Opinion ID: 56281
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Shepard and Barcia

Text: Viewing the evidence the light most favorable to Hasemeier, there was a genuine issue of material fact whether Shepard and Barcia applied excessive force and acted maliciously to cause harm. Under Hasemeier’s version of events, he was unconscious from the beating, suffered cuts and bruises, and had his dental bridge broken. Hudson v. McMillian, 503 U.S. 1, 112 S.Ct. 995, 117 L.Ed.2d 156 (1992) (explaining that the blows directed at the prisoner, which caused bruises, swelling, loosened teeth, and a cracked dental plate, were not de minimis for Eighth Amendment purposes). Although the medical records do not mention these injuries, the records do indicate that Hasemeier was kicked in the head. Moreover, 5 it is for a jury to decide whether the video shows injuries as noted by Hasemeier. See Mathews v. Crosby, 480 F.3d 1265 (11th Cir. 2007) (reversing summary judgment on excessive force claims because plaintiff submitted sufficient evidence, including medical reports and witness statements, to create a genuine issue of material fact), petition for cert. filed, (Jul. 23, 2007) (No. 07-86). Here, the parties submitted their own affidavits describing the events. As such, the evidence creates a credibility determination, which is inappropriate at the summary judgment stage. Reeves v. Sanderson Plumbing Prod., Inc., 530 U.S. 133, 150-51, 120 S.Ct. 2097, 2110, 147 L.Ed.2d 105 (2000); see also Perry v. Thompson, 786 F.2d 1093, 1093-95 (11th Cir. 1986). Additionally, although the defendants asserted that their actions were necessary to restore order and to discipline Hasemeier, there is no evidence other than their own statements to support their claims that Hasemeier was verbally abusive or that he ignored an order. In his own statements, Hasemeier disputed that he engaged in such conduct. Accordingly, we conclude that there is a genuine issue of material fact making summary judgment improper.