Opinion ID: 3013608
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Burkholder’s Claims Against O fficer Parcell

Text: Burkholder has made only one claim against Officer Parcell – that Parcell would “blow kisses” to Burkholder, causing him to fear that Officer Parcell was going to sexually assault him. This conduct, while unprofessional if it is true, does not state a claim under §1983. It is well established that “[a]llegations of threats or verbal harassment, without injury or damage, do not state a claim under 42 U.S.C. §1983.” Ramirez v. Holmes, 921 F. Supp. 204, 210 (S.D.N.Y. 1996). See Patton v. Przybylski, 822 F.2d 697 (7th Cir. 1987) (holding that mere derogatory remarks do not make out a constitutional violation); Ivey v. Wilson, 832 F.2d 950, 955 (6th Cir. 1987) (explaining 5 that verbal threats will not violate the Fourteenth Amendment unless accompanied by physical force or a present ability to effectuate them); Gaut v. Sunn, 810 F.2d 923, 925 (9th Cir. 1987) (ruling that “it trivializes the eighth amendment to believe a threat constitutes a constitutional wrong”). Section 1983 claims are based on constitutional violations and have a different threshold level than a simple tort action. Burton v. Livingston, 791 F.2d 97, 99 (8th Cir. 1986). Simply blowing kisses to an inmate does not make out a constitutional cause of action.