Brown v. Marion Co. Detention Center

CourtDistrict Court, D. South Carolina
DecidedMarch 23, 2020
Docket4:18-cv-02138
StatusUnknown

This text of Brown v. Marion Co. Detention Center (Brown v. Marion Co. Detention Center) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. South Carolina primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Brown v. Marion Co. Detention Center, (D.S.C. 2020).

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF SOUTH CAROLINA

Gary Lee Brown, C/A No. 4:18-cv-2138-JFA-TER

Plaintiff,

vs. ORDER Nurse Boatwright, LT., Chris Woodberry, Sgt. Smithy, Prvt. Godwin, Prvt. Brandon Davis, Director Chuck Page,

Defendant.

I. INTRODUCTION Plaintiff Gary Lee Brown, (“Plaintiff”) a self-represented state prisoner, brings this action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 alleging violations of his constitutional rights. In accordance with 28 U.S.C. § 636(b) and Local Civil Rule 73.02(B)(2) (D.S.C.), the case was referred to the Magistrate Judge for pretrial proceedings. After a period of discovery, Defendant Nurse Boatwright (“Defendant” or “Boatwright”) moved for summary judgment on June 17, 2019. (ECF No. 92). After receiving Plaintiff’s memorandum opposing the motion (ECF No. 105), Defendant filed a reply brief. (ECF No. 106). Thereafter, Plaintiff filed a sur-reply1 (ECF No. 113) and Defendant moved to strike the sur-reply. (ECF No. 114). After reviewing

1 Within the sur-reply, Plaintiff alleged that he did not receive a copy of Boatwright’s individual motion for summary judgment but included arguments as to her actions in response to other named defendants’ motion. He then set forth arguments in opposition to Boatwright’s motion specifically. these submissions, the Magistrate Judge assigned to this action2 prepared a thorough Report and Recommendation (“Report”). (ECF No. 123). Within the Report, the Magistrate Judge opines that Defendant’s motion for summary judgment should be granted in all respects.

The Report sets forth, in detail, the relevant facts and standards of law on this matter, and this Court incorporates those facts and standards without a recitation. Plaintiff filed objections to the Report on March 2, 2020 (ECF No. 134) to which Defendant filed a response. (ECF No. 137). Therefore, this matter is ripe for review. II. LEGAL STANDARD

The court is charged with making a de novo determination of those portions of the Report to which specific objections are made, and the court may accept, reject, or modify, in whole or in part, the recommendation of the Magistrate Judge, or recommit the matter to the Magistrate Judge with instructions. See 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1). However, a district court is only required to conduct a de novo review of the specific portions of the Magistrate

Judge’s Report to which an objection is made. See 28 U.S.C. § 636(b); Fed. R. Civ. P. 72(b); Carniewski v. W. Virginia Bd. of Prob. & Parole, 974 F.2d 1330 (4th Cir. 1992). In the absence of specific objections to portions of the Report of the Magistrate, this court is not required to give an explanation for adopting the recommendation. See Camby v. Davis, 718 F.2d 198, 199 (4th Cir. 1983). Thus, the court must only review those portions of the

2 The Magistrate Judge’s review is made in accordance with 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(B) and Local Civil Rule 73.02(B)(2)(d) (D.S.C.). The Magistrate Judge makes only a recommendation to this Court. The recommendation has no presumptive weight, and the responsibility to make a final determination remains with the Court. Mathews v. Weber, 423 U.S. 261 (1976). Report to which Petitioner has made a specific written objection. Diamond v. Colonial Life & Acc. Ins. Co., 416 F.3d 310, 316 (4th Cir. 2005). “An objection is specific if it ‘enables the district judge to focus attention on those

