Source: http://nm.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.20180521_0001067.DNM.htm/qx
Timestamp: 2019-04-25 20:46:08+00:00

Document:
DENISE SANCHEZ, R. DELGADO, KERRY KENDO, FNU OLIVAS, BERNALILLO COUNTY METROPOLITAN DETENTION CENTER, Defendants.
This matter is before the Court, sua sponte under 28 U.S.C. §§ 1915(e)(2) and 1915A, on Plaintiff Melissa Tomlin's Prisoner's Civil Rights Complaint, filed on November 1, 2017 (Doc. 1, hereinafter referred to as “the complaint.”). Plaintiff was incarcerated at the time of filing, appears pro se, and is proceeding in forma pauperis. For the reasons explained below, Plaintiff's claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against Defendant Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center will be dismissed without prejudice for failure to state a claim on which relief may be granted under 28 U.S.C. §§ 1915(e)(2)(B)(ii) and 1915A(b) and the Clerk of Court will be directed to mail notice and waiver of service forms to the individual defendants.
“To state a claim under § 1983, a plaintiff must allege the violation of a right secured by the Constitution and laws of the United States, and must show that the alleged deprivation was committed by a person acting under color of state law.” West v. Atkins, 487 U.S. 42, 48 (1988) (emphasis added). Although municipalities and local governments are “persons” subject to suit under § 1983, Monell v. Dep't of Social Serv. of City of New York, 436 U.S. 658, 690 (1978), “generally, governmental sub-units are not separate suable entities that may be sued under § 1983, ” Hinton v. Dennis, 362 Fed.Appx. 904, 907 (10th Cir. Jan. 25, 2010) (unpublished). Defendant Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center is a governmental sub-unit and, therefore, it is not a person or legally created entity capable of being sued under § 1983. See Martinez v. Winner, 771 F.2d 424, 444 (10th Cir. 1985) (holding that “‘[t]he City of Denver Police Department' is not a separate suable entity, and the complaint will be dismissed as to it”). Accordingly, Plaintiff's §1983 claims against Defendant Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center will be dismissed without prejudice for failure to state a claim on which relief may be granted under 28 U.S.C. §§ 1915(e)(2)(B)(ii) and 1915A(b).
The Court determines that Plaintiff's complaint states a plausible claim for relief against the individual defendants for the excessive use of force in violation of Plaintiff's rights under the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution. Therefore, the Clerk of Court will be directed to mail notice and waiver of service forms, along with a copy of Plaintiff's complaint and this Memorandum Opinion and Order, to the individual defendants pursuant to Rule 4(d) of the Rules of Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.

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