2010 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 3-24-2010 

# S t eve n M cD owell v

. L ydell S hee re r 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 . 08-4435

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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

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. L yde ll S he e r e r " (2010). 2010 D e cisio n s . P ape r 1656. http://d i git alc ommon s .l a

w . vi ll anova . e du/thir dc ir c uit_2010/1656NOT P RE CE DE NT I AL I N TH E 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- 4435 STEVEN M CD OW ELL A ppel l ant v . A D M I N I STR A TO R L Y D ELL SH EER ER ; SCO . O FF. C. SEA RS; S CO . OF F . C. WALL AC E ; S CO . OF F . C. CA RS ON; SCO . O FF. D . RO BI N SO N ; SCO . O FF. M . W I LLI A M S; D O M IN G O R IV E R A ; S C O B R IA N W IL L IA M S ; S CO DE S I RE E RO BE RT S ON; S CO KE VI N S E AR CY ; SCO A RN ALD O B ELO; SCO PEDR O LA RA CU ENTE; SCO CESA R D E LA C RU Z; SCO CA RN ELL CAR TRELL; S CO EDW ARD BONET; S CO RONALD TUCKER; S CO LE ONA RD W HEE LE R; S GT. DAV I D ABDU S - S ABUR; SGT. M AR QU I S OW ENS; LT. M ON I QU E HER NA ND EZ; J OH N D OE; SCO D EBO RA H B AR NES- RO BERTS O n A p p ea l Fro m the U n it ed S tat es D istri ct C o u rt F o rt h e D i s t r i c to f

N e w J e r s e y ( D . C . C i vi l A ct i on N o. 2- 04- cv- 06089) D i s t r i ctJ udge: H on. K athar i ne S. H ay den A r gued J anuary14, 2010 B E FO R E : A M B R O , C H A G A R E S and S T A P L E T O N , C i r cui tJudges ( O pi ni on Fi l ed M ar ch 24, 2010 )T h e d ef en d an ts th at rem ain in the law su itare A d m inistrator L y d ell B . S h errer, 1 Ser geantC r ai g Sear s , Ser geantD avi d A bdus - Sabur , Seni orC orr ect i ons O ffi cer( “SC O ”) C harl i e W al l ace, S C O C hri st op her C ars on , S C O D enn i s R ob i nson , S C O M arc W i l l i am s, SC O D om i ngo R i ver a, SC O B r i an W i l l i ams, SC O K evi n Sear cy , SC O A r nal do B el o, S C O D o m ing o R ivera , S erg ea n t C esa r D e L a C ruz , S C O C arn ell C artrel l, S C O E d w ard B o n et, S C O R o n ald T u ck er, an d S C O L eo n ard W h ee ler. 2 St even Y arus i ns ky H arr i s S. Fr ei er( A r gued) Pr o s k a u e rRos e LLP O ne N ew ark C ent er- 18t h Fl oor N ew ark, N J 07102 A t t or ney s forA ppel l ant T hom as E . K embl e ( A r gued) O ffi ce of A t t or neyG ener al of N ew J er s ey R i char d J . H ughes J us t i ce Com pl ex P. O . B ox 112 25 M arketSt r eet T r ent on, N J 08625 A t t or neyforA ppel l ees

OPI NI ON O F THE COURT

ST A PL E T O N , C i r cui tJ udge: St even M cD ow el l fi l ed thi s ci vi l act i on pur s uantt o 42 U . S. C . § 1983 and N ew J er s eys t at e l aw , al l egi ng t hatcert ai n pr i s on offi ci al s atN or t hern St at e Pr i s on (c o llec tiv e ly , “D e f

e n d a n ts” ) v io late d th e F irst, F o u rth , E ig h th , an d F o u rte e n th

