Opinion ID: 783723
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Carrizales's motion

Text: 10 Scicluna testified in his deposition that he told Carrizales of the conflict situation with O'Sullivan and of the relevant MDOC regulations. Carrizales, however, claims that the record fails to support a finding of deliberate indifference because there is no documentary evidence supporting Scicluna's deposition testimony. But documentary evidence is not essential to overcome a motion for summary judgment. Other sources of evidence, such as deposition testimony, may suffice. See Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(C) (stating that the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits are considered in determining whether there is a genuine issue as to any material fact). Viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to Scicluna establishes that Carrizales was told that O'Sullivan presented a serious threat to the safety of Scicluna, and that, in knowing disregard of MDOC regulations, Carrizales took no action to segregate the two inmates even though he was conscious of the risk that his failure to act imposed upon Scicluna. 11 Carrizales argues, alternatively, that no reasonable government official in 1992 could have known that failure to follow up on general information pertaining to an inmate-housing conflict situation would expose the official to liability. But Carrizales, according to Scicluna, had before him far more than general information concerning the conflict. Both Scicluna and his sister had allegedly informed Carrizales that O'Sullivan posed a specific threat to Scicluna. In addition, MDOC had issued directives requiring the segregation of former codefendants, such as Scicluna and O'Sullivan, because of the risk of assault, and had warned officials that they could be found personally liable for not following MDOC policy. Scicluna, consequently, was a member of an identifiable group of prisoners for whom risk of assault was a serious problem. . . . Marsh v. Arn, 937 F.2d 1056, 1062 (6th Cir.1991) (contrasting the plaintiff in Marsh, who was not a member of an identifiable risk group, with the plaintiff in Walsh v. Mellas, 837 F.2d 789 (7th Cir.1988), who was a member of such an identifiable group). 12 If the law was clearly established, the immunity defense ordinarily should fail, since a reasonably competent public official should know the law governing his conduct. Harlow, 457 U.S. at 818-19, 102 S.Ct. 2727. A constitutional right is clearly established where a reasonable official would understand that what he is doing violates that right. Anderson v. Creighton, 483 U.S. 635, 640, 107 S.Ct. 3034, 97 L.Ed.2d 523 (1987). In light of these legal principles and the facts as asserted by Scicluna, the district court did not err in denying Carrizales's motion for summary judgment on qualified immunity grounds.