Opinion ID: 778006
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Misconduct Reports

Text: 2 Sometime during the morning of June 3, 1995, Corrections Officer Robin Mensinger issued a misconduct report citing Smith with refusing to obey an order to return to his cell after cell cleanup, and for using foul language towards a corrections officer. Later that afternoon, Mensinger cited Smith in a second misconduct report for allegedly punching her in the eye. That evening, Sergeant Paulukonis issued a third misconduct report against Smith. That report cited Smith for assaulting corrections officers as they were escorting him to the Restricted Housing Unit (RHU). 3 Smith denies that he assaulted Mensinger or struggled with other corrections officers later that evening. He admits that he did not return to his cell when Mensinger requested him to, but claims that he only refused because his cell was still wet. According to Smith, Mensinger was drunk and out of control when she issued the first misconduct report. He claims that as he was leaving his cell during an organized prisoner movement later that day, he heard a whistle blow and looked up to see Mensinger pointing at him. A few seconds later, Corrections Officers Jones and Yoder purportedly arrived on the cell block. Smith claims that Mensinger told the corrections officers that Smith had punched her in the eye. Smith maintains that Yoder then handcuffed him behind his back, and walked him to a bench where Smith was ordered to sit down. According to Smith, other corrections officers (including Androshick, Zubris and McCole) entered the area a few minutes later. The officers then purportedly grabbed Smith by both arms and followed Corrections Officer Novitsky to the Unit Manager's Office. There, Smith claims that Yurkiewicz and Jones joined the group and Yoder left. 4 Once inside the Unit Manager's Office, the officers allegedly rammed Smith's head into walls and cabinets and knocked him to the floor. He claims that while he was on the floor, Yurkiewicz kicked and punched him, and Novitsky pulled him to his feet, pushed him against the wall, punched him in the stomach, and choked him with both hands.... Brief for Appellant at 15. Smith alleges that Paulukonis saw the beating, but did nothing to intervene or restore order. 5 Smith further alleges that after the beating in the Unit Manager's office, two or three guards took him to the RHU where Yurkiewicz placed him face-down on a bench, tightened the handcuffs as much as possible, and hit him on the back of the head while verbally threatening him and showering him with racial epithets.