Opinion ID: 741909
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Involvement of Defendant Coughlin

Text: 17 The district court dismissed Sealey's claim against Coughlin because Sealey failed to allege sufficient personal involvement on Coughlin's part to make him liable under Section 1983. Sealey has not argued on appeal that this determination was incorrect. We agree that Sealey did not demonstrate that Coughlin was personally involved in depriving Sealey of any constitutional right. A supervisory official is liable for constitutional violations if he or she (1) directly participated in the violation; (2) failed to remedy the violation after learning of it through a report or appeal; (3) created a custom or policy fostering the violation or allowed the custom or policy to continue after learning of it; or (4) was grossly negligent in supervising subordinates who caused the violation. Williams v. Smith, 781 F.2d 319, 323-24 (2d Cir.1986). Sealey wrote two letters to Coughlin. Coughlin referred the first letter, Sealey's appeal from the second administrative segregation hearing, to defendant Selsky for decision. Sealey's second letter was a status inquiry to which Coughlin responded by informing Sealey that Selsky had rendered a decision. Sealey's letters and Coughlin's response do not demonstrate the requisite personal involvement on Coughlin's part, and we affirm the dismissal of Sealey's claims against Coughlin.