Goode v. Canedo

District Court, S.D. California·Decided May 1, 2024·No. 3:21-cv-02054·Unknown

Opinion

BENJAMIN DENNIS GOODE, Case No.: 3:21-cv-2054-GPC-KSC

ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANT Plaintiff, vs. SUMMARY JUDGMENT PURSUANT TO FED. R. CIV. P. 56 J. CANEDO, et al., Defendants. [ECF No. 68]

Before the Court is a Motion for Summary Judgment filed by Defendant J. Canedo on February 29, 2024. ECF No. 68. For the reasons discussed below, the Court GRANTS Defendant Canedo’s motion and directs the Clerk of Court to entry judgment in his favor. A. Procedural History On December 9, 2021, Goode filed a civil rights complaint, pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983, alleging violations of the Eighth Amendment and seeking injunctive relief and money damages. ECF No. 1. After the Court dismissed the original complaint, Goode filed a first amended complaint (“FAC”) on January 19, 2023. ECF No. 18. In it, Goode alleged that while he was an inmate at R.J. Donovan Correctional Facility (“RJD”), Defendant Canedo violated his Eighth Amendment rights when (1) Canedo directed Goode’s transfer to COVID-19 isolation when Goode was not positive for the virus, and (2) Canedo ordered the removal of Goode’s continuous positive airway pressure (“CPAP”) machine. See generally, id. On October 5, 2024, Canedo filed a motion for judgment on the pleadings. ECF No. 50. This Court granted the motion in part and denied it in part on November 11, 2024. ECF No. 61. Specifically, the Court granted Defendant’s motion as to Goode’s claim related to the removal of his CPAP machine but denied it as to Goode’s claim regarding his December 13, 2020 transfer to COVID isolation. See id. at 7. Goode subsequently filed his own motion for judgement on the pleadings on January 26, 2024 (ECF No. 62), which this Court denied on April 5, 2024. ECF No. 74 On February 29, 2024, Canedo filed the instant Motion for Summary Judgement on Goode’s remaining Eighth Amendment claim. ECF No. 68. After being notified of the requirements for opposing summary judgment (ECF No. 71), Goode filed his opposition on March 25, 2024. ECF No. 73. Canedo did not file a reply. B. Undisputed Material Facts On summary judgment, facts must be viewed in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party, in this case Goode. 1 See Wright v. Beck, 981 F.3d 719, 726 (9th Cir. 2020). Unless otherwise indicated, the facts below are not disputed. In December 2020, RJD was experiencing its “first wave of COVID-19 outbreaks.” Declaration of S. Roberts in Supp. of Mot. for Summ. J., ECF No. 68-5 (hereafter “Roberts Decl.”) at ¶ 4. At that time, RJD and California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (“CDCR”) staff were developing protocols for the reporting and transferring of inmates who had contracted, or been exposed to, the virus in an effort to slow its spread. 1 Because Goode’s FAC is verified, it “may be considered as an affidavit in opposition to summary judgment if it is based on personal knowledge and sets forth specific facts admissible in evidence.” Lopez v. Smith, 203 F.3d 1122, 1132 n.14 (9th Cir. 2000) (en banc). Id. According RJD’s Chief Medical Executive, “it was a chaotic time.” Id. Under the protocol in place at RJD on December 13, 2020, “medical staff of incident command would receive [COVID-19] test results and communicate to custody staff on incident command [which inmates] would be transferred to quarantine or isolation.” Id. A custody document called a medical classification chronology (“MCC”) would be created and placed on the Strategic Offender Management System (“SOMS”). Id. Under this protocol, inmates who medical staff determined to be COVID-19 positive were ordered transferred to isolation and inmates who had been exposed to COVID -19 were transferred to quarantine. Id.; see also at Declaration of J. Canedo in Supp. Summ. J, ECF No. 68-6 (hereafter “Canedo Decl.”) at ¶ 3. Custody staff, who carried