Opinion ID: 707800
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: personal involvement/official capacity

Text: 70 Regardless of the merit of the plaintiff's claims, the supervisory defendants cannot be held liable for the alleged constitutional violations. The plaintiff's letters to Peters, Dobucki, Baker and Sassatelli are insufficient to create liability. Hanna v. Lane, 610 F.Supp. 32, 36 (N.D.Ill.1984). The plaintiff has alleged no facts establishing those individuals' direct, personal involvement, as required by Duckworth v. Franzen, 780 F.2d 645, 650 (7th Cir.1985), cert. denied, 479 U.S. 816 (1986). Nor has the plaintiff shown that the alleged violation of his constitutional rights occurred at the direction or knowledge and consent of the administrative defendants. See Smith v. Rowe, 761 F.2d 360, 369 (7th Cir.1985). 71 The mere fact that those individuals hold supervisory positions within the Graham Correctional Center and the D.O.C. is insufficient to establish liability, as the doctrine of respondeat superior (supervisory liability) does not apply to actions filed under 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1983. See Pacelli v. DeVito, 972 F.2d 871, 877 (7th Cir.1992). Additionally, the Eleventh Amendment bars the plaintiff from suing state officials acting in their official capacities for damages under 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1983. Will v. Michigan Dept. of State Police, 491 U.S. 45 (1989). 72