Kirsch v. Thompson

717 F. Supp. 1077, 1988 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2130, 1988 WL 166512
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Pennsylvania
DecidedMarch 9, 1988
DocketCiv. A. 87-7570
StatusPublished

This text of 717 F. Supp. 1077 (Kirsch v. Thompson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kirsch v. Thompson, 717 F. Supp. 1077, 1988 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2130, 1988 WL 166512 (E.D. Pa. 1988).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

JAMES McGIRR KELLY, District Judge.

Plaintiff, William Kirsch, a patient at Philadelphia State Hospital (PSH) has filed a complaint with this court against defendants, Ford Thompson, Charles Erb, John White and John Does, alleging that his treatment at PSH or lack thereof has violated his rights under the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. 1 Complaint at 6. More specifically, plaintiff alleges that

[f]or at least the past fourteen months, for twenty-four hours a day, his wrists and ankles have been shackled, bound, restricted and immobilized. He has been involuntarily placed in four-point restraints. In fact, he has been in five-point shackles — with a locked strap around his chest, preventing any movement. For some of those fourteen months, he was restrained in bed for twenty-four hours a day.

Complaint at ¶ 10.

Presently before this court is plaintiff’s motion for a preliminary and/or permanent injunction 2 ordering defendants to: (1) provide funding to the City of Philadelphia to permit the City Office of Mental Health and Mental Retardation to locate and operate an appropriate Philadelphia Community Living Arrangement (CLA). 3 This funding *1079 shall be provided by the defendants in the form of a direct line item allocation to the City which will not replace other funds already provided to the City; (2) immediately transfer plaintiff to the Polk Center and enroll him in Polk’s intensive behavioral program for retarded persons until the CLA is ready for plaintiff, but for no longer than six months; (3) provide the City with funding to hire a consultant to assist the City in developing plaintiffs behavioral program in the CLA; and (4) provide plaintiffs counsel copies of all baseline data, behavioral programs, and statistical information concerning plaintiffs progress at Polk.

Defendants argue that this motion should be denied since: (1) plaintiff has failed to show that the treatment and training decisions concerning plaintiff were a substantial departure from accepted professional judgment constituting a violation of his substantive due process rights; (2) since plaintiff has failed to present evidence which would establish under the standards promulgated in Rizzo v. Goode, 423 U.S. 362, 96 S.Ct. 598, 46 L.Ed.2d 561 (1976) that named defendants as supervisory officials violated his constitutional rights; and (3) the monetary, and injunctive relief sought by plaintiff is not permissible and is barred by the Eleventh Amendment.

An evidentiary hearing on plaintiffs motion for injunctive relief was held before this court. Both sides have submitted proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law. In accordance with Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 52(a) the following are this court’s findings of fact and conclusions of law.

FINDINGS OF FACT

1. Plaintiff William Kirsch is a twenty-seven year old male who is presently involuntarily committed at PSH.

2. Plaintiff first entered PSH in June, 1980, when he was nineteen years old.

3. At the time of his admittance to PSH plaintiff was diagnosed as mildly to moderately mentally retarded. (Defendant’s Exhibit 3.)

4. At the time of his admittance to PSH plaintiff was in four point physical restraints. (Defendant’s Exhibit 1.)

5. Prior to his admittance to PSH plaintiff had occasionally punched and kicked himself and others without provocation. Id.

6. During his first two years at PSH plaintiff was capable of and permitted to leave PSH by himself to visit his father. (Plaintiff’s Exhibit 4.)

7. During his first two years at PSH plaintiff, because he was responding to therapy, was given ground privileges to further support his recovery. (Plaintiff’s Exhibit 4.)

8. In August 1981 plaintiff was examined by a PSH doctor and diagnosed as mentally retarded but not psychotic. Plaintiff was also found to be competent and capable of managing his financial affairs. (Plaintiff’s Exhibit 5.)

9. In November 1984 plaintiff was examined by a PSH doctor who found that plaintiff had no disturbance of memory but did suffer from moderate disturbances of emotional tone and judgment. Plaintiff, however, was found to be competent and capable of managing his financial affairs. (Plaintiff’s Exhibit 6.)

10. In September 1985 plaintiff, due to his continued unprovoked striking, was transferred to the Assaultive Management Program at Norristown State Hospital (NSH). (Plaintiff’s Exhibit 12.)

11. The Assaultive Management Program at NHS is a small unit which utilizes a variety of behavior therapies designed to treat highly assaultive patients.

12. In September, 1986 plaintiff was transferred back to PSH.

13. In October, 1986 plaintiff was examined by Dr. Resnick, a PSH doctor. Dr. Resnick found that plaintiff suffered from mild memory loss and severe disturbances of judgment and emotional tone. Dr. Res-nick also found that plaintiff was incapable *1080 of managing his financial affairs and concluded that plaintiff was incompetent. (Plaintiff’s Exhibit 9.)

14. During the past few years plaintiff has suffered numerous physical injuries. His teeth have. been chipped, he has smashed his head through a glass window, smashed both of his hands through a wired window, and he regularly has scabs and bruises on his wrists and ankles.

15. Since January, 1987 plaintiff has fractured his right humorous, fifth toe on his left foot and fifth toe on his right foot. (Plaintiffs Exhibit 15.)

16. For approximately the last three years, plaintiff has been in four point physical restraints. (Plaintiff’s Exhibit 1.)

17. The physical restraints plaintiff has been placed in inadvertently have become reinforcing for him. The restraints have become a source of security for plaintiff. (Plaintiff’s Exhibit 16.)

18. Plaintiff wants to be placed in the restraints and when they are removed, he becomes agitated. Id.

19. Plaintiff’s condition has deteriorated during his years at PSH and he has not benefited from his stay at the Assaultive Management Program at NSH.

20. The environment at PSH and the programs there have caused regression and intensified plaintiff’s assaultive behavior.

CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

1. An individual involuntarily committed to a state institution maintains liberty interests protected substantially by the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution. Youngberg v. Romeo, 457 U.S. 307, 102 S.Ct. 2452, 73 L.Ed.2d 28 (1982).

2.

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Related

Rizzo v. Goode
423 U.S. 362 (Supreme Court, 1976)
Youngberg v. Romeo Ex Rel. Romeo
457 U.S. 307 (Supreme Court, 1982)
Clark v. Cohen
613 F. Supp. 684 (E.D. Pennsylvania, 1985)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
717 F. Supp. 1077, 1988 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2130, 1988 WL 166512, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kirsch-v-thompson-paed-1988.