai n tfo r fai l u re t o ex h au st a dm i ni s tr a t i ve r e m e di e s unde r§ 1997e ( a ) be c a us e K oz uh ha d notf ol l ow e d the three -s t ep gri evance proce ss or the tw o-st ep process appl i cabl e t o m edi ca l c o m p la in ts . Ko z u h r e s p o n d e d th a th e h a d d o n e e v e ry th i n g h e c o u l d d o t o e x h a u s t . He i ndi c a t e d tha the ha d f

i l e d gr i e va nc e s a s i ns truc t e d by s t a f f , buttha the r e c e i ve d no r e s p o n s e s . H e a ls o a lle g e d th a t h is r e c o r d s a n d le g a l d o c u m e n ts w e r e d e s tr o y e d . T he m a gi s tr a t e j udge r e c om m e nde d tha tthe c om pl a i ntbe di s m i s s e d f or fa i l ure t o exh aust . A ft erre vi ew i ng the gri evances , the m agi stra t e j ud ge no t ed that K o z u h h a d n o t p e r f

e c te d h is ap p e a l to th e h ig h e s t le v e l. F in a lly , th e m a g is tr a te j udge not e d tha tthe c our tc oul d notc ons i de rthe a de qua c y orf ut i l i ty of the g r ie v a n c e p r o c e s s , a s lo n g a s th e p r o c e s s w a s a v a ilab le . K oz uh obj e c t e d t o the r e c om m e nda t i on, c ont e ndi ng tha the ha d gone above a n d b e y o n d th e e x h a u s tio n r e q u ir e m e n ts , a n d th a t h e w a s “th w a r te d ” w h e n o f f ic ia ls re fuse d t o res po nd t o h i s gri evances , l ea vi ng the gri evance proce du re un avai l abl e. T h e d istrict co u rt ad o p ted th e m ag istrate ju d g e’s r ec o m m en d atio n o v erK o zu h ’s o b je c tio n s a n d d is m is s e d th e c o m p la in t. O n appe a l , K oz uh a s s e r t s tha the e xha us t e d r e m e di e s above a nd be y ond w h a t w a s r e q u ir e d , a n d th a t th e f a ilu r e o f p r is o n o f

f ic ia ls to r e s p o n d to h isKozuh also argues, for the first time, that the Secretar y wi thheld evidenc e of prison 4 of fi c ials’ mis c on du c t and

here qu e sts that the c ourt c on du c t a

he aringto de terminetheavaila bil ity of the grieva

nce process. 6 gri evances re nd er ed the process exhaust ed. H e f urther a ss ert s thatthe gri evance pr oc e dur e w a s nota va i l abl e t o hi m be c a us e hi s l e ga l m a t e r i a l w a s de s tr oy e d, a nd hi s gri evances w er e i gn ored, w hi ch precl ud es the defendant s f rom ar gu i ng fa i l ure to e x h a u s t. 4 W e r e vi e w de novo a di s tr i c tc our t ’ s i nt e rpr e t a t i on a nd appl i c a t i on of 42 U . S . C . § 1997e ( a ) ’ s e xha us t i on r e qui r e m e nt . J ohns on v. M e a dow s , 418 F . 3d 1152, 11 55 (11th C i r. ), pet i t i on for c ert . fi l ed, (S ept . 8, 20 05 ) ( N o. 05 -633 6); Hi g g i n b o tt o m v . C a r t e r , 2 2 3 F . 3 d 1 2 5 9 , 1 2 6 0 ( 1 1 th C i r . 2 0 0 0 ) ; Al e x a n d e rv . Ha wk 159 F . 3d 1321, 1323 ( 11th C i r . 1998) . T he f a i l ur e t o e xha us ta dm i ni s tr a t i ve r e m e di e s r e qui r e s tha tthe a c t i on be di s m i s s e d. C ha ndl e rv. C r os by , 379 F . 3d 12 78 , 12 86 (11th C i r. 20 04 ). S e c tio n 1 9 9 7 e ( a ) p r o v id e s th a t “[ n ]o a c tio n s h a ll b e b r o u g h t w ith r e s p e c t to p ri so n co n d i t i o n s u n d er sect i o n 1 9 8 3 o f th i s t i t l e, o r an y o th er F ed eral l aw , b y a pri soner c on fi ned i n any j ai l , pri son, or other c orre ct i on al fa ci l i ty unt i l such a d m in is tr a tiv e r e m e d ie s a s a r e a v a ilab le a r e e x h a u s te d .” 4 2 U .S .C . § 1 9 9 7 e ( a ) . T hi s r equi re m ent“ appl i es t o al l i nm at e s ui t s abo utpri son l i fe , w hether they i nvol ve ge ne r a l c i r c um s t a nc e s orpa r t i c ul a re pi s ode s , a nd w he the rthe y a l l e geTo file an inf ormal grieva

