Hill v. Aramark, LLC

CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Florida
DecidedMarch 26, 2024
Docket8:23-cv-00026
StatusUnknown

This text of Hill v. Aramark, LLC (Hill v. Aramark, LLC) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hill v. Aramark, LLC, (M.D. Fla. 2024).

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT MIDDLE DISTRICT OF FLORIDA TAMPA DIVISION

TONY L. HILL,

Plaintiff,

v. CASE NO. 8:23-cv-26-WFJ-NHA

ARAMARK, LLC, et al.,

Defendant. _________________________________/

ORDER Before the Court is Plaintiff Tony L. Hill’s (“Plaintiff”) pro se Second Amended Complaint for Violation of Civil Rights (Dkt. 65), Defendants Aramark Correctional Services, LLC’s and H. Pierre’s (collectively, “Defendants”) Motion to Dismiss (Dkt. 69), and Plaintiff’s Response (Dkt. 72). Upon careful consideration, the Court denies Defendants’ Motion. BACKGROUND Plaintiff, a diabetic inmate at Zephyrhills Correctional Institute (“Zephyrhills”), brings this § 1983 claim against Defendants. Aramark is a food service provider contracted with the Florida Department of Corrections (“FDOC”) to provide inmate meals at Zephyrhills. Ms. Pierre is an Aramark supervisor. The Second Amended Complaint alleges that Aramark consistently fails to provide diabetic inmates with timely meals that are calorically and nutritionally adequate. Plaintiff’s Eighth Amendment claim is based on three broad assertions: (1) diabetic inmates are to receive 2,600 calories per day, but the meals provided by Aramark

consistently fall short of this requirement; (2) diabetic inmates are to eat no later than thirty minutes after receiving insulin treatment, but Aramark is regularly late with diabetic meal service; and (3) Aramark purchases and prepares meals that are

nutritionally inadequate and practically indigestible. The Complaint and its attachments provide factual support for all three claims. First, Plaintiff attached notes, signed by Zephyrhills medical providers, to the Complaint. The notes record Plaintiff’s diabetes diagnosis and prescribe him a

2,600-calorie diet. Dkt. 65-1 at 19–21. But Plaintiff contends that Aramark is not providing him 2,600 calories a day. Dkt. 65 at 3. He states that when Aramark runs out of an item that is on the daily menu, the supervisor instructs staff to simply

leave that slot on the tray empty instead of providing a substitute. Id. Attachments to the Complaint allege that Aramark staff withhold butter and vegetable spread, further reducing the caloric content of each meal. Dkt. 65-1 at 22. An affidavit of an inmate kitchen worker accuses Aramark of adding water to leftovers, which

increases the volume of each menu item without replacing calories. Id. at 6.2 Finally, attachments describe a specific instance when the water at Zephyrhills was apparently turned off, and Aramark provided multiple contingency meals with

inadequate calories. Id. at 24. Next, attachments to the Complaint assert that “every time” the diabetic inmates are given insulin, they have to wait forty-five minutes to eat because

Aramark staff is preparing other meal trays instead of serving the medical diets. Dkt. 65-1 at 16. Attached grievances state that inmates told Ms. Pierre of this problem, but she did nothing. Dkt. 65-1 at 15. Plaintiff contends that waiting

longer than thirty minutes to eat after receiving insulin treatment lowers his blood sugar, putting him at risk of collapse and diabetic coma. Id. at 18. Finally, the Complaint and its attachments describe the nutritional inadequacy of the food served by Aramark and its effects on their health. It seems

there are two major issues with Aramark’s meals: indigestible meat and excessive starch. Plaintiff states that Aramark serves inedible soybean meat and “vegetable

texture” meat byproducts. Dkt. 65 at 5. In affidavits, other diabetic inmates attest to the meat’s poor quality, describing a “loaf” mixed from scraps of animal intestine and other undesirable cuts. Dkt. 65-1 at 51, 54, 56, 59, 61–63. The affiants state that, while the menu appears varied, in actuality each meal contains the same

animal byproduct loaf under different labels (i.e., “Southern BBQ,” “Chili Mac,” “Taco Meat”). Id. They claim that Ms. Pierre orders this low-quality meat to save Aramark money, thereby earning bonuses for herself. Id. Plaintiff alleges that the animal byproduct loaf served by Aramark injures his stomach lining and intestines, causing internal bleeding, blood in his stool, and

ulcers. Dkt. 65 at 5. Because of these injuries, medical providers have ordered him to undergo testing and x-rays. Id. He attaches several prescriptions, which he says are to treat the damage to his stomach. Dkt. 65-1 at 96–101. Other inmates also

claim the loaf makes them sick, with multiple affiants asserting that they have stomach pain and diarrhea “immediately” after eating it. Dkt. 65-1 at 50–51, 56, 59. As for the claims of excessive starch, Plaintiff states he does not receive

fresh fruit and vegetables, dairy, or wheat products. Dkt. 65 at 3–4. Affidavits describe a diet comprised mostly of potatoes, grits, rice, and noodles. Dkt. 65-1 at 50, 52, 54, 56–60, 62. Often these starches come in the form of “double portions,”

presumably in place of a more varied diet. Id. at 52, 57, 59–60, 62. Some affiants further assert that the food is frequently spoiled. Id. at 54, 57, 59–60. The excessive starch allegedly harms diabetics in two ways: (1) requiring higher doses of insulin; and (2) increasing and/or deregulating their blood sugar. Dkt. 65-1 at 53, 54, 57,

60, 62. Multiple affidavits distinguish the poor quality of Aramark’s food from that of former FDOC-contracted meal providers. One affiant did not require insulin

under the previous food service provider but does under Aramark. Id. at 52. Another complains of the poor nutrition “since Aramark took over food service.” Id. at 54. One inmate states that the previous food service contractor provided

nutritious meals of decent quality while relying on the same FDOC menus as Aramark. Id. at 61. Another wrote, “In twenty years of incarceration I have seen Food Service Provider Companies come and go, and I have never seen or

experienced such a horrible and disgusting variety of meats.” Id. at 56. Plaintiff filed his initial Complaint in January 2023, and it was dismissed for failure to exhaust administrative remedies. Dkt. 58. After achieving administrative exhaustion, Plaintiff filed an Amended Complaint and, by leave of the Court, the

instant Second Amended Complaint. He seeks monetary and injunctive relief, asking the Court to order Aramark to serve fresh fruits, real dairy products, and real meat. Dkt. 65 at 5. Defendants move to dismiss, arguing that Plaintiff failed to:

(1) state an objectively serious harm; (2) show Aramark acted with deliberate indifference; (3) demonstrate a custom or policy of Aramark’s that caused the alleged constitutional violation; and (4) show that Ms. Pierre was personally engaged in the allegedly violative conduct. Dkt. 18. The Court will address these

arguments. LEGAL STANDARD To survive a Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss, the plaintiff must

plead sufficient facts to state a claim that is “plausible on its face.” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678 (2009) (citation omitted). “A claim has facial plausibility when the plaintiff pleads factual content that allows the court to draw the

reasonable inference that the defendant is liable for the misconduct alleged.” Id. In considering the motion, the Court must accept all factual allegations of the complaint as true and construe them in the light most favorable to the plaintiff.

Pielage v. McConnell, 516 F.3d 1282, 1284 (11th Cir. 2008) (citation omitted).

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