Opinion ID: 2339470
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: The District Court's Assessment of the Facts

Text: The district judge's memorandum decision and order granting summary judgment to defendants also includes as additional uncontroverted facts that Thomas told Stapleton's probation officer of Stapleton's suicide attempt the day after it occurred, which was 1 month before Stapleton's detention began; that Thomas received letters from Stapleton while Stapleton was in detention; and that Thomas spoke to Detention Center guards on several occasions. The judge appears to have made additional factual findings in the discussion section of his memorandum decision and order. He stated that Tipton believed Stapleton should be placed on Suicide Watch because Stapleton was a disciplinary problem, not because he was a suicide risk. In the judge's view, the record did not support Tipton's awareness of Stapleton's November 29 statements that he was going to kill himself. The judge also wrote: Stapleton was appropriately screened and allowed to calm down, and it was determined that . . . a move [to Suicide Watch] was not necessary. He said no evidence was presented to show that Stapleton's behavior should have led Biltoft to believe Stapleton was at substantial risk of committing suicide. The judge also did not think Biltoft had ignored Stapleton's crying or Tipton's or Jones' suggestions that Stapleton be placed on Suicide Watch.