13

A m e n d m e n ts a n d A rticle O n e o f th e N e w Je rse yC o n stitu tio n . T h e e v e n ts g iv in g rise to t he l aw s ui toccurr ed dur i ng and i n t he af t erm ath of a pr i s onerextr act i on i n N ovemberof 2004. T h e D istri ct C o u rtg ran ted s u m m aryjud g m en t t o D ef en d an ts on all o f M cD o w ell ’s f e d e ra l cla im s a n d d ism iss e d h is s tate c o n stitu tio n a l cla im w ith o u t p re ju d ice . M c D o w e ll onl yappea l s t he D i s t r i ctC our t ’ s or derw i t h r es pectt o hi s E i ghth A m endmentexce s s i ve for ce a nd del i ber at e i ndi ffe r ence cl ai m s . B eca us e w e w r i t e onl yforthe bene fi tof the par t i es , w e as s um e fa m i l i ar i t yw i t h the fa ct s of thi s ci vi l act i on and the pr ocee di ngs i n t he D i s t r i ctC our t . W e w i l l r ever s e the j udgm entof the D i s t r i ctC our tand r emand forfur ther p ro c e e d in g s . I. M cD ow el l i s an i nm at e atN or t hern St at e Pr i s on ( “N SP”) i n N ew J er s ey , s ervi ng a t w enty - y ears ent ence forarm ed r obberyand w eapon of fens es . I n N ovember2004, he w as hous ed i n a s ecur i t yt hr eatgr oup m anage m entuni ti n D el t a 300 East . A ts om e poi nt l at e atni ghton N ovember7 ori n t he ea r l ym orni ng of N ovember8, 2004, M cD ow el l and hi s cel l m at e, C ar l os C ruz, w er e abl e t o exi tthei rcel l . T he part i es di s put e the ci r cumst ance s of how t he i nm at es gotoutof thei rcel l . M cD ow el l cl ai m s thatC ruz w as sic k a n d se e k in g m e d ica l atte n tio n a n d th a t h e w a s a ss istin g C ru z w h e n th e yw e re b o th l ocked outof thei rcel l . D efe ndant s as s ertthatM cD ow el l and C ruz pr et ended t o need m edi cal t r eatm ent , and that , once the ce l l doorw as opened s o t hatone of them coul d beW hen an i nm at e i s out s i de of hi s cel l underthes e ci r cumst ance s , offi cer s per form an 2 “e x tr ac ti o n ” to re turn the in m ate to h is cell . D u ri n g an ex tr ac ti o n , team s o f f ive o ff icers w ork t og et her t o restrai n an d then secure an inm at e’s arm s and legs. O ne o ffi cer uses a l ar ge bodys hi el d w hi l e the fourot heroffi cer s ar e r es pons i bl e fors ecur i ng eac h of the in m a te ’s e x tr e m itie s . H e re , th e re w a s o n e e x tr a c tio n te a m p e r i n m a te . 4 e sc o rte d to th e in f

irm a ry , the tw o in m a tes lef t th e c e ll an d re f

u se d to su b m it t o handcuf fi ng ort o r etur n t o t hei rcel l , as theyw er e r equi r ed t o do. I ti s undi s put ed that M cD ow el l and C ruz w er e nothandcuf fed a nd thattheyw er e abl e t o w al k ar ound t he f e n c e d -i n tie r t o th e c e lls o f o th e r i n m a te s . T w o t eams of f

i ve off i cer s eac h t hen arr i ved t o per form extr act i ons of M cD ow el l and C ruz i n or dert o r etur n t hem t o t hei rcel l s . T he off i cer s on t he extr act i on 2 t eams w or e pr ot ect i ve gea r , i ncl udi ng ves t s , pads , and hel m et s w i t h fac e masks , and carr i ed bodys hi el ds forus e i n r es t r ai ni ng the i nm at es . T he extr act i on of M cD ow el l w as v id e o tap e d b ya n N S P o f f icia l an d b ya n in m a te w h o h a d sm u g g led a v id e o -re c o rd e r in to pri son, and bo t h recordi ng s ar e partof the recor d b efore us. B e f o re th e e x tra c tio n b e g a n , m e m b e rs o f th e e x tra c tio n tea m u se d p e p p e r sp ra yin an att empt t o s ubdue M cD ow el l and C ruz. T hi s eff or t , how ever , w as uns ucce s s ful b e c a u se th e in m a tes u se d p las tic b a g s, w h ich a n o th e r in m a te h a d g iv e n th e m , to s h ield th e ir f a c e s f ro m th e sp ra y . T h e o f

