Lawson v. LMDC

CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Kentucky
DecidedMarch 11, 2020
Docket3:16-cv-00728
StatusUnknown

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

Bluebook
Lawson v. LMDC, (W.D. Ky. 2020).

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT WESTERN DISTRICT OF KENTUCKY LOUISVILLE DIVISION CIVIL ACTION NO. 3:16-CV-00728-GNS-RSE

GERRY EUGENE LAWSON PLAINTIFF

v.

LOUISVILLE METRO DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, et al. DEFENDANTS

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER This matter is before the Court on Motion for Summary Judgment on behalf of Defendants Correct Care Solutions, Marc Krank, and Dr. Smith (collectively, “Defendants”) (DN 97), Plaintiff’s Motion for Medical Records (DN 106), Plaintiff’s Motions to Appoint Counsel (DNs 109, 110, 112), Plaintiff’s Objection (DN 117) to the Magistrate Judge’s Findings of Fact and Recommendation (DN 113), Plaintiff’s Motion for Reconsideration (DN 119), and Plaintiff’s Motion to Disallow Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment (DN 124). These matters are ripe for adjudication. For the reasons that follow, Plaintiff’s Objection is OVERRULED, the Magistrate Judge’s Report and Recommendation (R&R) is ADOPTED, Defendants’ motion for summary judgment is GRANTED, and Plaintiff’s remaining motions are DENIED. I. BACKGROUND A. Statement of Facts Plaintiff Gerry Eugene Lawson (“Lawson”) initiated this lawsuit while a pre-trial detainee at the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections (“LMDC”). (Defs.’ Mot. Summ. J. 1, DN 97; R&R 2, DN 113). Lawson alleges that during his time at the LMDC he was abused, threatened, and denied proper mental health treatment in violation of his constitutional rights. (R&R 2). Specifically, he alleged in detail that he was not receiving his prescribed medication, was ignored by LMDC staff, and was threatened for asking for assistance. (R&R 2-3). Following initial screening pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915A, this Court outlined Lawson’s claims: Plaintiff alleges deliberate indifference to his serious medical/mental health needs; being threatened for complaining/grieving about the lack of treatment and being “placed in segregation for acting out”; failure to train/supervise employees of [Correct Care Solutions], Seven Counties Services, LMDC, and Louisville Metro Government in the delivery of mental health care services to inmates in LMDC; a policy/custom of not continuing previously prescribed medication due to cost (“‘it is not on the formulary’”); and a conspiracy to deny him mental health services.

(Mem. Op. & Order 2, DN 25).

B. Procedural History On June 12, 2017, Lawson filed a Second Amended Complaint against Louisville Jefferson County Metropolitan Government; Greg Fischer, Mayor of Louisville; Mark Bolton, Director of the LMDC; Correct Care Solutions (“CCS”), medical services provider for LMDC; and Dr. Smith, psychiatrist for CCS at LMDC. (Second Am. Compl. 1, DN 19). A previous Memorandum Opinion and Order of this Court identified additional Defendants mentioned by Lawson by name but not explicitly enumerated in his Second Amended Complaint: Marc Krank (“Krank”), mental health worker for Seven Counties Services; Robert and Roberta Roe, unknown “High Management Officials [for] CCS;” and Martin Baker, mental health worker for CCS at LMDC. (Mem. Op. & Order 2). On March 19, 2019, CCS, Dr. Smith, and Krank moved for summary judgment.1 (Defs.’ Mot. Summ J.). Lawson responded. (Pl.’s Resp. Defs.’ Mot. Summ J., DN 101). On May 31, 2019, Lawson moved to obtain medical records from third parties, and Defendants responded. (Pl.’s Mot. Medical Rs., DN 106; Defs. Resp. Pl.’s Mot. Medical Rs., DN 107). Lawson then filed

