Opinion ID: 780379
Heading Depth: 5
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Sergeant Donald Berry

Text: 56 Lieutenant Moroney designated Sergeant Berry as the SRT's tactical commander. Plaintiffs allege that Berry led the SRT into DR-4 and was present during the cell extractions. Although he did not observe any officer using excessive force on an inmate, Berry did witness three SRT members making comments such as this is the guy I want and I want to beat his ass near the cell of a prisoner who is not a plaintiff. Berry did not admonish the officers. Plaintiffs have not submitted proof that [Berry had] a culpable state of mind — that the action or failure to act was to some degree deliberate rather than inadvertent. Hays, 668 F.2d at 873. On the basis of the evidence that he witnessed SRT members making comments about another inmate, a reasonable jury could, at most, conclude that Berry was negligent. Absent a showing that he encouraged or directly participated in the use of excessive force against plaintiffs, Berry was entitled to summary judgment.