Opinion ID: 3011960
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Concepcion Incident

Text: During the morning of August 18, 1997, Corrections Officer William Sellnow opened all of the cells in Concepcion’s tier at the New Jersey State Prison (NJSP) so that the inmates could proceed to morning breakfast. After opening the cells, Sellnow walked down the hallway and crossed paths with Concepcion. Because the hall was narrow, Concepcion claims that he had to turn to the side so that Sellnow could pass. According to Concepcion, for no apparent reason, Sellnow rammed his shoulder into Concepcion’s left shoulder as he walked by, and 3 Concepcion responded by asking, What’s your problem? App. at A112-13. Concepcion claims that the two men then started swinging at each other simultaneously. According to Concepcion, he and Sellnow exchanged punches for only a couple [of] seconds. Id. at A114. Concepcion admits that he hit Sellnow, who later received at least four stitches in the forehead. Upon witnessing the fray from a nearby desk, Sargeant Larry Cole called a Code 33, which, according to Concepcion, means there’s a fight. Id. at A115. At this point, Concepcion claims that approximately thirty to forty officers began running towards him. In response, Concepcion ran in the opposite direction and jumped over the tier railing down to the first floor. Several officers caught and restrained Concepcion on the first floor. Corrections Officer George Phillips testified that it took four or five officers to place Concepcion in handcuffs. While restraining Concepcion, Phillips suffered a burn from a nearby boiler pipe. After he was restrained, Concepcion claims that Cole kicked him in the face and that Phillips stuck his nightstick in between Concepcion’s handcuffs, lifting him off his feet and into the air. Concepcion further claims that Phillips rammed his head into a cement wall, and that after Concepcion was taken to a detention cell, Phillips hit him in the forehead with a nightstick. As a result of the events described above, Concepcion was charged with committing a prohibited act (assaulting any person) in violation of Title 10A of the New Jersey Administrative Code, which subjects inmates to disciplinary action and sanctions for committing certain enumerated acts. See N.J. ADMIN. CODE tit. 10A, S 4-4.1(a).002 (2002). After a disciplinary hearing, the hearing officer found Concepcion guilty as charged and sanctioned him to 15 days detention, a 360-day loss of commutation time, and 365 days administrative segregation.