out the transfers, did not make medical decisions and were expected to follow through on the transfer order contained in the MCC. Roberts Decl. at ¶ 5; see also Canedo Decl. at ¶ 3. Custody staff did not have access to an inmate’s medical records and “could only rely on the medical classification chronologies available in SOMS to verify that an inmate was ordered by medial staff to transfer.” Id. In December 2020, Canedo was assigned as an RJD “correctional captain.” Canedo Decl. at ¶ 1. In that capacity, Canedo periodically received a list of inmates who medical staff ordered transferred to COVID-19 isolation or quarantine, along with a copy of the MCC ordering the transfer. Id. at ¶ 3. Canedo was also able to access an inmate’s MCC by checking SOMS. Beyond what was contained in the MCC, Canedo had no access to information regarding the inmate’s medical status. Id. at ¶ 4. Canedo had no medical education or training and it was not part of his duties to make medical decisions or orders regarding the relocation of an inmate to COVID-19 isolation or quarantine. Id. at ¶ 5. On December 9, 2020, Goode tested negative for COVID-19. ECF No. 18-1 at 54; see also FAC at 3; Declaration of D. Duan in Supp. of Mot. for Summ. J. ECF No. 68-4, Ex. 2 (hereafter “Pl.’s Depo.”) at 9–10. On December 13, 2020, Canedo received an MCC ordering Goode’s transfer to isolation. Canedo Decl. at ¶ 6; see also id. at Ex. 1. The MCC indicated that Plaintiff was classified for “temporary medical hold,” and “temporary medical isolation.” Canedo Decl., Ex. 1. It also included the notation: “Isolation COVID CONFIRMED until 12/27/2020.” Id. The information contained MCC was all Canedo had to rely upon as the basis for Goode’s transfer to isolation on December 13, 2020. Canedo Decl. at ¶¶ 6, 9. As a correctional captain, Canedo relied on other correctional staff to carry out the transfers. Id. at ¶ 7. On the evening of December 13, 2020, Correctional Officers Meza and Freeman came to Goode’s cell to carry out the transfer. FAC at 3; see also Pl.’s Depo. at Freeman told Goode he was being transferred to “D-Gym,” where COVID-19-positive inmates were being isolated. FAC at 3. Goode told Freeman there must be a mistake because he had recently tested negative. Id.; see also Pl.’s Depo. at 12. Officer Freeman radioed Sergeant Canedo.2 Goode overheard Freeman telling Canedo over the radio that Goode claimed to have tested negative for COVID-19. See FAC at 3, 8; Pl.’s Depo at 17. Canedo responded, “Tell him to roll up. He’s leaving to go to D-Yard.” Pl.’s Depo. at 18. Goode believed Canedo “was the only CDCR employee that was involved in [his transfer] that was high enough rank to have performed the move.” FAC at 12. Goode, however, did not know whether Canedo was responsible for the decision to transfer him. See Pl.’s Depo. at 24. He also did not know if Canedo had the authority to override a decision made by medical staff. Id. at 24–25. Plaintiff was moved to the isolation area in D-Gym, where COVID-19 positive inmates were held. FAC at 3. At that time, there were 30–40 inmates in the gym, many of whom were coughing, sneezing and sweating. ECF No. 18-1 at 77. Bunk beds were spread across the gym, approximately four feet apart, and Plaintiff was assigned a bottom bunk. Id. The bunk above him was occupied by “an inmate who seemed to be extremely sick,” and who “would lean over the side of the bed and c[o]ugh downward . . . all night.” Id. 2 Canedo attests he does not specifically recall Freeman contacting him but states that he “could have been alerted to an issue via the radio.” Canedo Decl. at ¶ 7. Had that happened, Canedo states, it would have been his practice to check the MCC on SOMS to confirm the order. “If the Goode feared he would contract COVID-19 and possibly die. FAC at 9. The next morning, December 14, 2020, an unnamed sergeant supervising D-Gym “check[ed] with medical and discover[ed] Pla

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