issues—factual and legal—that are at the heart of the parties’ dispute.’” Dunlap v. TM Trucking of the Carolinas, LLC, No. 0:15-cv-04009-JMC, 2017 WL 6345402, at *5 n.6 (D.S.C. Dec. 12, 2017) (citing One Parcel of Real Prop. Known as 2121 E. 30th St., 73 F.3d 1057, 1059 (10th Cir. 1996)). A specific objection to the Magistrate Judge’s Report thus requires more than a reassertion of arguments from the complaint or a mere citation

to legal authorities. See Workman v. Perry, No. 6:17-cv-00765-RBH, 2017 WL 4791150, at *1 (D.S.C. Oct. 23, 2017). A specific objection must “direct the court to a specific error in the magistrate’s proposed findings and recommendations.” Orpiano v. Johnson, 687 F.2d 44, 47 (4th Cir. 1982). “Generally stated, nonspecific objections have the same effect as would a failure to

object.” Staley v. Norton, No. 9:07-0288-PMD, 2007 WL 821181, at *1 (D.S.C. Mar. 2, 2007) (citing Howard v. Sec’y of Health and Human Servs., 932 F.2d 505, 509 (6th Cir. 1991)). The court reviews portions “not objected to—including those portions to which only ‘general and conclusory’ objections have been made—for clear error.” Id. (emphasis added) (citing Diamond, 416 F.3d at 315; Camby, 718 F.2d at 200; Orpiano, 687 F.2d at

47). The legal standard employed in a motion for summary judgment is well-settled and correctly stated within the Report. Accordingly, that standard is incorporated herein without a recitation. III. DISCUSSION As stated above, the relevant facts and standards of law on this matter are incorporated from the Report. However, a brief recitation of the factual background is

necessary to analyze the objections. Because Plaintiff is proceeding pro se, the Court is charged with liberally construing the pleadings to allow Plaintiff to fully develop potentially meritorious cases. See Cruz v. Beto, 405 U.S. 319 (1972); Haines v. Kerner, 404 U.S. 519 (1972). Additionally, all facts and inferences to be drawn therefrom are viewed in the light most favorable to the Plaintiff. Shealy v. Winston, 929 F.2d 1009, 1011

(4th Cir. 1991). Plaintiff alleges that at all relevant times he was housed as a pretrial detainee at the Marion County Detention Center (“MCDC”). In the amended complaint, Plaintiff alleges that while housed at the MCDC, he was subjected to unlawful conditions of confinement, deliberate indifference to his serious medical needs, and negligence. (ECF No. 64).

Specifically, Plaintiff asserts that he was electrocuted when he came in contact with unprotected wires in his cell on January 23, 2018. He also asserts that he was denied proper medical care after being electrocuted in his cell. Specifically, as to Boatwright, Plaintiff alleges the following, quoted verbatim: Defendant Nurse Boatwright is the medical care provider at “MCDC.” The Defendant showed deliberate indifference to the Plaintiff’s serious medical needs when she failed to respond appropriately to his serious medical condition.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Haines v. Kerner
404 U.S. 519 (Supreme Court, 1972)
Cruz v. Beto
405 U.S. 319 (Supreme Court, 1972)
Mathews v. Weber
423 U.S. 261 (Supreme Court, 1976)
Gregg v. Georgia
428 U.S. 153 (Supreme Court, 1976)
Estelle v. Gamble
429 U.S. 97 (Supreme Court, 1976)
Daniels v. Williams
474 U.S. 327 (Supreme Court, 1986)
David E. Camby v. Larry Davis James M. Lester
718 F.2d 198 (Fourth Circuit, 1983)
Anthony Jackson v. Michael Fair
846 F.2d 811 (First Circuit, 1988)
Iko v. Shreve
535 F.3d 225 (Fourth Circuit, 2008)
Lamb v. Maschner
633 F. Supp. 351 (D. Kansas, 1986)
Brown v. Thompson
868 F. Supp. 326 (S.D. Georgia, 1994)
United States v. 2121 East 30th Street
73 F.3d 1057 (Tenth Circuit, 1996)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
Brown v. Marion Co. Detention Center, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/brown-v-marion-co-detention-center-scd-2020.