Charron v. Medium SEC. Inst.

730 F. Supp. 987, 1989 WL 168777
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Missouri
DecidedApril 28, 1989
Docket86-1865 C(3)
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 730 F. Supp. 987 (Charron v. Medium SEC. Inst.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Missouri primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Charron v. Medium SEC. Inst., 730 F. Supp. 987, 1989 WL 168777 (E.D. Mo. 1989).

Opinion

730 F.Supp. 987 (1989)

Kenneth G. CHARRON, Sr., Plaintiff,
v.
The MEDIUM SECURITY INSTITUTION, et al., Defendants.

No. 86-1865 C(3).

United States District Court, E.D. Missouri, E.D.

April 28, 1989.

*988 *989 Kenneth G. Charron, Sr., Jefferson City, Mo., pro se.

Randall E. Gusdorf, Sachs and Miller, St. Louis, Mo., Court-appointed, for plaintiff.

Brian S. Witherspoon, Sheryl Johnson, Associate City Counselor, St. Louis, Mo., for defendants.

MEMORANDUM

HUNGATE, District Judge.

This matter is before the Court to determine the merits of plaintiff's claims after a one and a half day trial before the Court sitting without a jury.

Plaintiff, a Missouri state prisoner now serving one life sentence plus thirty years for forcible rape, second degree robbery, and second degree burglary, brings this cause of action under 42 U.S.C. § 1985(3) (Count V); and, pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983, claims violations of (a) his eighth and fourteenth amendment rights to be free from cruel and unusual punishment (Count I); (b) his fourteenth amendment rights to due process (Count II) and equal protection (Count IV), as well as his fifth amendment right to due process (Count II); (c) his first and fourteenth amendment rights to free speech and association (Count III); and (d) his thirteenth amendment right to be free from involuntary servitude and fourteenth amendment rights with respect to a requirement that plaintiff work in the workhouse kitchen (Count VI).

In general, plaintiff asserts he was a pretrial detainee at the city workhouse from August 21, 1984, to December 6, 1984, and as such was assigned to the workhouse kitchen as "potwasher" under the supervision of William Collee. On September 9, 1984, the allegedly unstable kitchen sink slid off its support and injured plaintiff. Plaintiff was taken by ambulance to St. Louis City Hospital where he was examined by x-ray and otherwise, received stitches, was given crutches and pain medication, and was directed to participate in physical therapy. Plaintiff alleges that thereafter, defendants arbitrarily and capriciously deprived plaintiff of the prescribed medication, the prescribed therapy, the prompt attention of a physician, sick call, and a return to the hospital.

Approximately one and one-half months later, plaintiff alleges, William Collee ordered plaintiff to return to work. Upon plaintiff's refusal to obey defendant Vada Anderson's direct order that plaintiff work as a "potwasher," defendant Anderson ordered plaintiff to "report to the `hole' (punitive segregation)," where plaintiff allegedly remained for six days without a hearing. During this six-day period, plaintiff was allegedly denied sick call, visits, phone calls, writing materials, access to the law library, and, thus, access to the courts. Plaintiff further alleges that as a white resident of the workhouse, he was subjected to "arbitrary and invidious treatment by [predominantly black] workhouse personnel due to his race." Plaintiff generally alleges all defendants conspired to deprive plaintiff of his federally protected rights. Plaintiff specifically alleges only defendants Claude Woodson, Maurice Harris, Herbert Casey, Jeanette Arnold, Phillip McLucas, Paul Berra, Madeline Percich, Edward Thomas, Vada Anderson, Jean Caramana, and Mark Blumenthal are involved in the conspiracy under 42 U.S.C. § 1985(3). *990 Plaintiff also generally alleges that defendants' acts and omissions were due to official "policies, rules, regulations and customs."

Having carefully considered the pleadings, trial testimony, exhibits, admissions, and memoranda, the Court makes and enters the following findings of fact and conclusions of law.

Findings of Fact

1. During all times relevant to this action, plaintiff Kenneth G. Charron, Sr., was a pretrial detainee at the Medium Security Institution of the City of St. Louis ("workhouse") from August 21, 1984, to December 6, 1984.

2. Defendant City of St. Louis was in 1984, and is currently, a municipal corporation, duly existing according to law. The City of St. Louis maintained the workhouse to preserve the safety of its citizenry, inmates, and detainees.

3. Defendant Division of Adult Correctional Services of the City of St. Louis was a sub-agency of the City in 1984. The responsibilities of this agency included the general welfare of the residents housed in the workhouse.

4. Defendant Department of Welfare of the City of St. Louis operated a Division of Adult Correctional Services and Adjustment Committee in 1984.

5. Defendant Medium Security Institution of the City of St. Louis, Missouri, is a penal institution. The responsibilities of this institution included providing shelter, safety, protection, and medical care for the detainees and prisoners housed in the institution.

6. Defendant St. Louis Department of Health was an agency of the City of St. Louis. The responsibilities of this agency in 1984 included the enforcement of the City's health and safety code within the workhouse in order to provide for the safety of the detainees and prisoners.

7. At all times relevant to this action, defendant Charles O'Neal was a food service health inspector for the St. Louis Health Division-Food Control Service. O'Neal was responsible for periodic inspections of the kitchen equipment and reporting violations to the workhouse for compliance with the City's health and safety code.

8. At all times relevant to this action, defendant Commissioner Edward Tripp was the Commissioner of Adult Correctional Services of the City of St. Louis, and was employed by the City of St. Louis, Missouri. The Commissioner's job description is defined as being:

Under administrative direction; performs work of unusual difficulty in planning, organizing, and directing the operation and maintenance of City penal institutions.

The Commissioner has

[c]omprehensive knowledge of the principles, methods, and techniques of penal institution management and parole and probation work; comprehensive knowledge of the legal requirements and court procedures pertaining to penal institutional work.

9. At all times relevant to this action, defendant Maurice Harris was the building maintenance supervisor of the Medium Security Institution and Correctional Work Program supervisor. His responsibilities included the maintenance and upkeep of the workhouse and the work equipment in a satisfactory operating condition. All notifications and requests for needed repairs at the workhouse were to be directed to Harris, and he was responsible for the requested repairs and maintenance.

10. At all times relevant to this action, defendant Dr. Mark Blumenthal was the official physician for the workhouse, and his duties included the medical treatment and medical welfare of the detainees and prisoners. Blumenthal also supervised the dispensing of prescription drugs by and through the nurses under his supervision.

11. At all times relevant to this action, defendant Jean Caramana was the head nurse of the workhouse, and she was responsible, in conjunction with the jail physician, for the medical care of plaintiff while at the workhouse.

*991 12.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
730 F. Supp. 987, 1989 WL 168777, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/charron-v-medium-sec-inst-moed-1989.