Lindsey v. Derr

CourtDistrict Court, D. Hawaii
DecidedNovember 1, 2023
Docket1:23-cv-00437
StatusUnknown

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

Bluebook
Lindsey v. Derr, (D. Haw. 2023).

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF HAWAII

EDWIN LINDSEY, Civil No. 23-00437 SOM-WRP #06267-122, ORDER DISMISSING COMPLAINT Plaintiff, AND ACTION

v.

ESTELA DERR,

Defendant.

ORDER DISMISSING COMPLAINT AND ACTION

Before the Court is a Prisoner Civil Rights Complaint (“Complaint”), ECF No. 1, filed by pro se Plaintiff Edwin Lindsey (“Lindsey”). Lindsey alleges that Estela Derr (“Derr”), the warden at the Federal Detention Center in Honolulu, Hawaii (“FDC Honolulu”), violated the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment by threatening his safety.1 Id. at PageID.5. Although Lindsey states that he is bringing this action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983, see ECF No. 1 at PageID.1, the Court liberally construes the Complaint as

1 According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ online inmate locator, Lindsey is now incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institution in Sheridan, Oregon. See Federal Bureau of Prisons, https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/ (select “Find By Number”; enter “06267-122”; and select “Search”) (last visited Nov. 1, 2023). being filed pursuant to Bivens v. Six Unknown Named Agents of Federal Bureau of Narcotics, 403 U.S. 388 (1971). See Pettibone v. Russell, 59 F.4th 449 (9th Cir.

2023) (noting that 42 U.S.C. § 1983 does not apply to alleged violations of the Constitution by federal officers). For the reasons stated below, the Court concludes that Lindsey cannot pursue his claim under Bivens and, therefore,

DISMISSES the Complaint. Because amendment of Lindsey’s claim would be futile, this dismissal is with prejudice. I. SCREENING The Court is required to screen all in forma pauperis prisoner complaints

filed against government officials, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1915(e)(2) and 1915A(a). See Byrd v. Phx. Police Dep’t, 885 F.3d 639, 641 (9th Cir. 2018). Claims or complaints that are frivolous, malicious, fail to state a claim for relief, or

seek damages from defendants who are immune from suit must be dismissed. See Lopez v. Smith, 203 F.3d 1122, 1126–27 (9th Cir. 2000) (en banc); Rhodes v. Robinson, 621 F.3d 1002, 1004 (9th Cir. 2010). Screening under 28 U.S.C. §§ 1915(e)(2) and 1915A(a) involves the same

standard of review as that used under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6). See Rosati v. Igbinoso, 791 F.3d 1037, 1039 (9th Cir. 2015) (per curiam). Under this standard, a complaint must “contain sufficient factual matter, accepted as true,

to state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678 (2009) (internal quotation marks and citation omitted). A claim is “plausible” when the facts alleged support a reasonable inference that the plaintiff

is entitled to relief from a specific defendant for specific misconduct. See id. In conducting this screening, the Court liberally construes pro se litigants’ pleadings and resolves all doubts in their favor. See Hebbe v. Pliler, 627 F.3d 338,

342 (9th Cir. 2010) (citations omitted). The Court must grant leave to amend if it appears the plaintiff can correct the defects in the complaint. See Lopez, 203 F.3d at 1130. When a claim cannot be saved by amendment, however, dismissal with prejudice is appropriate. See Sylvia Landfield Tr. v. City of Los Angeles, 729 F.3d

1189, 1196 (9th Cir. 2013). II. BACKGROUND2 On three occasions, Lindsey fell on slippery floors at FDC Honolulu. ECF

No. 1-3 at PageID.11. During an incident on June 24, 2021, Lindsey fell outside a shower and injured both his legs. ECF No. 1-5 at PageID.13. According to Lindsey, other inmates also fell in other areas of FDC Honolulu. Id. Lindsey complained to prison officials about the slippery floors near the

showers and the fact that FDC Honolulu’s commissary sold zori sandals with slippery bottoms. See ECF No. 1-1 at PageID.9; ECF No. 1-4 at PageID.12. In a

2 Lindsey’s factual allegations are accepted as true for purposes of screening. See Nordstrom v. Ryan, 762 F.3d 903, 908 (9th Cir. 2014). written response to Lindsey’s request for administrative remedy, Derr stated that shower curtains were in place to prevent water from accumulating on the floor.

ECF No. 1-4 at PageID.12. Derr also stated that shower orderlies are instructed to mop up excess water from the floor and to place caution signs near wet floors. Id. Finally, Derr stated that additional safety measures for the shower area would be

explored. Id. Lindsey appealed to the BOP’s regional director. See ECF No. 1-3 at PageID.11. In a written response, the regional director noted that FDC Honolulu had already taken corrective action. ECF No. 1-7 at PageID.15. Specifically, the

immediate area outside the showers had been resurfaced with a non-slip surface. Id. Lindsey then appealed to the BOP’s Office of General Counsel. See ECF

No. 1-8 at PageID.16. In a written response, the central office also noted that “the institution took corrective actions and the immediate area outside of the showers were resurfaced with a non-slip surface.” ECF No. 1-10 at PageID.18. On October 27, 2023, the Court received the Complaint. ECF No. 1.

Lindsey alleges in the Complaint’s one count that Derr violated the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment by threatening his safety. Id. at PageID.5. Specifically, Lindsey alleges that there were “unsafe

conditions” at FDC Honolulu, Derr was aware of these conditions, and she “refused to address them.” Id. Lindsey seeks $500,000 in damages. Id. at PageID.8.

III. DISCUSSION Before the merits of Lindsey’s claim can be reached, the Court must first decide whether a Bivens remedy is available to Lindsey. See, e.g., Manansingh v.

United States, Case No. 2:20-cv-01139-DWM, 2021 WL 2080190, at *8 (D. Nev. May 24, 2021) (“In a constitutional action against a federal officer, a threshold consideration is whether a plaintiff may bring a Bivens suit in the first place.”). Because no such remedy exists, the Complaint and this action must be dismissed.

A. Legal Framework for Determining Whether a Bivens Remedy Exists While “Congress has made a cause of action available to any person who has suffered ‘the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the

Constitution and laws’ at the hands of someone acting under color of state law,” it “has not created a general cause of action to redress violations of the Constitution by federal officers.” Pettibone, 59 F.4th at 454 (quoting 42 U.S.C. § 1983) (alteration in original).

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