f ice rs th e n b e g a n th e e x tra c tio n b ye n ter in g th e tier in w hi ch M cD ow el l and C ruz w er e s t andi ng. M cD ow el l and C ruz moved t ow ar d one of the te a m s o f o f f ic e rs . T h e p a rt ie s d is p u te th e e v e n ts th a t o c c u rr e d th e re a f te r. M cD ow el l t es t i fi ed i n hi s depos i t i on thathe w as pus hed t o t he fl ooras s oon as t he5

o f f ice rs c o n v e rg e d o n h im . H e c laim e d th a t h e d id n o t re sis t an d th e o f f ice rs w e re a b le to handcuf f hi m qui ckl y . N evert hel es s , theycont i nued t o punch orki ck hi m aft erhe w as r es t r ai ned. H e al s o t es t i fi ed thathe w as r epea t edl yhi ti n t he fa ce w i t h a ni ght s t i ck and th a t an o f

f ice r g ra b b e d a n d tw iste d h is te stic les a f ter h e w a s o n th e g ro u n d . M c D o w e ll s t a t e d t h a tt h e o f

f i c e r s s h a c k l e d h i s a n k l e s s o t i g h t l yth a th e l o s tc i r c u l a t i o n i n h i s f e e t . He fur t hert es t i fi ed thatone off i cerexert ed for ce on hi s w r i s t , i n w hathe bel i eved w as an eff or tt o br eak hi s hand. M cD ow el l i ns i s t ed thatthr oughoutthe extr act i on he kepty el l i ng t hathe w as notr es i s t i ng. H e s t at ed thataft erhe w as handcuf fed a nd s hackl ed, he w as pi cked up a nd t hen w al ked i nt o anotherpartof the uni t . A ccor di ng t o hi m , hi s fac e w as sla m m e d in to a w a ll an d a n o f f ice r c h o k e d h im u n til h e lo st c o n sc io u sn e ss . M c D o w e ll s t at ed thathe w as t hen r etur ned t o hi s cel l , and w as deni ed cl othi ng and medi cal tr eatm ent forhi s i nj ur i es fort w o w eeks . A s a r es ul tof the extr act i on, M cD ow el l cl ai m s thathe suffered cu t s abov e his ri gh tey e, brui ses on his skull , and an inj uryt o h i s hand . H e al so cl ai m s t hatt he i nci dentl efthi m w i th perm anenti nj ur i es , i ncl udi ng vi s i on l os s i n hi s r i ght ey e, s carr i ng above hi s ey e, l um ps on hi s s kul l , w eakne s s i n hi s hand, and thathe now s om et i m es exper i ence s di zzi nes s . H e al s o cl ai m s thathe w as emot i onal l ydamaged byt he in c id e n t. D efe ndant s t es t i fi ed t o a di ffe r entver s i on of eve nt s . T he off i cer s t es t i fi ed that M cD ow el l appr oache d t he off i cer s aggr es s i vel y , r es i s t ed bei ng handcuf fed a nd s hackl ed, an d co n ti n u ed to strug g le on ce h e w as o n the f loo r. O n e o ff

icer testi fied that the o ff icers6

cea s ed us i ng for ce a s s oon as M cD ow el l w as r es t r ai ned, and anothert es t i fi ed that ni ght s t i cks w er e notus ed on M cD ow el l dur i ng the extr act i on. O nce M cD ow el l w as r es t r ai ned, t heycont end thathe w as t aken t o a nea rbyhal l w ayw her e he w as gi ven m edi cal t r eatm ent . D efe ndant s s t at e thatM cD ow el l ’ s cl othi ng w as r emoved so thathe c o u ld b e s e a rc h e d f

o r w e a p o n s a n d th e n s h o w e re d to re m o v e a n yre m a in in g p e p p e r s p ra y . A ft ert hi s occurr ed, t heyas s ertt hathe w as r eturned t o hi s cel l . D efe ndant s cl ai m that M c D o w e ll w a s n o t lef

