Opinion ID: 164328
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: District Court’s Summary Judgment Decision

Text: Shortly thereafter, the district court issued an Order granting the summary judgment motions of the remaining defendants – Sheriff John Whetsel and Deputy Sheriff Russell Deer. In so doing, the district court determined no genuine issues of fact existed as to Deputy Deer’s liability under § 1983. Specifically, the district court determined that, other than stating Deputy Deer was in charge of all administrative operations at the facility, Mr. Dittmeyer failed to present “a scintilla of evidence that would establish [Deputy] Deer was deliberately indifferent to his health and safety.” As to Sheriff Whetsel, the district court issued a more thorough analysis of the claims against him both individually and in his official capacity, and the reasons for granting summary judgment in his favor. First, the district court briefly concluded that, while a delay occurred in the medical treatment to Mr. Dittmeyer’s injured jaw, it could not find facts tantamount to the “deliberate -7- indifference” and the “unnecessary and wanton infliction of pain” standards pronounced by the United States Supreme Court in Estelle v. Gamble, 429 U.S. 97, 104 (1976), and in Wilson v. Seiter, 501 U.S. 294, 297 (1991). In addressing Mr. Dittmeyer’s other claims, the district court first concluded he failed to show Sheriff Whetsel knew of any claimed denial of law library access or otherwise failed to correct it. As to his allegations about the unsanitary conditions of his cell, the district court noted Mr. Dittmeyer received the cleaning products he requested and that even if the initial condition of his cell violated state jail standards, the conditions merely amounted to “negligence,” and therefore, were insufficient to impose § 1983 liability. Similarly, the district court rejected Mr. Dittmeyer’s claims on the dangerous conditions of his confinement. Before rejecting these claims, the district court first determined: 1) the detention facility violated statutorily imposed standards; 2) Sheriff Whetsel knew dangerous conditions prevailed at the facility; and 3) he failed to take reasonable measures to ensure the safety of prisoners within his care. The unsafe conditions cited by the district court included inadequate sight checks, unsecured cell doors, razors in cells, overcrowding, understaffed and unsanitary facilities, and substantial delays in -8- prisoners receiving medical attention. Despite these conclusions, the district court determined the conditions of confinement alleged by Mr. Dittmeyer amounted only to “negligence,” which under Daniels v. Williams, 474 U.S. 327, 328, 332-34 (1986), is insufficient to establish liability under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. In addition, relying on Verdecia v. Adams, 327 F.3d 1171 (10th Cir. 2003), the district court reasoned that Sheriff Whetsel’s actions did not constitute “deliberate indifference,” which requires that his conduct was “‘in disregard of a known or obvious risk that was so great as to make it highly probable that harm would follow,’ or that the conduct ‘disregards a known or obvious risk that is very likely to result in the violation of a prisoner’s constitutional rights.’” Id. at 1176 (quoting Berry v. City of Muskogee, 900 F.2d 1489, 1494 (10th Cir. 1990)). Following this reasoning, the district court determined Mr. Dittmeyer failed to show Sheriff Whetsel subjectively knew of the risk these conditions might pose to him when he was assaulted, or that he was deliberately indifferent to that risk. Verdecia, 327 F.3d at 1176. Similarly, the district court concluded Mr. Dittmeyer failed to show Sheriff Whetsel should have known to segregate him from certain other inmates. The district court pointed out that the only notice of attacks on other inmates consisted -9- of a letter and affidavit, referring to events prior to Mr. Dittmeyer’s attack, after which modifications were immediately undertaken to resolve the problems. As to the issue of qualified immunity, the district court outlined the applicable standards and concluded Sheriff Whetsel did not commit a constitutional violation of an established right.