Kendrick v. Faust

682 F. Supp. 2d 932, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 644, 2010 WL 60957
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Arkansas
DecidedJanuary 6, 2010
DocketCase No. 1:07CV00025 JMM/BD
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 682 F. Supp. 2d 932 (Kendrick v. Faust) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Arkansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kendrick v. Faust, 682 F. Supp. 2d 932, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 644, 2010 WL 60957 (E.D. Ark. 2010).

Opinion

ORDER

JAMES M. MOODY, District Judge.

The Court has received the Partial Recommended Disposition from Magistrate Judge Beth Deere. After careful review of the recommendation, the timely objections received thereto, as well as a de novo review of the record, the Court concludes that the Partial Recommended Disposition should be, and hereby is, approved and adopted as this Court’s findings in all respects in its entirety.

The Court recommends that Defendants’ motion for summary judgment (# 338) be GRANTED in part, and DENIED in part. Plaintiff should only be allowed to proceed on her claims that: (1) Defendants Donavion and Dixon violated her first amendment right to freedom of religion by destroying Plaintiffs Catholic Bible; and (2) Defendants Capel, Dixon, Zomant, and Donavion violated her first amendment right to freedom of religion by denying her access to her rosary beads and her religious self-help book. Plaintiffs remaining claims are DISMISSED with prejudice.

PARTIAL RECOMMENDED DISPOSITION

BETH DEERE, United States Magistrate Judge.

I. Procedures for Filing Objections:

The following partial recommended disposition has been sent to United States District Judge James M. Moody. Any party may serve and file written objections to this recommendation. Objections should be specific and should include the factual or legal basis for the objection. If the objection is to a factual finding, specifically identify that finding and the evidence that supports your objection. An original and one copy of your objections must be received in the office of the United States District Court Clerk no later than fourteen (14) days from receipt of the recommendations. A copy will be furnished to the opposing party. Failure to file timely objections may result in a waiver of the right to appeal questions of fact.

Mail your objections and/or request for a hearing to:

Clerk, United States District Court
Eastern District of Arkansas
[938]*938600 West Capitol Avenue, Suite A149
Little Rock, AR 72201-3325

II. Background:

Plaintiff filed this action pro se under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against employees of the Arkansas Department of Correction (“ADC”). In her original Complaint, Plaintiff claimed: (1) that ADC officials violated her right to receive legal mail and to access the courts; (2) that ADC officials falsely accused her of an escape; and (3) that ADC officials had “interfere[d]” with “child custody.”

By Order of this Court dated August 15, 2007, 2007 WL 2343835, Plaintiffs claim that ADC officials falsely accused her of escape and her parental interference claim were dismissed without prejudice. (Docket entry # 31) Plaintiff was allowed to proceed on her claim that ADC officials interfered with her legal mail and right to access the courts, but only as to those against whom she made specific allegations.

Plaintiffs First Amended Complaint and the two Addendums to her First Amended Complaint consist of nearly 250 handwritten pages. (# 66, # 71, and # 74) Reading these pleadings liberally, the Plaintiff alleges the following: (1) Defendants violated her right to access the courts by interfering with her legal mail; (2) Defendants used excessive force against her; (3) Plaintiff was subjected to terroristic threats and public humiliation by Defendants in retaliation for filing the instant lawsuit; (4) Defendants failed to protect Plaintiff from the sexual assaults by other inmates; (5) Plaintiffs conditions of confinement violate the constitutional prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment; (6) Plaintiff was forced to serve time in administrative segregation for an unwarranted charge; (7) Plaintiff was forced to stand nude in front of male correctional officers on at least one occasion, in violation of her fourth amendment rights; (8) Plaintiff was discriminated against based upon her gender; (9) Plaintiff was discriminated against based upon her religion; (10) Defendants violated multiple ADC policies in failing to respond to Plaintiffs grievances in a timely manner; (11) Defendants acted with deliberate indifference to Plaintiffs medical needs; (12) Defendants violated Plaintiffs freedom of speech; and (13) Plaintiff was denied due process in her disciplinary hearings.1 In addition, Plaintiff again stated that Defendants falsely accused her of escape.2

An evidentiary hearing was held in this matter on October 28, 2008. At that time, Plaintiff was provided the opportunity to explain her claims and to provide evidence to support those claims.

On June 30, 2009, Defendants filed a motion for summary judgment. (# 338) In the motion, Defendants contend that each of Plaintiffs claim fail as a matter of law. Plaintiff has now responded to the Defendants’ motion.3 Based upon the evidence [939]*939presented, the Court concludes that the Defendants’ motion (# 338) should be GRANTED in part, and DENIED in part.4

III. Discussion:

A. Standard

Summary judgment is appropriate when the evidence, viewed in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party, presents no genuine issue of material fact. Fed.R.Civ.P. 56; Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322-23, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986); Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 246, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). Once the moving party has successfully carried its burden under Rule 56(c), the nonmoving party has an affirmative burden to go beyond the pleadings and by depositions, affidavits, or otherwise, designate “specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue for trial.” FED. R. CIV. P. 56(e); Mosley v. City of Northwoods, 415 F.3d 908, 910-11 (8th Cir.2005) (“The nonmoving party may not rest on mere allegations or denials, but must demonstrate on the record the existence of specific facts which create a genuine issue for trial.”) If the opposing party fails to carry that burden or fails to establish the existence of an essential element of its ease on which that party will bear the burden of proof at trial, summary judgment should be granted. See Celotex, 477 U.S. at 322, 106 S.Ct. 2548.

B. Access to the Courts

Plaintiff first claims that Defendants Capel, Dixon, McGinnis-Douglas, Donavion, Martin, and Steed violated her constitutional right to access the court by interfering with her legal mail. To establish such a violation, Plaintiff must prove that she was not given the opportunity to litigate a claim, which resulted in actual injury. White v. Kautzky, 494 F.3d 677, 680 (8th Cir.2007). To prove actual injury, the prisoner must “demonstrate that a non-frivolous legal claim [was] frustrated or ... impeded.” Id.

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682 F. Supp. 2d 932, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 644, 2010 WL 60957, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kendrick-v-faust-ared-2010.