Opinion ID: 623834
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Captain Taylor’s Motion for Summary Judgment

Text: White’s chief claim against Captain Taylor is that, at the conclusion of the disciplinary hearing, White received a statement of the evidence that was subsequently altered, thus violating his due process rights. White, 294 Fed.Appx. at 960. He contends that the magistrate judge granted summary judgment “solely upon the fact that Captain Taylor did provide appellant a written record at the conclusion of the hearing that included the evidence relied upon to find him guilty.” Finally, White argues that he clearly demonstrated that the alteration of the record harmed him. In ruling for Captain Taylor, the magistrate judge relied upon Ponte v. Real, 471 U.S. 491, 497 (1985), which concluded that “prison officials may be required to explain, in a limited manner, the reason why witnesses were not allowed to testify, but that they may do so either by making the explanation a part of the ‘administrative record’ in the disciplinary proceeding, or by presenting testimony in court if the deprivation 6 Case: 10-40843 Document: 00511770597 Page: 7 Date Filed: 02/28/2012 of a ‘liberty’ interest is challenged because of that claimed defect in the hearing.” (emphasis added). Due process requires, among other things, that the prisoner in disciplinary proceedings receive a written statement of the decision and the evidence relied on by the disciplinary board. See Wilkinson v. Austin, 545 U.S. 209, 225 (2005). In Wilkinson, the United States Supreme Court unanimously upheld a state’s policy, which provided sufficient procedural protection of the prisoner’s liberty interest to comply with the Fourteenth Amendment’s due process requirements at the highest security prisons, known as “Supermax” facilities. Id. Pursuant to the policy that the Court examined in Wilkinson, the prisoner is provided with written notice summarizing the conduct or offense triggering the hearing at least 48 hours prior to the hearing. Id. at 216. At the time of notice, the prisoner also has access to the form, which details why the hearing was initiated. Id. The prisoner may attend the hearing, may “offer any pertinent information, explanation and/or objections . . .” and may submit a written statement. Id. Here, Captain Taylor provided White with a TDCJ Disciplinary Report and Hearing Record at the conclusion of the hearing on or about December 30, 2002, and White received another, more detailed copy on or about February 21, 2003. “While the documents which White furnished do appear to show that additional information was added to the hearing record, White makes no showing that this alleged ‘alteration’ comprises a constitutional violation.” White, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20433, at . The magistrate judge added: [T]he form which White received at the conclusion of the hearing satisfied the constitutional requirement of due process by informing him of the evidence which was used against him, which was the officer’s report. This provided White with an adequate statement of the evidence so as to allow him to appeal the conviction through the grievance procedure, which he did. Although White says that had he been given the later form, his 7 Case: 10-40843 Document: 00511770597 Page: 8 Date Filed: 02/28/2012 disciplinary case would have been overturned, he offers nothing to support this speculation; in fact, the record shows that White received this form before he filed his Step Two grievance, which grievance was not successful in securing a reversal of the disciplinary action. White’s claim against Captain Taylor is without merit. Id. at . This court agrees. Therefore, the magistrate judge’s grant of Captain Taylor’s motion for summary judgment is affirmed.