t n a k e d in h is c e ll fo r tw o w e e k s, b u t, i n ste a d , ins ist th a t th e ir e v id e n c e s h o w s th a t h is p e rs o n a l p ro p e rt yw a s re tu rn e d to h im th e n e x t d a y . A s a r es ul tof the extr act i on and the eve nt s fol l ow i ng i t , M cD ow el l fi l ed a pro se compl ai nti n t he U ni t ed St at es D i s t r i ctC our tforthe D i s t r i ctof N ew J er s ey . C ouns el w as appoi nt ed t o r epr es entM cD ow el l . H e s oughtdecl ar at oryand i nj unct i ve r el i ef, c o m p e n s a to ry d a m a g e s , p u n itiv e d a m a g e s , a n d a tto rn e y s ’ f e e s a n d c o s ts . A ft erdi s covery , D efe ndant s fi l ed a mot i on fors um m aryj udgm ent . A ft eror al a rg u m e n t an d su p p lem e n tal b rie f in g , the D istric t C o u rt g ra n ted su m m a ryju d g m e n t in f a v o r o f D e f e n d a n ts o n a ll o f

M c D o w e ll’s f

e d e ra l cla im s a n d d ism iss e d h is s tate cons t i tut i onal cl ai m w i t houtpr ej udi ce. W i t h r es pectt o t he Ei ght h A m endmentexce s s i ve for ce a nd del i ber at e i ndi ffe r ence cl ai m s ati s s ue i n t hi s appea l , the C our tdet erm i ned that D ef en d an ts w ere en ti tl ed to q u ali fied im m u n ityb ec au se n o n e o f M cD o w ell ’s c o n stitu tio n a l rig h ts w a s v io late d . M c D o w e ll file d a tim e lyn o tice o f a p p e a l. O n appea l , M cD ow el l fi r s tar gues thatthe D i s t r i ctC our terr ed byconcl udi ng t hat7

t he vi deo evi dence bl at ant l ycontr adi ct ed M cD ow el l ’ s ver s i on of eve nt s and, ther efor e, deci di ng nott o vi ew t he fa ct s i n t he l i ghtm os tfavor abl e t o M cD ow el l . Second, he con t end s that w hen t he fa ct s ar e view ed in the li gh tm ostfavo rabl e t o h i m , there i s a genui ne i s s ue of mat er i al fac tas t o w hetherD efe ndant s us ed exc es s i ve for ce dur i ng t he e x tr a c tio n a n d w h e th e r D e f e n d a n ts a c te d w ith d e lib e ra te in d if f e re n c e in its a f

te rm a th . II . W e e x erc ise p lena ryrev iew o v er a D istri ct C o u rt ’s de cisi o n to g ran t sum m ary ju d g m e n t. G i l es v. Kear ney , 5 7 1 F .3 d 3 1 8 , 3 2 2 (3 d C ir. 2 0 0 9 ). S u m m a ryju d g m e n t is appr opr i at e w hen the r ecor d es t abl i s hes that“ther e i s no genui ne i s s ue as t o anym at er i al f a c t a n d th a t th e m o v a n t is e n title d to ju d g m e n t a s a m a tte r o f la w .” F e d . R . C iv . P . 5 6 (c ). In m a k in g th is d e ter m in a tio n , “[ t]h e e v id e n c e o f th e n o n -m o v a n t is to b e b e liev e d , an d a ll j us t i fi abl e i nfer ence s ar e t o be dr aw n i n hi s favor . ” A nders on v. Li ber t y Lobby, I

nc. , 477 U . S. 242, 255 ( 1986) . H ow ever , i n a ca s e s uch as thi s one, w her e ther e ar e vi deo r ecor di ngs of the i nci denti n ques t i on, w e nee d notadoptthe non- m ovant ’ s ver s i on of the fac t s i f the r ecor di ng “bl at ant l ycontr adi ct [s ] ” the non- m ovant ’ s ver s i on “s o t hatno r eas onabl e j ur ycoul d bel i eve i t . ” Sc o tt v. H a rr is , 5 5 0 U . S . 3 7 2 , 3 8 0 (20 0 7 ). II I. G overnm entoffi ci al s ar e pr ot ect ed bythe doctr i ne of qua l i fi ed i m m uni t y“i ns ofar as t hei rconductdoes notvi ol at e cl ear l yes t abl i s hed s t atut oryorcons t i tut i onal r i ght s of w hi ch a r eas onabl e per s on w oul d have know n. ” P ears on v. C al l ahan , 129 S. C t . 808,8

