Kurt J. Angelone v. Aaron Brown

CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Washington
DecidedNovember 25, 2025
Docket2:25-cv-00373
StatusUnknown

This text of Kurt J. Angelone v. Aaron Brown (Kurt J. Angelone v. Aaron Brown) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kurt J. Angelone v. Aaron Brown, (E.D. Wash. 2025).

Opinion

1 2 FILED IN THE U.S. DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON 3 Nov 25, 2025 4 SEAN F. MCAVOY, CLERK 5 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON 6

7 KURT J. ANGELONE, NO. 2:25-CV-0373-TOR 8 Plaintiff, ORDER ON DEFENDANT’S 9 v. MOTION TO DISMISS

10 AARON BROWN,

11 Defendant. 12 BEFORE THE COURT are Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss (ECF No. 3), 13 Plaintiff’s Motion for Leave to Amend Complaint (ECF No. 8), and Plaintiff’s 14 Motion for Automatic Stay of Proceedings Pending Ruling Set for November 21, 15 2025 (ECF No. 9). These matters were submitted for consideration without oral 16 argument. The Court has reviewed the record and files herein and is fully 17 informed. For the reasons discussed below, Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss (ECF 18 No. 3) is GRANTED in part, Plaintiff’s Motion for Leave to Amend Complaint 19 (ECF No. 8) is DENIED, and Plaintiff’s Motion for Automatic Stay of Proceedings 20 Pending Ruling (ECF No. 9) is DENIED. 1 BACKGROUND 2 This case arises from claims of Eighth Amendment violations for cruel and

3 unusual punishment of excessive force, denial of medical assistance, and a state 4 claim for negligence. ECF No. 1-2 at 14-18. Plaintiff alleges these claims stem 5 from the use of a chlorobenzylidene malononitrile (“CS”) grenade in an

6 unauthorized training exercise that exposed Plaintiff to harmful conditions and 7 lasting effects. ECF No. 1-2 at 3-4, 7. Plaintiff claims that Defendant conducted 8 this unauthorized training, and the gas used went into the HVAC system that 9 connects to the prisoners’ cells. ECF No. 1-2 at 7. Plaintiff alleges that he was

10 woken unable to breath of because of the exposure and toxicity of the CS gas. 11 ECF No. 1-2 at 9. His eyes and lungs were burning, and he was coughing, and 12 choking which exacerbated his chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. ECF No. 1-

13 2 at 9. Plaintiff furthers that the air flow was turned off which only made it worse 14 because fresh air wasn’t in his cell. ECF No. 1-2 at 10. This alleged gas led to 15 Plaintiff need to use an asthma inhaler. ECF No. 1-2 at 10. He states that he 16 requested a medical emergency to Defendant because he felt pain in his chest that

17 was similar to his first heart attack. ECF No. 1-2 at 12. However, he was denied. 18 Id. Furthermore, it is alleged that other inmates declared medical emergencies but 19 were also denied by Defendant. Id. Plaintiff contends Defendant claimed it was

20 an electrical fire even though he knew it was CS gas from his training. ECF No. 1- 1 2 at 13. Plaintiff states Defendant “admitted to his negligence and took full 2 responsibility” and “admitted to all information.” ECF No. 1-2 at 13.

3 Previously, Plaintiff filed this case with another Plaintiff in Headrick v. 4 Brown, 2:23-cv-00366-TOR but the Court severed the cases. After the case was 5 severed, Plaintiff’s case was dismissed without prejudice for failure to state claim

6 on his federal claims. Angelone v. Brown et al, 2:24-cv-00096-TOR. Accordingly, 7 the Court refused to invoke supplemental jurisdiction and dismissed all claims, 8 allowing Plaintiff to file in the appropriate state court. Angelone v. Brown et al, 9 2:24-cv-00096-TOR. On July 21, 2025, Plaintiff filed his complaint at the

10 Spokane County Superior Court. ECF No. 1-2 at 2. 11 On September 19, 2025, Defendants removed this case to federal court under 12 federal question jurisdiction because Plaintiff, proceeding pro se, seems to allege

