Opinion ID: 711701
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Prison Guard Harassment

Text: 16 Abate's factual allegations are difficult to glean from his numerous pleadings before the district court and this court. However, his harassment claim appears to be divided into two main themes: (1) prison guards harassed him verbally and looked at him with a bloody eye; and (2) prison guards permitted other inmates to harass him (i.e., by throwing water and urine into his cell). 17 First, unsupported claims of harassment are insufficient to support a cause of action under Sec. 1983. Ivey v. Board of Regents, 673 F.2d 266 (9th Cir.1982). Thus, Abate's repeated general assertions of harassment do not suffice to defeat summary judgment. Moreover, the district court is correct that mere verbal harassment or a look does not amount to a constitutional violation. See Olaterzewski v. Ruggiero, 830 F.2d 136, 139 (9th Cir.1987); Gaut v. Sunn, 810 F.2d 923, 925 (9th Cir.1987) (prison guard's threats of bodily harm insufficient to state a Sec. 1983 claim). 18 Second, Abate's claim that prison guards permitted other inmates to harass him fails to allege a claim against any named defendant in this lawsuit. 3