815 ( 2009) ( quot i ng H

a rlo w v . F itzg e ra ld , 457 U . S. 800, 818 ( 1982) ) . W hen dec i di ng w h e th e r a n o f

f icia l is e n tit led to q u a lifie d im m u n ity , a c o u rt m u st d e ter m in e if th e f a c ts al l eged e s t abl i s h t hatt he off i ci al vi ol at ed a c ons t i tut i onal r i ghtof the pl ai nt i ff a nd i f that c o n s titu tio n a l r ig h t w a s c le a rl ye s ta b lis h e d a t th e tim e th e o f f ic e r a c te d . See i d. at815- 16 ( ci t i ng Sa u c ierv . Ka tz , 5 3 3 U .S . 1 9 4 , 2 0 0 -0 2 (2 0 0 1 )) . A . E xces s i ve For ce T o r ecove ron a cl ai m of exc es s i ve for ce unde rthe Ei ght h A m endment , a pl ai nt i ff m us ts how t hathi s t r eatm entamount ed t o an “unne ces s aryand w ant on i nfl i ct i on of pai n. ” W hit l ey v. A l bers , 475 U . S. 312, 320- 21 ( 1986) . W hetherthe us e of f or ce r i s es t o s uch a l evel i s det erm i ned by“w hethert he for ce w as appl i ed i n a good fa i t h eff or tt o m ai nt ai n or r es t or e di s ci pl i ne orm al i ci ous l yand s adi s t i cal l yforthe verypurpos e of c aus i ng harm . ” H uds on v. McMi l l an , 503 U . S. 1, 6 ( 1992) ( quot i ng W hi t l ey , 475 U . S. at320- 21 ( quot i ng Johns on v. G l i ck , 4 8 1 F .3 d 1 0 2 8 , 1 0 3 3 (2 d C ir . 1 9 7 3 )) ). I n re s o lv in g th is q u e s tio n , a cour tm us teval uat e “( 1) t he nee d forthe appl i cat i on of for ce; ( 2) the r el at i ons hi p betw een t he nee d and the amountof for ce thatw as us ed; ( 3) the ext entof i nj uryi nfl i ct ed; ( 4) t he ext entof the thr eatt o t he s afe t yof s t aff and i nm at es , as r eas onabl yper cei ved bythe re sp o n sib le o f

f icia ls o n th e b a sis o f

th e f a c ts k n o w n to th e m ; an d (5 ) a n ye f f o rts m a d e to t empert he s ever i t yof a f or cef ul r es pons e. ” G i l es , 571 F. 3d at328. “For ce thatexce eds t hatw hi ch i s r eas onabl e and ne ces s aryunderthe ci r cumst ance s i s act i onabl e. ” I d. T hus , w e musteval uat e w hetherM cD ow el l has r ai s ed a ge nui ne i s s ue of mat er i al9

