Fletcher-Bey v. Dearmond

District Court, S.D. Illinois·Decided July 1, 2024·No. 3:23-cv-03514·Unknown

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS

ANTONIO D. FLETCHER-BEY,

Plaintiff,

v. Case No. 23-cv-3514-NJR

ANTHONY WILLS, JOHN DOE #1, JILLIAN CRANE, and LATOYA HUGHES,

Defendants.

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER ROSENSTENGEL, Chief Judge: Plaintiff Antonio D. Fletcher-Bey, an inmate of the Illinois Department of Corrections who is currently incarcerated at Menard Correctional Center, brings this action for deprivations of his constitutional rights pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Specifically, he alleges deliberate indifference in the treatment of various physical ailments in violation of the Eighth Amendment. He also alleges a claim pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq. Fletcher-Bey’s Complaint also was labeled as a motion for temporary restraining order (“TRO”)/preliminary injunction, seeking transfer to another facility and adequate medical care. His request for immediate relief was docketed as a separate motion (Doc. 14), and Defendants were ordered to respond. Defendants filed a response to the motion (Doc. 27), and Fletcher-Bey filed a reply brief (Doc. 34). On May 7, 2024, Defendants submitted supplemental medical records (Doc. 51), and Fletcher-Bey submitted an additional supplement (Doc. 54) ten days later. The Court held an evidentiary hearing on June 6, 2024. BACKGROUND

A. Fletcher-Bey’s Complaint and Request for Injunctive Relief Fletcher-Bey initially filed this action in state court, and the action was removed by Defendants Alisa Dearmond and Jillian Crane pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331, 1441, and 1446 (Doc. 1). After a review of the pleadings pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915A, Fletcher-Bey was allowed to proceed on the following counts:

Count 1: Eighth Amendment deliberate indifference claim against Anthony Wills for denying Fletcher-Bey access to physical therapy.

Count 2: Eighth Amendment deliberate indifference claim against John Doe #1 and Jillian Crane for delaying Fletcher-Bey’s access to his epidural injection, medications, and permits.

Count 3: ADA claim for the failure to honor Fletcher-Bey’s permits and provide him with assistive devices.

In the Complaint, Fletcher-Bey alleges that he suffers from numerous ailments. As a result, he was prescribed multiple medications including: a Nasacort pump for allergies, Lipitor for high cholesterol, Lisinopril for high blood pressure, and Tramadol, Robaxin, and Gabapentin for nerve damage, muscle degeneration, and arthritis in his spine (Doc. 13, p. 2). To address his spinal issue, Fletcher-Bey also received physical therapy, a bottom bunk/gallery permit, air/crate mattress, and an abdominal binder/back brace. He also received a lower back L5S1 epidural steroid injection (“LESI”) two to three times a year (Id.). While at Menard, however, Fletcher-Bey alleges he has been denied a number of prescriptions and assistive devices. For instance, he has not received his Nasacort prescription and went without his Lipitor and Lisinopril

prescriptions from May to June 2023 (Id.). Even when he has access to his medications, his receipt of the medications is often delayed due to staffing shortages at Menard (Id. at p. 3). At the time he filed his Complaint, Fletcher-Bey lacked access to his back brace/abdominal binder and special mattress (Id. at p. 2-3). He was also refused a bottom bunk/bottom gallery permit and a front cuff/waist chain permit (Id. at p. 3). As to his access to physical therapy, Fletcher-Bey alleges that he has not attended a physical

therapy session since January 2023 (Id.). His LESIs have also been delayed (Id.). In a status update, Fletcher-Bey reported receiving a dose of Lisinopril on November 28, 2023, but noted that his refills for Tramadol, Gabapentin, and Robaxin were still pending (Doc. 10). In January 2024, Fletcher-Bey informed the Court that he had not received a dose of Lisinopril since December 17, 2023, his last dose of Lipitor was

October 22, 2023, and his last dose of Ultram/Tramadol was January 21, 2024 (Docs. 11, 12). In addition, he alleges has not received the correct dosage of his Tramadol and Neurontin prescriptions in over 11 months (Id.). B. Defendants’ Response In Defendants’ response, they argue that Fletcher-Bey has received all medical care

that has been prescribed except for care that he has specifically refused. Specifically, Angela Crain attested in her affidavit that Fletcher-Bey has permits for both ADA hearing aids and a vibrating watch (Doc. 27-1, p. 1). As to his medications, Crain stated that Fletcher-Bey is currently prescribed Gabapentin, Lipitor, Lisinopril, and Nasacort (Id.). He refused his Robaxin prescription starting in November 2022 (Doc. 27-2). On August 22, 2023, Fletcher-Bey received an MRI for his complaints of shoulder pain (Doc. 27-3).

There were no signs of fracture, dislocation, or any other issues requiring treatment (Id.). An abdominal ultrasound taken on September 15, 2023, also found no medical issues requiring treatment (Doc. 27-4). As to Fletcher-Bey’s physical therapy, he received a re-evaluation from a physical therapist on October 2, 2023 (Doc. 27-5). The therapist noted that Fletcher-Bey was unable to participate in the exercises due to his pain and was agreeable to discharge due to his

inability to participate physically (Id.). He was referred to the nurse practitioner for reassessment of his pain (Id.). Finally, as to Fletcher-Bey’s scheduled LESI, Defendants acknowledge that he was scheduled for the injection on April 8, 2024, based on a July 2023 pain management evaluation (Doc. 27-1, p. 1). Prior to that scheduled injection, on November 22, 2023,

Fletcher-Bey submitted a medical services refusal form (Doc. 27-6). He requested that all medical furloughs and outside appointments be canceled in order to lift his medical hold (Id.). This medical refusal form included “ultrasounds, [spinal epidural injections], audiology, [and] pain management.” (Id.). As a result of that refusal, Angela Crain stated that all appointments, including Fletcher-Bey’s appointment for his spinal injection on

April 8, 2024, were canceled (Doc. 27-1, p. 2).1

1 Defendants also argue that Fletcher-Bey failed to fully exhaust his administrative remedies prior to filing suit, but there remain disputes of fact as to whether Fletcher-Bey properly exhausted or was thwarted in his attempts at exhaustion (See Doc. 27, pp. 5-6; Doc. 1-2, pp. 18-19; Doc. 34, p. 3). C. Fletcher-Bey’s Reply As to his spinal injection, Fletcher-Bey alleges that he was scheduled to receive the injection at his appointment on July 10, 2023, but was informed that Jillian Crane called

the specialist and stated the injection could not be administered at that time per Wexford Health Sources, Inc.’s collegial review (Doc. 34, p. 5). He does not deny that he requested his medical hold be lifted, but he argues that Defendants improperly delayed his injection for five months before he submitted the refusal (Id.). As to his medications, Fletcher-Bey argues that he never refused his Robaxin and

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