Bustamonte v. Castillon

District Court, N.D. California·Decided May 26, 2023·No. 5:22-cv-04725·Unknown

Opinion

1 2 3 4 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 5 NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 6 7 ISRAEL BUSTAMONTE, Case No. 22-cv-04725-VKD

8 Plaintiff, ORDER OF SERVICE; CASE 9 v. MANAGEMENT SCHEDULE; INSTRUCTIONS TO CLERK 10 T CASTILLON, et al.,

Defendants. 11

12 13 Pro se plaintiff Israel Bustamonte, a state prisoner, filed this civil rights action against a 14 correctional officer and medical staff at the Salinas Valley State Prison (“SVSP”), where he is 15 currently incarcerated. Dkt. No. 1. The Court screened the complaint and found it was deficient 16 because the claim of deliberate indifference against defendants Bermudez and Johnson was not 17 adequately pled, did not explain what injunctive relief he was seeking, and did not state on what 18 basis he was suing Defendants. The Court gave Mr. Bustamonte leave to amend to correct these 19 deficiencies. Dkt. No. 10. Mr. Bustamonte filed an amended complaint. Dkt. No. 11. 20 The amended complaint no longer includes defendants Bermudez and Johnson, it clearly 21 indicates that Mr. Bustamonte is suing defendants in their individual capacities, id. ¶ 19, and it 22 includes no request for injunctive relief, id. ¶ 83. Mr. Bustamonte has addressed the deficiencies 23 identified in his earlier pleading. 24 I. BACKGROUND 25 Mr. Bustamonte is currently confined at SVSP. Dkt. No. 11 ¶ 1. He brings this action 26 against Correctional Officer T. Castillon for injuries he suffered during a “riot/melee” among 27 inmates on September 28, 2021, in one of the yards at SVSP. Id. ¶¶ 13, 20-24. Mr. Bustamonte 1 injuries. Id. ¶¶ 14-16, 26-51. With respect to this medical claim, Mr. Bustamonte names the 2 following as defendants: F. Ssempewa (RN), Phuc Le (RN), F. Montegrande (RN), L. Muriith 3 (RN), and Dr. Michael Moller. Id. ¶¶ 10, 14-15. 4 Mr. Bustamonte alleges that as soon as the riot broke out, he attempted to move away from 5 the area where the riot was taking place. Id. ¶¶ 20-22. Officers on the scene discharged pepper 6 smoke which caused him to cough and impaired his vision. Id. ¶ 22. He also heard loud bangs 7 from officers discharging their weapons. Id. When Mr. Bustamonte heard an officer close by yell, 8 “get down,” he turned his back to the officer to comply while keeping both arms up in the air. Id. 9 ¶ 23. Mr. Bustamonte claims that he then “out of nowhere lost conscious[ness] and all went 10 dark,” and that the next thing he recalls is being placed in the back of an ambulance. Id. ¶ 24. Mr. 11 Bustamonte alleges that Officer Castillon, who was the gun tower officer for D-Yard 5 block at 12 the time, deliberately shot him on the right side of his face with a rubber bullet from the tower 13 window, which was approximately 30 to 40 feet away. Id.; see also id. ¶ 57. An unidentified 14 officer noticed the wound on Mr. Bustamonte’s face and called for medical attention. Id. ¶ 26. 15 Defendants Nurse Bermudez and Nurse Ssempewa arrived. Id. Mr. Bustamonte says that Nurse 16 Bermudez only directed that he be taken to SVSP’s Critical Treatment Center after several inmates 17 yelled at the officers and nurses that he needed medical treatment at a hospital. Id. ¶ 27. 18 Mr. Bustamonte required treatment at the hospital where it was determined from a CT scan 19 and X-rays that he had suffered head injuries including bruising, several fractures, and a 20 laceration. Id. ¶¶ 29-34. After several hours at the hospital, he was transported back to SVSP. Id. 21 ¶¶ 34. 