13 violations of the Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution for excessive force 14 and denial of emergency medical attention and care. ECF No. 1-2 at 14-18. 15 On September 26, 2025, Defendants filed a Motion to Dismiss claiming 16 failure to state a claim among other issues. ECF No. 3. Defendant states in his

17 reply that dismissal is warranted under Henderson v. Duncan, 779 F.2d 1421 (9th 18 Cir. 1986) for failure to prosecute but recognizes it is a harsh outcome. ECF No. 19 11 at 3. On October 22, 2025, Plaintiff filed a Motion to Amend Complaint to

20 eliminate the federal claims. ECF No. 8. On November 5, 2025, Plaintiff filed a 1 Motion for Automatic Stay of Proceedings pending the ruling of his Motion for 2 Leave to Amend Complaint. ECF No. 9.

3 DISCUSSION 4 A. Motion to Amend Complaint 5 Under 28 U.S.C. § 1331, a federal court has original jurisdiction. In a

6 federal court, original jurisdiction is present for “all civil actions arising under the 7 Constitution, laws, or treaties of the United States.” Negrete v. City of Oakland, 46 8 F.4th 811, 816 (9th Cir. 2022) (quoting 28 U.S.C. § 1331). This is met if the 9 claims asserted arise under federal law. Negrete, 46 F.4th 811 at 816.

10 “[T]he plaintiff is ‘the master of the complaint.’” Holmes Grp., Inc. v. 11 Vornado Air Circulation Sys., Inc., 535 U.S. 826, 831 (2002) (quoting Caterpillar 12 Inc. v. Williams, 482 U.S. 386, 398-399 (1987)). A party may amend his pleading

13 once as long as it is either “(A) 21 days after serving it, or (B) if the pleading is one 14 to which a responsive pleading is required, 21 days after service of a responsive 15 pleading or 21 days after service of a motion under Rule 12(b), (e), or (f), 16 whichever is earlier.” FED. R. CIV. P. § 15(a)(1). Otherwise, the party will either

17 need the opposing party’s permission or leave of the court. FED. R. CIV. P. § 18 15(a)(2). The Court may grant leave to amend a complaint when justice so 19 requires it. Hall v. City of Los Angeles, 697 F.3d 1059, 1073 (9th Cir. 2012).

20 Pro se pleadings are liberally construed to “afford the petitioner the benefit 1 of any doubt.” Watison v. Carter, 668 F.3d 1108, 1112 (9th Cir. 2012) (quoting 2 Hebbe v. Pliler, 627 F.3d 338, 342 (9th Cir. 2010)). This is especially important

3 for cases arising out of civil rights violations. Ferdik v. Bonzelet, 963 F.2d 1258, 4 1261 (9th Cir. 1992), as amended (May 22, 1992) (citation omitted). 5 Here, Plaintiff wishes to amend his complaint to remove the federal claims.

6 ECF No. 8. Plaintiff filed a proposed amended complaint that removed any 7 reference to the U.S. Constitution. ECF No. 8. It appears Plaintiff aims to 8 preserve the same cause of action, but to support them instead under the 9 Washington Constitution. Id.

10 Plaintiff has not properly served Defendants and therefore, Federal Rule of 11 Civil Procedure Rule 15(a) is not applicable. As was stated, this Court dismissed 12 Plaintiff’s federal claims under the same claims and similar facts. Angelone v.

13 Brown et al, 2:24-cv-00096-TOR. Plaintiff recognizes this, too. ECF No. 12 at 4. 14 In the Court’s Order for Dismissal, the Court permitted Plaintiff to file his state 15 claims appropriately in the state court. Angelone v. Brown et al, 2:24-cv-00096- 16 TOR. However, Plaintiff filed a complaint containing substantially identical

17 claims (with a few omitted) and largely the same facts as the complaint previously 18 filed in this Court. ECF No. 1-2. Moreover, Plaintiff continues to assert federal 19 claims, as evidenced by his references to the U.S. Constitution in the Complaint.

20 ECF No. 1-2 at 16, 18.

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