Ealy v. Briggs

District Court, M.D. Pennsylvania·Decided September 25, 2024·No. 3:24-cv-00126·Unknown

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA VERNON L. EALY, JR., : No. 3:24-CV-0126 Plaintiff : : (Judge Munley) V. : CHRISTOPHER SCHELL, et al., Defendants : SCRA □□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□ ED DEDEDE □□ DEDLELI DED LELELEELE SLIDELL LILELLILEDELIS @ 1: 2024s □□□□□□□ MEMORANDUM 2 □□ Pol “DEPUTY □□□□□ Plaintiff Vernon L. Ealy, Jr., initiated the above-captioned pro se action under 42 U.S.C. § 1983," alleging constitutional violations by officials at two county prisons. The court dismissed Ealy’s initial complaint for failure to state a claim upon which relief may be granted but provided him leave to amend. Ealy then filed an amended complaint limited to his claims against officials at Dauphin County Prison regarding insufficient medical care. Upon screening under 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(a), the court will dismiss in part Ealy’s amended complaint. BACKGROUND In his amended complaint, Ealy asserts that he is a pretrial detainee and that he was transferred to Dauphin County Prison (DCP) on July 11, 2023. (Doc. 21 79] 1, 10). He avers that, upon arrival at DCP, he was “sent to medical” for an

1 Section 1983 creates a private cause of action to redress constitutional wrongs committed by state officials. The statute is not a source of substantive rights; it serves as a mechanism fo vindicating rights otherwise protected by federal law. See Gonzaga Univ. v. Doe, 536 U.S. 273 284-85 (2002).

intake. (Id. J 10-11). There, “Intake Nurse Jane Doe” gathered his mental and physical health information while another nurse took his vitals. (Id. 11). Ealy recounts that he informed Intake Nurse Doe of his medications, told her about his preexisting health conditions, and requested that he be continued on “bottom bunk / bottom tier” status due to his chronic foot issues. (Id. Jf] 12-14). According to Ealy, Intake Nurse Doe responded by telling him that it was required to sign a medical release form so that his treatment could be continued from his prior prison and that “any previous medications” or previously diagnosed health conditions “would not apply” at DCP and Ealy would “have to start fresh.” (Id. J 15). Ealy was subsequently housed on A-unit, located in the dayroom, and assigned to the bottom bunk. (Id. {J 16). The following day, Ealy was moved from A-unit to a different cell block and assigned to the top bunk by an unknown corrections officer. (Id. 17). Ealy claims that he immediately informed the officer about his physical disabilities and the officer told him to put in a sick-call slip to medical about the situation. (Id.) Ealy avers that he promptly filled out a sick-call slip as directed. (Id.) However, because he remained assigned to the top bunk, Ealy recounts that he had to climb up and down from the top bunk without the use of a chair or ladder, causing pain in his feet and legs. (Id. J 18).

On July 13, 2023, Ealy was moved to F-unit and assigned to the top tier of cells (cell #21) and the top bunk in that cell. (Id. {| 19). He maintains that he again spoke to a corrections officer about his physical limitations and the problems he was experiencing with the top-bunk assignments. (Id.) Ealy alleges that the corrections officer contacted medical about his claims and reported back to Ealy that the medical department had “denied his request” (presumably to be changed to bottom-tier and bottom-bunk status). (Id.) Ealy alleges that he struggled for two weeks by having to climb stairs every day and by “jumping up and down on the hard concrete floor” to reach his top bunk. (Id. ] 20). He claims that the medical department did not answer any of his sick-call slips, even though he filed “multiple complaints.” (Id. {fj 20, 21). Ealy further alleges that being assigned to the top tier and top bunk resulted in him developing a hernia. (Id. Jf] 22, 34). In another section of his amended complaint, Ealy alleges that—sometime in August 2023—he suffered a stroke at DCP. (ld. J{] 27, 28). He once again claims that he “put in sick-call slips” that went unanswered for two weeks following the alleged stroke. (Id. ] 28). He also avers that he began to have swelling in his legs and submitted more sick-call requests that went unanswered. (Id. 31). When the swelling intensified to the point where it began to cause ambulation problems, Ealy was escorted to the medical department. (ld. JJ 31,

32). There he encountered Head Nurse “Jane Doe,” who was alarmed by the swelling and consulted with PrimeCare Doctor “John Doe” about sending Ealy to

an outside hospital for treatment. (Id. 32). According to Ealy, Dr. Doe denied this referral request. (Id.) Ealy was given two EKGs, a walking cane, and an extra blanket for his legs and sent back to his cell. (Id.) Ealy claims that in October 2023 he was finally transferred to an outside hospital for treatment. (Id. 33). He maintains that if DCP medical department personnel had treated him appropriately or more promptly, his injuries could have been prevented. (Id.) He sues five defendants: Intake Nurse Jane Doe, Head Nurse Jane Doe, PrimeCare Doctor John Doe, Health Service Administrator Lensbower, and PrimeCare Medical, Inc. (PrimeCare). (Id. If] 4-8). He seeks a declaration that his constitutional rights were violated, as well as compensatory and punitive damages. (Id. at pp. 5-6). ll. STANDARD OF REVIEW Courts are statutorily obligated to review, “as soon as practicable,” unrepresented prisoner complaints targeting governmental entities, officers, or employees. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(a). One basis for dismissal at the screening stage is if the complaint “fails to state a claim upon which relief may be granted[.]” 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b)(1). This language closely tracks Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6). Accordingly, courts apply the same standard to

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Ealy v. Briggs, (M.D. Pa. 2024).

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