22 Mr. Bustamonte claims he experienced severe pain, vomiting, dizziness, and disorientation 23 in the days that followed his injuries. Id. ¶ 36. On October 1, 2021, he saw defendant Nurse 24 Montegrande for a follow-up. Id. ¶ 37. Mr. Bustamonte informed Nurse Montegrande that he was 25 in severe pain, it hurt to chew food and swallow water, and that the pain medication was not 26 sufficient. Id. ¶ 38. Nurse Montegrande informed him that he would receive surgery soon, but 27 that he would not be given more drugs (other than the “T-3s” already prescribed) because of Mr. 1 ordered. Id. ¶ 40. 2 On October 4, 2021, Mr. Bustamonte saw defendant Nurse Ssempewa. Id. ¶ 41. Mr. 3 Bustamonte informed Nurse Ssempewa that he had severe pain on the right side of his face, he 4 could not chew regular food, and that he had not yet received the “soft food diet”; he also asked 5 about his scheduled surgery. Id. Nurse Ssempewa replied that he could do nothing about the food 6 diet, that he would not provide “a fix to druggies,” and that the surgery was scheduled. Id. ¶ 42. 7 On October 5, 2021, Mr. Bustamonte saw defendant Nurse Phuc Le, whom he informed 8 that he was in severe pain, the vision in his right eye was blurry, and that he had lost some hearing 9 in his right ear. Id. ¶ 44. He also informed Nurse Le that he had not eaten in the last few days and 10 had not yet received his soft food diet. Id. ¶ 45. Nurse Le informed him that the soft food order 11 was there and that he should be getting his surgery within a couple of days. Id. Mr. Bustamonte 12 was sent back to his cell in severe pain. Id. ¶ 46. 13 On or about October 6, 2021, Mr. Bustamonte saw defendant Nurse Muriith. Id. ¶ 47. He 14 informed Nurse Muriith that he had not eaten a proper meal in over a week and that he was feeling 15 dizzy and disoriented; he requested a soft food diet meal. Id. Nurse Muriith informed Mr. 16 Bustamonte that he was there to perform tests prior to surgery, and that any other medical issues 17 had to be taken up with his primary care provider (“PCP”). Id. Mr. Bustamonte was sent back to 18 his cell still in severe pain and worsening condition. Id. ¶ 48. 19 A few days later, Mr. Bustamonte saw his PCP, defendant Dr. Michael Moller. Id. ¶ 49. 20 Mr. Bustamonte informed Dr. Moller that he was in severe pain, losing vision and hearing on his 21 right side, and had dizzy periods and severe headaches. Id. He also informed Dr. Moller that he 22 had not yet received a soft food diet and been eating two slices of bread soaked in water each day. 23 Id. Dr. Moller informed him that a soft food diet had been recommended and that he would 24 approve surgery for Mr. Bustamonte, after which, he would consider whether other medical 25 procedures were needed. Id. ¶ 50. Mr. Bustamonte was sent back to his cell. Id. 26 Mr. Bustamonte alleges that he was denied any surgery for his severe injuries for over a 27 year and that he never received a soft food diet, not even after he received surgery. Id. at ¶ 51. He 1 II. STANDARD OF REVIEW 2 A federal court must conduct a preliminary screening in any case in which a prisoner seeks 3 redress from a governmental entity or officer or employee of a governmental entity. See 28 U.S.C. 4 § 1915A(a). A court may dismiss a case filed without the payment of the filing fee whenever it 5 determines that the action “(i) is frivolous or malicious; (ii) fails to state a claim on which relief 6 may be granted; or (iii) seeks monetary relief against a defendant who is immune from such 7 relief.” 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B)(i)-(iii). In conducting its review, the Court must identify any 8 cognizable claims and dismiss any claims that are frivolous, malicious, fail to state a claim upon 9 which relief may be granted, or seek monetary relief from a defendant who is immune from such 10 relief. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b)(1), (2). Pro se pleadings must be liberally construed. See 11 Balistreri v. Pacifica Police Dep’t, 901 F.2d 696, 699 (9th Cir. 1988); Jackson v. Carey, 353 F.3d 12 750, 757 (9th Cir. 2003).

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