1 This motion for summary judgment does not analyze the claim against CCS for its alleged failure to train/supervise. As such, summary judgment cannot be granted on this claim. several motions to appoint counsel. (Pl.’s Mots. Appoint Counsel, DN 109, 110, 112). On October 10, 2019, the Magistrate Judge issued the R&R recommending that Defendants’ motion for summary judgment be granted and that Lawson’s remaining motions be denied as moot. (R&R 1). Lawson objected and moved for reconsideration. (Pl.’s Obj. R&R, DN 117; Pl.’s Mot. Recons., DN 119). Finally, on February 24, 2020, Lawson moved to disallow Defendants’ motion

for summary judgment. (Pl.’s Mot. Disallow Defs.’ Mot. Summ. J., DN 124). II. STANDARD OF REVIEW Summary judgment is appropriate if “the movant shows that there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(a). Judgment as a matter of law is appropriate when the evidence is “so one-sided that one party must prevail as a matter of law.” Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 252 (1986). The moving party bears the initial burden of stating the basis for the motion and identifying evidence in the record that demonstrates an absence of a genuine dispute of material fact. See Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 323 (1986). If the moving party satisfies its burden, the

non-moving party must then produce specific evidence proving the existence of a genuine dispute of fact for trial. Anderson, 477 U.S. at 248. While the Court must view the evidence in the light most favorable to the non-moving party, the non-moving party must do more than merely show the existence of some “metaphysical doubt as to the material facts.” Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co. v. Zenith Radio Corp., 475 U.S. 574, 586 (1986) (citation omitted). Rather, the non-moving party must present specific facts proving that a genuine factual dispute exists by “citing to particular parts of the materials in the record” or by “showing that the materials cited do not establish the absence . . . of a genuine dispute . . . .” Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(c)(1). “The mere existence of a scintilla of evidence in support of the [non- movant’s] position will be insufficient” to overcome summary judgment. Anderson, 477 U.S. at 252. In general, the district court conducts a de novo review of the portions of a magistrate judge’s report and recommendation to which a party objects. 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1). In conducting its review, the court “may accept, reject, or modify, in whole or in part, the findings or

recommendations made by the magistrate judge.” Id. General objections or the mere repetition of arguments previously presented to the Magistrate Judge, however, are construed as a failure to object. See Howard v. Sec’y of Health & Human Servs., 932 F.2d 505, 509 (6th Cir. 1991) (“The functions of the district court are effectively duplicated as both the magistrate and the district court perform identical tasks. This duplication of time and effort wastes judicial resources rather than saving them, and runs contrary to the purposes of the Magistrates Act.”). III. DISCUSSION Defendants’ motion for summary judgment argues that Lawson’s claims should be dismissed because he failed to exhaust administrative remedies and that the claims fail on the

merits. (Defs.’ Mot. Summ. J. 4, 6). The Magistrate Judge concluded that there was a genuine issue of material fact as to whether Lawson exhausted his administrative remedies but that his claims fail on the merits regardless. (R&R 6). Lawson both objected to the R&R and moved for reconsideration. (Pl.’s Obj. R&R; Pl.’s Mot.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Thomas v. Arn
474 U.S. 140 (Supreme Court, 1986)
Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc.
477 U.S. 242 (Supreme Court, 1986)
Jones v. Bock
549 U.S. 199 (Supreme Court, 2007)
Kathy Thomas v. Dorothy Arn
728 F.2d 813 (Sixth Circuit, 1984)
Henry Lavado, Jr. v. Patrick W. Keohane
992 F.2d 601 (Sixth Circuit, 1993)
Thaddeus-X and Earnest Bell, Jr. v. Blatter
175 F.3d 378 (Sixth Circuit, 1999)
Surles v. Andison
678 F.3d 452 (Sixth Circuit, 2012)
Farmer v. Brennan
511 U.S. 825 (Supreme Court, 1994)
Riley v. Commonwealth
120 S.W.3d 622 (Kentucky Supreme Court, 2003)
Perkins v. Hausladen
828 S.W.2d 652 (Kentucky Supreme Court, 1992)
Pathways, Inc. v. Hammons
113 S.W.3d 85 (Kentucky Supreme Court, 2003)
Todd Mattox v. Adam Edelman
851 F.3d 583 (Sixth Circuit, 2017)
John Adams M.D. v. Mark Sietsema
533 S.W.3d 172 (Kentucky Supreme Court, 2017)
Melisa Richmond v. Rubab Huq
885 F.3d 928 (Sixth Circuit, 2018)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
Lawson v. LMDC, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lawson-v-lmdc-kywd-2020.