nce, theinmate must use form DC6-236. 33-103.005(2) . Asking 5 a question or requestinginformation does not qualify as an infor

mal grieva

nce. Id. § 33- 103.005(2)(b)(1) . A formal grievanc e re quires the use of F orm DC1-303. I d. § 103.006(1). In the c a seof an emerg e nc y

gri e va nc e , a gri e va

nc e of reprisal, or a gri e va nc einv olv ingsens itivemateri al, the inmate may

file the grieva

nce directly

with the Secretary . I d. § 33-103.007(6) . 7 e xc e s s i ve f

or c e ors om e othe rw r ong, ” a nd m a nda t e s s tr i c te xhaus t i on. J ohns on, 418 F . 3d a t1155; B ooth v. C hurne r , 532 U . S . 731, 741 n. 6, 121 S . C t . 1819, 1825 n .6 , 1 4 9 L .E d .2 d 9 5 8 ( 2 0 0 1 ) . I n F l o r i d a , th e g r i e v a n c e p r o c e s s c o n s i s t s o f a th r e e - s t e p p r o c e d u r e . An in m a te m u s t f

ir s t f ile a n “in f

o r m a l g r ie v a n c e . . . to th e s ta f f m e m b e rw h o is r e s pons i bl e i n the pa r t i c ul a ra r e a of the pr obl e m . ” F l a . A dm i n. C ode A nn. § 33- 103. 005( 1) . T he s e c ond s t e p r e qui r e s the i nm a t e f i l e a f or m a l gr i e va nc e w i th the w ar den. Id. § 3 3-10 3. 00 6(1)(a ). If the i nm at e i s unsucce ss ful atthi s poi nt , he m ay s ubm i ta n appe a l t o the S e c r e t a ry of the D O C . I d. § 33- 103. 007. 5 M edi ca l gri evances re qu i re on l y atw o-st ep procedure: the i nm at e m ustfi l e a f or m a l gr i e va nc e a tthe i ns t i tut i ona l l e ve l w i th the c hi e f he a l th of

f i c e r . I f the in m a te is u n s u c c e s s f

u l, h e m a y f

ile a n ap p e a l w ith th e S e c r e ta ry . I d . § 3 3 - 1 0 3 .0 0 8 . H e r e , th e r e c o r d is d e v o id o f a n y e v id e n c e th a t K o z u h r a is e d h is is s u e s in i nf or m a l gr i e va nc e s , f

or m a l gr i e va nc e s a nd appe a l s . A l though K oz uh a r gue s , a nd th e r e c o r d r e f

le c ts , th a t h e s u b m itte d h is c o m p la in ts m u ltip le tim e s to m u ltip le a uthor i t i e s , a l l he w a s r e qui r e d t o do w a s e i the r( a ) s ubm i thi s c om pl a i nt s t o the8

m e di c a l s t a f

f , the w a r de n, a nd the n appe a l t o the S e c r e t a ry , or( b) i n the c a s e of m e di c a l gr i e va nc e s , t o the m e di c a l de pa r tm e ntf ol l ow e d by a n appe a l t o the S e c r e ta ry . T h e r e is n o e v id e n c e , h o w e v e r , th a t h e f o llo w e d th e s e s te p s . I n f a c t, m os tof the f or m s s ubm i tt e d i ndi c a t e on the i rf a c e tha tthe y w e r e r e que s t s f or i nf or m a t i on, que s t i ons , ori nf or m a l gr i e va nc e s . A nd a l though e a c h de ni a l e xpl a i ns th e r ig h t to ap p e a l, it d o e s n o t ap p e a rth a t K o z u h e v e re x e r c is e d th a t r ig h t in c onne c t i on w i th the s e c om pl a i nt s . M or e ove r , s ubm i tt i ng c om pl a i nt s t o the w r ong p a r tie s - th e F D L E a n d th e a tto rn e y g e n e r a l’s o f f ic e - d o e s n o t c o n s titu te e xha us t i on. S e e J ohns on, 418 F . 3d a t1157. F urtherm ore, despi t e hi s a rgum ent s t o the contra ry , there i s no evi dence that K o zu h w as th w art ed fro m b ri n g i n g h i s g ri ev an ces o r th atth e g ri ev an ce p ro cess w a s u n a v a ilab le . I n s te a d , th e e v id e n c e s h o w s th a t K o z u h w a s ab le to f ile n u m ero u s i n fo rm al co m p l ai n t s an d req u est s fo r i n fo rm at i o n . T h erefo re, b ecau se th e r e w a s a g r ie v a n c e p r o c e s s a v a ilab le to p r is o n e r s , a n d K o z u h d id n o t a v a il hi m se l f of the process by fol l ow i ng the gri evance proce du re s, the di stri ctcourt p r o p e r ly d e te r m in e d th a t h e f a ile d to e x h a u s t a d m in is tr a tiv e r e m e d ie s . A c c o r d i n g l y , w e A F F I R M.