Lindell, Nate v. Boughton, Gary

CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Wisconsin
DecidedOctober 20, 2021
Docket3:18-cv-00895
StatusUnknown

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

Bluebook
Lindell, Nate v. Boughton, Gary, (W.D. Wis. 2021).

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF WISCONSIN NATE LINDELL, Plaintiff, OPINION AND ORDER v. Case No. 18-cv-895-slc GARY BOUGHTON, LEBBEUS BROWN, C.O. SHAWN GALLINGER, and MARK KARTMAN, Defendants. Pro se plaintiff Nate Lindell is proceeding in this lawsuit under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, against defendants Boughton, Brown, Gallinger, and Kartman, on Eighth Amendment claims for their alleged failure to protect him from being shanked on October 8, 2018, at the Wisconsin Secure Program Facility (WSPF) by another prisoner, Jesse Keith. This case is proceeding to trial on November 1, 2021. The court is holding a telephonic final pretrial conference on October 25, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. In this order I address: the parties’ motions in limine (dkts. 188, 199); the parties’ disclosed exhibits and witnesses (dkts. 186, 192); the court’s proposed voir dire, jury instructions, and special verdict form (attached to this order); defendants’ motion to appear via videoconference (dkt. 212); and Lindell’s supplemental motion in limine (dkt. 215). OPINION I. Defendants’ Motions in Limine (dkt. 188) In their first of 5 motions in limine, defendants seek an order excluding reference to details of other legal proceedings involving defendants, or any inmate grievances against

defendants, except those related to this case, or defendants’ personnel file. Defendants’ position is that this evidence has no relevance, and even if relevant, its introduction would be unfairly prejudicial, tend to confuse the jury and waste time during trial. Additionally, contend the defendants, evidence that defendants may have wronged inmates in the past is inadmissible under F.R. Ev. 404, unless such evidence would be admissible under Rule 404(b), to show “motive, opportunity, intent, preparation, plan, knowledge, identity, absence of mistake, or lack of accident.” Id. The Seventh Circuit has adopted a four-part test to determine whether “other acts” evidence is admissible under Rule

404: First, proof of the other act must be directed towards establishing a matter in issue other than the defendant’s propensity to commit like conduct. Second, the other act must be of recent vintage and sufficiently similar to be relevant to the matter in issue. Third, there must be a sufficient amount of evidence for the fact finder to conclude that the similar act was committed. And fourth, the probative value of the evidence must not be outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice. Okai v. Verfuth, 275 F.3d 606, 610-11 (7th Cir. 2011). Lindell has not proffered any judgments or any affirmed inmate complaints that he seeks to admit at trial, and defendants affirmatively represent that they have no known judgments against them in lawsuit involving their work in the prison setting. Accordingly, this motion is GRANTED. Second, defendants ask the court to exclude details of any other lawsuits against the Wisconsin Department of Corrections or its current or former employees, citing F.R. Ev. 404(b). Lindell has not objected to this motion, and it is well taken, so it is GRANTED. Third, while conceding that Lindell may testify about his own perception of his physical and mental health before and after the incident, defendants seek to exclude any

argument, questions, testimony, or evidence regarding the causation of physical injury, permanence, future care and treatment, or future pain and suffering. Lindell has not objected. The cause of Lindell’s physical injuries is within his personal knowledge, and he is able to provide details about his psychological state prior to and after the attack, so he may testify about his perceived source of his injuries related to Keith’s attack. However, I agree with defendants that Lindell may not opine about permanence of those injuries, his need for future care and treatment, or his predictions of future pain and suffering, nor may he express any other medical opinions regarding those injuries, their severity or prognosis. If the parties

need further guidance about this ruling, then we can talk about this at the FPTC. Fourth, defendants seek an order permitting them to impeach Lindell during cross- examination with questions about his criminal convictions under Federal Rule of Evidence 609(a)(1)(A). Lindell was convicted of the following felonies: (1) 1st-Degree Intentional Homicide, in violation of Wis. Stat. § 940.01(1), a Felony A level, on March 3, 1998; (2) Arson of a Building without Owner’s Consent, in violation of Wis. Stat. § 943.02(1)(a), a Felony B level, on March 3, 1998; (3) Burglary-Commit a Battery on Person, in violation of Wis. Stat. § 943.10(2)(d), a Felony B level, on March 3, 1998; (4) Battery by Prisoners, in

violation of Wis. Stat. § 940.20(1), a Felony D level, on December 29, 2003; and (5) Prisoner Throw/Expel Bodily Substances, in violation of Wis. Stat. § 946.43(2m)(a), a Felony I level, from October 3, 2013. Publicly available records of those convictions show that Lindell was sentenced to life in prison on the homicide conviction, 20 years’ incarceration for the burglary conviction, and 30 years’ incarceration for the arson conviction. See https://wcca.wicourts.gov/case.html; https://wscca.wicourts.gov/caseSearch.xsl (last visited Oct. 20, 2021).

Each conviction was punishable by imprisonment for more than one year, and it has not been more than 10 years since Lindell’s release from confinement for these offenses. Defendants therefore propose the following single question: “You have been convicted of five felonies, correct?” Lindell’s position is that only one of these convictions is admissible under Rule 609, but he does not identify the conviction or explain why the remaining convictions are inadmissible. Rule 609(b) limits evidence of convictions “if more than 10 years have passed since the witness’s conviction or release from confinement for it, whichever is later.” Lindell

does not indicate that it has been more than 10 years since he finished serving his sentence for any of the five felonies list above. The defendants’ proposal—limiting their inquiry to one generic question—not only is acceptable, it’s what the court would have ordered in the face of a defense request to put the nature of Lindell’s convictions before the jury. Further, the court will provide a limiting instruction after Lindell answers this question, so that the jury is aware that they may only consider the fact of Lindell’s convictions in assessing his credibility. (What the defendants personally knew about Lindell’s convictions and their beliefs about his dangerousness is a different question. More on this below). The bottom line is that the

motion is GRANTED, and defendants may ask the proposed question of Lindell on cross- examination. Fifth, defendants seek to exclude hearsay statements of other prisoners related to defendants’ statements. Defendants anticipate that Lindell will try to introduce statements of other prisoners himself, rather than through the prisoner. I agree that such statements are inadmissible, so the motion is GRANTED.

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