fac tr egar di ng hi s cl ai m t hatt he off i cer s us ed for ce “ m al i ci ous l yand s adi s t i cal l yfort he verypurpos e of c aus i ng harm . ” H uds on , 503 U . S. at6. I n m aki ng thi s det erm i nat i on, t he D i s t r i ctC our tr efus ed t o acc eptM cD ow el l ’ s ver s i on of eve nt s , as i ti s gener al l yr equi r ed t o do w hen rul i ng on a mot i on fors um m aryj udgm ent , beca us e i tconcl uded thatthe vi deos of the extr act i on “‘ bl at ant l ycontr adi ct [ed] ’ the s t orys pun byM cD ow el l . ” McD ow el lv. Sher r er , N o . 0 4 -6 0 8 9 , 2 0 0 8 W L 4 5 4 2 4 7 5 , a t * 1 2 (D .N .J . O c t. 7 , 2 0 0 8 ). A ft ercar eful l yr evi ew i ng bot h of the vi deos i n t he r ecor d, w e conc l ude thatthe D istric t C o u rt sh o u ld h a v e a c c e p ted M c D o w e ll’s v e rsio n o f e v e n ts w h e n ru lin g o n th is ques t i on beca us e nei t herof the vi deos “bl at ant l ycontr adi ct [s ] ” M cD ow el l ’ s acc ounts uch t hatno r eas onabl e j ur ycoul d bel i eve i t . T he vi deos do s how thatM cD ow el l and C ruz w ere y el l i ng and chall eng i ng t he o ffi cers befo re the ex t ract i on beg an, and theyal so e s ta b lis h th a t th e in m a te s u s e d p la s tic b a g s to a v o id p e p p e r s p ra yu s e d b yth e o f f ic e rs . H ow ever , once the extr act i on begi ns , w e ar e unabl e t o det erm i ne fr om the vi deos w hether Mc D o w e l l i s r e s i s t i n g t h e o f f i c e r s o rt o d e t e r m i n e th e a m o u n to f f o r c e u s e d o n h i m . We cannotm ake thi s det erm i nat i on beca us e M cD ow el l i s for ced t o t he gr ound ear l yi n t he con front at i on , and t he v i ew of h i s bod yi s com plet el yob struct ed b ythe b od i es of at l east fi ve off i cer s w hi l e theyhandcuf f and s hackl e hi m . A ft erhe w as m oved out s i de of the uni t , M cD ow el l cl ai m s t hathe w as s l amm ed aga i ns ta w al l and choke d unt i l he w as re n d e re d u n c o n sc io u s. A g a in , w e a re u n a b le to c o n c lu d e th a t th e N S P v id e o c o n tra d ictsT h e v ideo rec o rdin g m ad e b ythe in m ate e n d s af ter M cD o w ell an d C ruz are 3 re s tr a in e d a n d ta k e n o f

f th e tie r f lo o r. 10 M cD ow el l ’ s acc ountbeca us e off i cer s ’ bodi es bl ock the vi ew of the ca m er a. B eca us e the 3 vi deos s i m pl ydo nots how w hathappene d dur i ng thes e cruci al m om ent s , w e do not b e lie v e th e yb la ta n tly c o n tr a d ic t M c D o w e ll’ s a c c o u n t. In f a c t, po rtio n s o f

th e v id e o s a re c o n sis ten t w ith M c D o w e ll’s a c c o u n t. In b o th vi deos , M cD ow el l can be hear d y el l i ng “I am not r es i s t i ng” w hen he i s underneath t he offi cer s . Second, t he vi deo r ecor ded bythe i nm at e s how s thatan off i cerw ho w as sta n d in g n e a r M c D o w e ll’s b o d yd id h a v e a n ig h tstick in h is h a n d — c o n sis ten t w ith M c D o w e l l ’ s t e s t i m o n y t h a th e w a s h i ti n th e h e a d r e p e a t e d l y b y n i g h t s t i c k s . A d d i t i o n a l l y, w hen M cD ow el l i s l ed aw ayfr om t he t i er , hi s fac e i s cover ed w i t h bl ood, s ugges t i ng t hat he s uffe r ed an i nj ur ydur i ng t he extr act i on. A s M cD ow el l i s l ed off the t i erfl oor , an o f f ic e r h a s h is a rm a ro u n d M c D o w e ll’ s n e c k a n d M c D o w e ll is p re s s e d a g a in s t th e w a ll. T h e o f f ice rs th e re a f

ter lay M c D o w e ll t o th e g ro u n d , as if h e is n o t ab le to sta n d o n h is ow n. T hes e eve nt s ar e cons i s t entw i t h M cD ow el l ’ s t es t i m onythathe w as choked unt i l he w a s u n c o n s c io u s . A ccor di ngl y , w e bel i eve thatthe D i s t r i ctC our terr ed w hen i tconcl uded thatthe v id e o s c o n tra d icte d M c D o w e ll’s v e rsio n o f e v e n ts a n d th e n re f

