Opinion ID: 214080
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: O'Bryant's Retaliation Claims

Text: Under the circumstances of this case, we conclude that O'Bryant's retaliation claims fail for either of two independent reasons. First, an inmate cannot state a claim of retaliation for a disciplinary charge involving a prison rule infraction when the inmate was found guilty of the actual behavior underlying that charge after being afforded adequate due process. Second, and independent of his ability to state a retaliation claim, O'Bryant has not shown a causal connection between his earlier grievances and the disciplinary harm in this case. As to the first ground, we agree with the Eighth Circuit that a prisoner cannot maintain a retaliation claim when he is convicted of the actual behavioral violation underlying the alleged retaliatory false disciplinary report and there is evidence to sustain the conviction. See, e.g., Hartsfield v. Nichols, 511 F.3d 826, 829 (8th Cir.2008) (involving allegations of false disciplinary reports and concluding claims of retaliation fail if the alleged retaliatory conduct violations were issued for the actual violation of a prison rule); Henderson v. Baird, 29 F.3d 464, 469 (8th Cir.1994) (noting inmate alleged officer was lying but concluding that the finding of an actual violation of prison rules was based on some evidence of the violation and essentially checkmates [the prisoner's] retaliation claim); Orebaugh v. Caspari, 910 F.2d 526, 528 (8th Cir.1990) ([N]o claim can be stated when the alleged retaliation arose from discipline imparted for acts that a prisoner was not entitled to perform.). The Eighth Circuit explained that a defendant may successfully defend a retaliatory discipline claim by showing `some evidence' the inmate actually committed a rule violation. Hartsfield, 511 F.3d at 829. [15] The Eighth Circuit's conclusion essentially rests on these principles: (1) the inmate was charged with conduct that is not protected speech but actually violates a prison rule; and (2) the inmate is found guilty of the actual behavioral violation after being afforded adequate due process in the prison setting. We agree with these principles too. If a prisoner is found guilty of an actual disciplinary infraction after being afforded due process and there was evidence to support the disciplinary panel's fact finding, the prisoner cannot later state a retaliation claim against the prison employee who reported the infraction in a disciplinary report. Whether an inmate actually committed the charged infraction or whether the disciplinary report falsely accuses the inmate are questions of fact that are decided by the disciplinary panel. In the particular circumstances here, O'Bryant has suffered adverse action (here 30 days' disciplinary confinement) because he actually violated the prison rules and not because of his earlier grievances. To find otherwise would render the prison disciplinary system impotent by inviting prisoners to petition the courts for a full retrial each time they are found guilty of an actual disciplinary infraction after having filed a grievance. Because he was guilty of the disciplinary charges resulting in the disciplinary harm at issue, O'Bryant's retaliation claim fails. [16]