Opinion ID: 2785909
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: September 29 and October 2 Infractions

Text: On September 29, 2011, Officer Rizzo saw Mr. Goguen drinking black liquid from a cup. Officer Rizzo asked Mr. Goguen if he had a receipt for coffee; Mr. Goguen responded that he did not. Officer Rizzo told Mr. Goguen to dump it out, and, a few minutes later, Mr. Goguen complied. Mr. Goguen claims that the liquid was water and that it was the cup that was black. Officer Rizzo wrote a disciplinary report and a notice of infraction for a violation of C–04, “Giving, Receiving, or Swapping.” According to Mr. Goguen’s testimony, Officer Rizzo was on the upper tier, and he was on the lower tier when this ‐18‐ encounter occurred; Mr. Goguen asserts that the cup itself was “disgustingly black” and that Officer Rizzo refused to inspect it.19 Officer Meunier gave Mr. Goguen a notice of the September 29 infraction that same day. Officer Meunier spoke to Mr. Goguen and asked for his side of the story. The following day, Mr. Goguen received notice that a disciplinary hearing was scheduled for October 3, 2011. On October 2, 2011, Mr. Goguen was seen eating half of a sandwich while he had a full uneaten sandwich on his tray. A review of video showed that another inmate had pushed his tray to the center of the table and that Mr. Goguen removed the sandwich. Non-defendant Officer Baldinelli wrote a disciplinary report and a notice for a violation of C–14, “Unauthorized Food,”20 and Mr. Goguen received a copy of the notice. Nondefendant Officer Munn was assigned to investigate the incident and spoke to Mr. Goguen. Officer Munn told Mr. Goguen what the alleged violation was about. Mr. Goguen stated: “Ah f--k it”; he also stated that another inmate “threw us under the bus. I 19 R.83 (Goguen Dep.) at 79. 20 R.56-11 (SCJ Policy-“Inmate Discipline”) at 73. ‐19‐ don’t need to hear any more.”21 The following day, Mr. Goguen was given notice that a disciplinary hearing for the sandwich incident was scheduled for October 6, 2011. The disciplinary hearing for the coffee incident was held on October 3. Officer Jeffrey Jacques served as the hearing officer. Mr. Goguen testified at the hearing and stated that the liquid was water, not coffee. He had been given a few still photos to present as evidence at the hearing. Officer Jeffrey Jacques found Mr. Goguen guilty of the violation and imposed a one-day cell restriction. An inmate on cell restriction is allowed to come out of the cell to eat, to shower, and for appointments, but may not leave the cell for recreation. Mr. Goguen did not appeal this decision. The disciplinary hearing for the sandwich incident was held on October 6. Non-defendant Officer Michael Johnson was the hearing officer. Mr. Goguen pleaded guilty, and Officer Johnson imposed a four-hour cell restriction.