u se d to a c c e p t h is te s tim o n yw h e n ru lin g o n th e m o tio n f o r s u m m a ry ju d g m e n t. A cce pt i ng M cD ow el l ’ s acc ount , as w e musti n t hi s pos tur e, w e conc l ude thathe di d r ai s e a ge nui ne i s s ue of mat er i al fac ton hi s exce s s i ve for ce c l ai m . H i s t es t i m onyt hat11

he w as r es t r ai ned and notr es i s t i ng di r ect l ycontr adi ct s thatof D efe ndant s , and r es ol ut i on o f th is f a c tu a l issu e is m a ter ial to d e c id in g w h e th e r M c D o w e ll h a s e sta b lish e d th a t h is c o n stitu tio n a l rig h ts w e re v io late d . C e rta in ly , D e f e n d a n ts h a d w id e d isc re tio n in d e te rm in in g h o w to a p p ro p ri a te ly re tu rn th e tw o in m a te s to th e irc e lls . See, e. g. , H uds on , 5 0 3 U .S . at 6 -7 ; W

hi t l ey , 47 5 U . S . at32 0-22. H ow ever, i f M cD ow el l i s abl e t o est abli sh th a t D e f e n d a n ts p u n c h e d , k ick e d , h it h im in th e h e a d w ith n ig h tstick s, a n d tw iste d h is t es t i cl es , w hen he w as r es t r ai ned and notr es i s t i ng, he w i l l have e s t abl i s hed a vi ol at i on of th e E ig h th A m e n d m e n t. See G i l es , 5 7 1 F .3 d a t 3 2 7 . S im ilarly , if M c D o w e ll i s a b le to es t abl i s h t hatt he off

i cer s choked hi m unt i l he l os tcons ci ous nes s – w hen he w as r es t r ai ned, notr es i s t i ng, and notpr es ent i ng anythr eatt o t he off i cer s – he w i l l have s h o w n a v io la tio n o f

h is c o n s titu tio n a l r ig h ts . S e e id . A ddi t i onal l y , by2004, “i tw as es t abl i s hed thatan off

i cerm aynot. . . us e gr atui t ous for ce a gai ns tan i nm at e w ho has been s ubdued. ” S e e id . at326. T h u s w e c o n c lu d e th a t th e D istric t C o u rt e rre d b yg ra n tin g su m m a ryju d g m e n t to De f e n d a n t s o n M c Do we l l ’ s Ei g h t h Ame n d me n te x c e s s i v e f o r c e c l a i m. B . D el i ber at e I ndi ffe r ence N ex t, M cD o w ell arg u es th at th e D istri ct C o u rterred b yg ran ti n g su m m ary ju d g m e n t o n h is E ig h t A m e n d m e n t d e lib e ra te in d if f e re n c e c laim b e c a u se it i m p ro p e rly r es ol ved di s put ed fa ctual m att er s i n favorof D efe ndant s . W e aga i n agr ee thatthe D i s tr i ct C our ts o err ed.B ef

