Braxton v. United States of America

CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Pennsylvania
DecidedJune 23, 2023
Docket4:23-cv-00089
StatusUnknown

This text of Braxton v. United States of America (Braxton v. United States of America) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Braxton v. United States of America, (M.D. Pa. 2023).

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA

SAVINO BRAXTON, : CIVIL ACTION NO. 4:23-CV-89 : Plaintiff : (Judge Conner) : v. : : UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, et al., : : Defendants :

MEMORANDUM

This is a prisoner civil rights case in which plaintiff, Savino Braxton, alleges tort claims against the United States pursuant to the Federal Tort Claims Act (“FTCA”) and civil rights claims pursuant to Bivens v. Six Unknown Named Agents of Federal Bureau of Narcotics, 403 U.S. 388 (1971) against individual defendants employed by the United States Bureau of Prisons (“BOP”), the United States Department of Justice (“DOJ”), and several United States District Courts. This court previously dismissed with prejudice all claims against our colleague, Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann, finding that Chief Judge Brann is entitled to absolute judicial immunity from Braxton’s claims. We have now screened Braxton’s remaining claims pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915A and conclude that they fail to state a claim upon which relief may be granted. Braxton’s negligence claims against defendants Schindler and the United States arising from Schindler’s alleged failure to diagnose Braxton’s multiple myeloma will be dismissed without prejudice. All other claims will be dismissed with prejudice. I. Factual Background & Procedural History

Braxton filed his complaint on January 9, 2023, and the court received and docketed the complaint on January 17, 2023. (Doc. 1). The complaint raises FTCA and Bivens claims based on defendants’ allegedly inadequate response to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the complaint, Braxton was confined in FCI-Danbury in Danbury, Connecticut in March 2020 when he contracted COVID-19. (Id. at 14). Defendant Schindler, a doctor in the prison, treated him for the virus. (Id.) Upon examining Braxton, Schindler allegedly determined that his COVID-19 infection had exacerbated a dormant case of sarcoidosis. (Id. at 15). Schindler prescribed

him Prednisone to treat the rashes and inflammation caused by the sarcoidosis. (Id.) The Prednisone temporarily relieved Braxton’s symptoms, but he allegedly has continued to experience rashes since that time. (Id.) On March 26, 2020, defendant William Barr, who was then serving as United States Attorney General, allegedly issued a memorandum directing BOP facilities to consider transferring some inmates to home confinement in response to the

pandemic. (Id.) The next day, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, which granted the BOP greater authority to transfer inmates to home confinement. (Id. at 15-16). Braxton requested that the BOP transfer him to home confinement pursuant to the CARES Act and additionally filed a motion for compassionate release in the court that sentenced him to his federal sentence, the United States District Court for the District of Maryland. (Id. at 18). Defendant United States District Judge James K. Bredar allegedly granted the motion in part and reduced the total term of Braxton’s sentence, but did not release him to home confinement. (Id.) In October 2020, Braxton was scheduled to be transferred from FCI-Danbury

to USP-Lewisburg in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. (Id. at 19). As part of this transfer, Braxton was temporarily housed in Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center (“MDC-Brooklyn”) from October 2020 to December 2020. (Id. at 20). Braxton was placed in quarantine when he arrived in the prison because several inmates who were transported with him tested positive for COVID-19. (Id.) Braxton filed a petition for writ of habeas corpus in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York during his confinement in MDC-Brooklyn. (Id. at 22).

Braxton was transferred to USP-Lewisburg in December 2020. (Id. at 9). He was placed in quarantine upon arriving at the prison and was released from quarantine in January 2021. (Id. at 22). Braxton’s habeas corpus petition in the Eastern District of New York was dismissed as moot in April 2020 by defendant United States District Judge Margo K. Brodie. (Id. at 23). In May 2021, Braxton began experiencing symptoms that he attributed to

long-term complications from his March 2020 COVID-19 infection. (Id. at 24). USP- Lewisburg’s head physician, Dr. Lee diagnosed him with long COVID and multiple myeloma. (Id.) Braxton alleges that defendant Schindler “knew or should have known of the multiple myeloma if it existed” when she treated Braxton in March 2020. (Id.) Braxton requested transfer to home confinement shortly after his multiple myeloma diagnosis, but defendant Spaulding, the warden at USP-Lewisburg, denied the request. (Id. at 24). Braxton then filed a petition for writ of habeas corpus in this district, which was assigned to Chief Judge Brann. (Id.) Braxton submitted an additional request for release to home confinement in February 2022.

(Id. at 25). The BOP approved the request in March 2022, but the approval was allegedly overturned by the BOP’s central office in April 2022. (Id. at 25-26). The complaint asserts claims for deliberate indifference to a serious medical need, civil conspiracy, and negligence. (Id. at 26-35). The claims are based on defendants’ alleged failure or refusal to transfer Braxton to home confinement. (Id.) We also liberally construe the complaint as asserting that defendant Schindler provided inadequate medical care to Braxton to treat his COVID-19 and multiple

myeloma. (See id.) The complaint names as defendants: (1) the United States; (2) Judges Bredar, Brodie, and Brann; (3) former Attorney General Barr and current Attorney General Merrick Garland; and (4) BOP officials Schindler, Spaulding, Michael Carvajal, Diane Easter, H. Tellez, and Collette Peters. (Id. at 1). The complaint does not assert any claims against Lee and does not name him as a defendant. The complaint seeks damages, injunctive relief, and declaratory relief.

(Id. at 35-36). Braxton filed a motion for discovery and a motion to appoint counsel on the same day as his complaint.1 (Docs. 3-4). Braxton additionally filed an incomplete application to proceed in forma pauperis. (Doc. 2). The Clerk of Court issued a 30- day administrative order on January 18, 2023, stating that the case would be

1 These motions are addressed in separate orders on the date of this opinion. dismissed without prejudice if Braxton failed to pay the requisite filing fee or file a complete application for leave to proceed in forma pauperis within 30 days. (Doc. 6). The court conducted an expedited review of Braxton’s claims against Chief

Judge Brann pursuant to Standing Order 19-06 on January 18, 2023, to determine whether transfer to another district was necessary.2 (Doc. 7). The court determined that Chief Judge Brann is entitled to absolute judicial immunity, dismissed the claims against him with prejudice, and declined to transfer the case. (Id.) Braxton moved for reconsideration on February 6, 2023. (Doc. 8). After receiving an extension of time from the court, Braxton moved for leave to proceed in forma pauperis on April 11, 2023. (Doc. 13). The court denied the

motion on April 12, 2023, finding that Braxton had sufficient funds to pay the filing fee. (Doc. 16). The court ordered him to pay the fee within 21 days or the case would be dismissed without prejudice. (Id.) Braxton filed a response on May 2, 2023 in which he represented that he was recently released to home confinement

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Braxton v. United States of America, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/braxton-v-united-states-of-america-pamd-2023.