Opinion ID: 77923
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Al-Amin's Version of Facts

Text: Defendants argue that even if opening attorney mail outside an inmate's presence violates the Constitution, Al-Amin has not shown a constitutional violation because he never listed Karima as one of his attorneys and there was no evidence that Karima was Al-Amin's attorney. The problem for defendants is that in qualified immunity cases on interlocutory appeal, we accept the plaintiff's version of the facts and resolve only legal questions. See Andujar v. Rodriguez, 486 F.3d 1199, 1202 (11th Cir.), cert. denied, ___ U.S. ___, 128 S.Ct. 385, 169 L.Ed.2d 271 (2007); Robinson v. Arrugueta, 415 F.3d 1252, 1257 (11th Cir.2005); Vinyard, 311 F.3d at 1346 n. 7. Al-Amin testified that Karima was his attorney. All thirteen envelopes in issue were sent after Head's November 15, 2003 response sustaining Al-Amin's grievance about GSP improperly opening his attorney mail from Karima. Although Karima was not on the May 2002 list, defendants knew, at least by November 25, 2003, that Karima was Al-Amin's attorney and that her properly marked attorney mail should be opened only in Al-Amin's presence. After receiving Head's response, defendants even gave instructions that Karima's legal mail should be opened only in Al-Amin's presence. The thirteen envelopes were all marked legal mail with Karima's full name and law office address on them, but were opened before reaching Al-Amin. [16] Accordingly, we reject defendants' argument that Al-Amin has not shown constitutional violations on this basis.