Opinion ID: 1404492
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Fortner

Text: Fortner was driving the van transporting Brown. Fortner states in his brief, There is no dispute that Fortner did not place plaintiff in a seatbelt despite Brown, and other inmates, requesting that he do so. This admission acknowledges two facts: 1) Brown requested a seatbelt and 2) Fortner did not secure Brown with a seatbelt. Fortner asserts these are the only facts on which Brown's § 1983 claim rests and argues that failing to secure a seatbelt is insufficient to constitute a constitutional violation. Fortner's characterization of the evidence is incorrect. In addition to the failure to fasten Brown's seatbelt, Brown presents evidence of Fortner's reckless driving. Brown has offered evidence that Fortner was driving in excess of the speed limit, following too closely to the lead van, crossing over double-yellow lines, and passing non-convoy cars when the road markings clearly prohibited doing so. Further, Brown has presented evidence showing that the inmates riding in Fortner's van asked him to slow down, and Fortner ignored their requests. [1] The evidence Brown presented makes the instant case quite similar to Morgan, 39 F.3d 1184, 1994 WL 610993,. In Morgan, the plaintiff alleged the officer transporting him in the rear of a patrol car refused to let him wear a seatbelt, drove at a high rate of speed in bad weather, refused to slow down despite the requests to do so, and taunted him for being scared under the circumstances. Id. This court found the plaintiff to have alleged facts sufficient to support a conclusion that [the transporting officer] manifested deliberate indifference for [the inmate's] safety, and thus entitle[d][him] to relief. Id. Although Morgan is an unpublished per curiam opinion and we are not bound to follow it under Eighth Circuit Rule 32.1A, the panel deciding the earlier appeal in this case relied upon Morgan, see Brown, 353 F.3d at 1040, and we choose to do so, as well. As in Morgan, the facts presented regarding Fortner's conduct provide sufficient grounds to conclude Fortner's actions created a substantial risk of harm to Brown, and Fortner knew of and disregarded the risk he created. The uncontested evidence indicates Fortner knew Brown was shackled and restrained in a manner that prevented him from securing his own seatbelt. Nonetheless, Fortner rejected Brown's request for a seatbelt. Fortner drove recklessly and ignored requests by the inmate passengers in his van for him to slow down. From this evidence, a reasonable jury could conclude that there was a substantial risk of harm to Brown and that Fortner knew of and disregarded the substantial risk harm. As such, Brown has presented sufficient evidence that Fortner's actions may have violated the Eighth Amendment prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment.