Braden v. City of Marion Illinois

CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Illinois
DecidedNovember 7, 2023
Docket3:23-cv-00298
StatusUnknown

This text of Braden v. City of Marion Illinois (Braden v. City of Marion Illinois) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Braden v. City of Marion Illinois, (S.D. Ill. 2023).

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS

TRAVIS WADE BRADEN,

Plaintiff, Case No. 23-cv-00298-SPM v.

CITY OF MARION ILLINOIS, TODD HUNTER, BENNY VICK, JANE AND JOHN DOES, AUSTIN HAYNES, DENNIS PINKERTON, MARILYN REYNOLDS, and WILLIAMSON COUNTY JAIL EMPLOYEES,

Defendants.

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

MCGLYNN, District Judge: Plaintiff Travis Braden, an inmate with the Illinois Department of Corrections, filed this action under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for alleged constitutional deprivations during his pretrial detention at Williamson County Jail. After filing the Complaint, Plaintiff filed a motion with the Court seeking to add exhibits to the Complaint. (Doc. 25). Generally, the Court does not allow piecemeal amendments and supplements to a complaint. An amended complaint supersedes and replaces the original complaint and renders the original void. See Flannery v. Recording Indus. Ass’n of Am., 354 F.3d 632, 638 n. 1 (7th Cir. 2004). However, as a onetime courtesy, the Court will allow Plaintiff to amend his Complaint to add exhibits. The motion to supplement is GRANTED. (Doc. 25). Going forward, Plaintiff is advised that an amended complaint must stand on its own and include all allegations against all defendants and any exhibits. Any attempts to file piecemeal addendums, supplements, notices that include additional allegations, or amendments will be stricken. This case is now before the Court for screening of the Complaint (Doc. 1) under 28 U.S.C. § 1915A. Any portion of the Complaint that is legally frivolous or malicious, fails to state a claim for relief, or requests money damages from an immune defendant must be dismissed. Id.

COMPLAINT Plaintiff alleges that from April 23, 2022, through May 17, 2022, he was held as a pretrial detainee at Williamson County Jail. (Doc. 1, p. 9). After being placed in general population, Plaintiff informed guards, John Doe 1 and John Doe 2, that he was feeling suicidal and asked “what could be done about speaking with a psychological physician.” One of the guards told Plaintiff that “they do not have any policies or procedures for that except to place [Plaintiff] in a suicide cell.” (Id.). The next day, Plaintiff stopped two guards, John Doe 3 and John Doe 4, and swallowed a six-inch e-cigarette containing a lithium battery in front of them. (Doc. 1, p. 9). The guards left laughing, and then came back and took Plaintiff to the “drunk tank cell.” Plaintiff repeatedly asked

to go to a hospital and to be seen by medical staff but was told no. Plaintiff was told he would stay in the cell until he passed the e-cigarette through normal digestion. The cell did not have a sink for water, an elevated bed, or a mattress. (Id. at p. 11). There was no toilet in the cell, and he had to be escorted through the lobby when he had to use the restroom or shower. (Id. at p. 17). Plaintiff was only provided a suicide blanket. (Id. at 11). Plaintiff remained in the isolation cell until May 17, 2022. (Id.). After a week in isolation, Plaintiff observed blood in his stool and showed the guards. (Doc. 1, p. 9). Plaintiff continued to be refused access to medical care and was not allowed to talk to anyone or file grievances. Plaintiff states he became “very afraid for [his] life and [his] health,”

and so he then swallowed a small clip he took from a restraint chair strap when he returned from the shower. (Id.). Plaintiff believed that after swallowing another item he would be taken to the hospital. (Id. at p. 10). However, he was again laughed at and placed into the restraint chair in his cell. Jail Administrator Todd Hunter, Lieutenant Dennis Pinkerton, Sheriff Benny Vick, Correctional Officer Austin Haynes, and other staff members crowded outside Plaintiff’s cell and

discussed a “punishment exercise for [his] behavior.” Plaintiff was placed in the restraint chair on a Friday, and Haynes told Plaintiff that as a punishment exercise he would not be released from the restraint chair until Monday, when Hunter returned to work. (Id.). Plaintiff states that his cousin and Haynes “have a very close relationship,” and so, Plaintiff made a “few homosexual remarks” about Haynes and his cousin in front of several staff members. (Doc. 1, p. 10). Haynes became furious and left the cell. Haynes later returned to check the restraints on the chair. Then before leaving, Haynes rubbed oleoresin capsicum (“OC spray”), the pepper spray substance, all over Plaintiff’s face. Another guard, John Doe 5, grabbed Plaintiff’s finger and “pushed it all the way backward in an attempt to break [his] finger.” (Id.). Plaintiff asked for medical attention and to be able to wash his face and was denied. (Id. at p. 11). Over the

weekend, Plaintiff was only allowed out of the restraints a handful of times for no longer than three minutes each time. (Id.). On Monday, Hunter came to the cell and released Plaintiff from the restraint chair. (Doc. 1, p. 11). Hunter told Plaintiff that if Plaintiff did anything further, he would be placed back in the chair. At some point, Plaintiff saw a friend, Jeffrey Watkins, who had posted bail and was leaving the jail. Plaintiff asked Watkins to notify his family that he was being denied medical treatment and had been assaulted. (Doc. 1, p. 11). The next evening, after three weeks of being denied medical care, an x-ray was taken. (Id.). The following day, Hunter came to Plaintiff’s cell and told him he was being given recognizance bail. (Id. at p. 12). Hunter said he had orders to take him to

Marion Hospital. Two guards then took Plaintiff to the hospital and in the parking lot told Plaintiff “to get medical help.” Plaintiff asserts that he received medical treatment because Watkins called the jail and threatened lawsuits. (Id.). PRELIMINARY DISMISSALS Plaintiff names as defendants Jane and John Does, described as correctional staff

employees at Williamson County Jail and Sheriff’s Office, and Williamson County Jail Employees, described as correctional staff and medical staff. While Plaintiff may use “John Doe” or “Jane Doe” to refer to parties whose names are unknown, he must still follow Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 8 pleading standards and include a short, plain statement of the case against that individual. Simply stating that a group of staff harmed him without providing more, is not sufficient to state a claim under the federal pleading standards. See FED. R. CIV. P. 8; Brooks v. Ross, 578 F.3d 574, 580 (7th Cir. 2009) (finding the phrase “one or more of the Defendants” did not adequately connect specific defendants to illegal acts, and thus failed to adequately plead personal involvement). Plaintiff describes the conduct of John Does 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 in the statement of claim, and therefore, the Clerk of Court will be directed to add these individual

defendants to the docket. He does not, however, identify particular acts or omissions by any other unknown individual who allegedly violated his constitutional rights. All claims against Jane and John Does and Williamson County Jail Employees are, therefore, dismissed. This includes the failure to protect claim against “Defendants John Does” and “staff” as articulated on page 20. The Court further dismisses the failure to protect claim asserted against Hunter and Pinkerton. (Doc. 1, p. 20). Plaintiff states that Hunter and Pinkerton colluded with Haynes to assault him.

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Bluebook (online)
Braden v. City of Marion Illinois, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/braden-v-city-of-marion-illinois-ilsd-2023.