Opinion ID: 780359
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Defendant Berbary

Text: 25 Superintendent Berbary overturned Brock's claim, accepted by the initial grievance committee, that Brock should receive a dermatology consult. The sole reason Berbary gave in his denial was that the request had been denied by the Regional Medical Director, Dr. O'Connell. 26 Berbary's automatic and complete deference to the very decision Brock grieved is not, by itself, sufficient evidence that Berbary was deliberately indifferent to Brock's serious medical needs. Berbary had no medical training. There is no proof that he was aware that DOCS policy or O'Connell's decision was not protective of Brock's well-being, nor need this conclusion have been obvious to him. Even if we assume that he was aware of the full extent of Brock's condition, there is no evidence that could lead one to suspect that Berbary understood that an outside consultation would be necessary or even useful. This is especially so given the fact that O'Connell had clearly indicated that it would not. At most, Brock's contention that Berbary should not have deferred to O'Connell amounts to an allegation of negligence. But negligence is not deliberate indifference. We, therefore, affirm the district court's grant of summary judgment to Berbary.