o re u s, M cD o w ell h as n o t cl aim ed that h e w as d ep ri v ed o f m ed ical care fo r a 4 ser i ou s m edical need for tw o w eeks. 12 A s D efe ndant s acknow l edge, “pr i s on offi cer s ar e undera cons t i tut i onal obl i gat i on t o ‘ensure that i nm at es r ecei ve ad equ at e cl othi ng , shel t er and m edical care. ’” A pp el l ees’ B r . at19 ( quot i ng Far m erv. B r ennan , 5 1 1 U .S . 8 2 5 , 8 3 2 (1 9 9 4 )) . In o rd e r t o re c o v e r, a pl ai nt i ff a l l egi ng a vi ol at i on of thi s obl i gat i on m us ts how 1) thatthe depr i vat i on al l eged w as “s uffi ci ent l ys er i ous , ” s uch thati t“r es ul t [ed] i n t he deni al of the mi ni m al ci vi l i zed m eas ur e of l i fe’ s nece s s i t i es ” and 2) thatpr i s on offi ci al s “[kne w ] of and di s r egar d[ed] an exce s s i ve r i s k t o i nm at e hea l t h and s afe t y . ” See Farm er , 511 U . S. at834, 837 ( i nt ernal q u o tatio n s o m itt e d ). H e re , M c D o w e ll alle g e d th a t p riso n o f f icia ls a c ted w ith d e lib e ra te i ndi ffe r ence t o hi s heal t h and s afe t yw hen theyr emoved hi s cl othes as partof the e x t r a c t i o n a n d d i d n o tr e tu r n t h e m f o rtwo we e k s . Hi s c l a i m w a s s u p p o r t e d b yh i s o wn 4 d ep o sit ion test im o n yan d that o f h is cell m ate, C ruz . D ef en d an ts m o v ed fo r sum m ary j udgm enton t hi s cl ai m , ar gui ng t hatpr i s on r ecor ds and the depos i t i on t es t i m onyof a nonp a rtyp riso n o f

f icia l es tab lish e d th a t M c D o w e ll’s p e rso n a l b e lo n g in g s w e re re tu rn e d to h im th e d a ya f

te r t h e e x tr a c tio n . T he D i s t r i ctC our tgr ant ed s um m aryj udgm enton t hi s cl ai m aft erconcl udi ng t hat M cD ow el l had cl ot hes t he dayaft erthe extr act i on and w as notdepr i ved of c l othi ng for a p p ro x im a telytw o w e e k s. In re a c h in g th is c o n c lu sio n , the D istric t C o u rt a p p a re n tlyd id n o tc r e d i tM c Do we l l ’ s o rCru z ’ s t e s t i mo n yth a tth e ywe r e l e f twi t h o u tc l o t h i n g f

o rtwo w eeks . T he C our tr el i ed on i t s ow n i nt erpr et at i on of ar guabl yambi guous t es t i m onyfr omT h e D istric t C o u rt d id n o t re lyo n p riso n re c o rd s to su p p o rt its f in d in g th a t M c D o w e ll 5 r ece i ved hi s cl ot hes back on the dayaft erthe extr act i on. 13 a d ef en se w itn ess to su p p o rtit s co n clus ion . E v en if w e a g ree d w ith D istri ct C o u rt ’s 5 i nt erpr et at i on of thatw i t nes s ’ s t es t i m ony , how ever , i terr ed byact i ng as a fi nderof fa ct r athert han ac cept i ng al l i nfer ence s i n favorof M cD ow el l and then det erm i ni ng w hether th e re w a s a g e n u in e is s u e o f m a te ri a l f

a c t f o r t ri a l. I n t hi s appea l and i n i t s s um m aryj udgm entbr i efi ng, D efe ndant s di d notar gue that th e c la im e d d e p ri v a tio n o f c lo th in g f

o r a tw o w e e k p e ri o d w a s n o t “ s u f f ic ie n tly se ri o u s ,” o rt h a tM c Do we l l f

a i l e d t o p r e s e n te v i d e n c e t e n d i n g t o s h o w th a tp r i s o n o f f i c i a l s “ [ k n e w] of and di r egar d[ed] an exc es s i ve r i s k t o i nm at e hea l t h and s afe t y ” cr eat ed bythe cl ai m ed d e p ri v a tio n o f

c lo th in g f

o r t w o w e e k s . See Far m er , 5 1 1 U . S . at 83 4 , 8 3 7 . M o reo v er, beca us e of i t s fac tual fi ndi ng t hatM cD ow el l r ece i ved hi s cl othes one dayaft erthe extr act i on, t he D i s t r i ctC our tdi d notaddr es s thes e i s s ues . Forthatr eas on, w e expr es s no o p i n i o n wi t h r e s p e c tt o t h e m. IV . F o r th e se re a so n s, w e w ill re v e rse th e D istric t C o u rt’s ju d g m e n t w ith re sp e c t to M c D o w e ll’ s E ig h th A m e n d m e n t c la im s a n d re m a n d f o r f u rt h e r p ro c e e d in g s .