Martin v. Wellpath/Correct Care

District Court, D. South Carolina·Decided August 14, 2023·No. 4:22-cv-02042·Unknown

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF SOUTH CAROLINA FLORENCE DIVISION Anthony-Shane Martin, ) ) Plaintiff, ) C.A. No. 4:22-2043-HMH-TER ) vs. ) OPINION & ORDER ) Correct Care Recovery Solutions, ) Erin Gaffney, Brian Davis, Jared ) Anderson, Doctor Dubie, and Gina ) Brisson, ) ) Defendants. ) Anthony-Shane Martin, ) ) Plaintiff, ) C.A. No. 4:22-2042-HMH-TER ) vs. ) OPINION & ORDER ) Wellpath/Correct Care, Erin Gaffney, ) Lisa Young, Ray Walker, Lenoka Gavin, _) Hodiyah Lewis, and Jill Cardaron, ) ) Defendants. )

This matter is before the court with the Report and Recommendation of United States Magistrate Judge Thomas E. Rogers, III made in accordance with 28 U.S.C. § 636(b) and District of South Carolina Local Civil Rule 73.02. In these consolidated pro se actions, Anthony-Shane Martin (“Martin”), who is in custody of the South Carolina Department of Mental Health (“SCDMH”) as part of the Sexually Violent Predator Treatment Program (“SVPTP”), alleges various constitutional violations against Defendants pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983.

' Martin has argued that he is not bringing this case under § 1983. This action, however, is properly brought pursuant to § 1983, as Martin is alleging federal constitutional violations by

In 4:22-cv-02042-HMH-TER, Martin alleges that his First Amendment rights were violated when Defendants confiscated his unapproved newsletter and three articles promoting the normalization of pedophilia. Martin, who was charged with rule violations for distributing these materials, also claims that Defendants violated his Eighth and Fourteenth Amendment rights by

placing him on “wing restriction” before providing him with written notice of the charges. (2042 Am. Complaint, ECF No. 29.) In 4:22-cv-02043-HMH-TER, Martin alleges violations of his First, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendment rights because SVPTP residents are prohibited from accessing the internet, calling 1-800 telephone numbers, possessing certain personal electronic devices such as laptops, and watching X-rated and R-rated movies. (2043 Am. Complaint, ECF No. 1-1.) In his July 17, 2023, Report and Recommendation, Magistrate Judge Rogers recommends

granting Defendants’ motion for summary judgment and dismissing both actions with prejudice. (R&R, ECF Nos. 49 (2043 case) & 55 (2042 case).) Specifically, the magistrate judge found that (1) the challenged policies do not violate the First Amendment because they are rationally related to legitimate governmental interests in maintaining security and treating SVPTP residents; (2) Martin’s due process rights were not violated because he was afforded notice and a hearing within a reasonable time of being placed on wing restriction; and (3) even if a constitutional violation

state actors. City of Monterey v. Del Monte Dunes at Monterey, Ltd., 526 U.S. 687, 707 (1999). (“Section 1983 authorizes a party who has been deprived of a federal right under the color of state law to seek relief through ‘an action at law, suit in equity, or other proper proceeding for redress.’”). The SCDMH contracts with Defendant Wellpath, formerly known as Correct Care Solutions, to provide licensed medical and mental health care to participants in the SVPTP. By performing a function traditionally within the exclusive prerogative of the state, Wellpath employees are considered state actors for § 1983 purposes. See West v. Atkins, 487 U.S. 42, 55-56 (1988). 2 occurred, Defendants are entitled to qualified immunity on Martin’s claims for money damages because they did not violate a clearly established right. (R&R, generally, ECF Nos. 49 (2043 case) & 55 (2042 case).) Martin filed timely objections to the Report and Recommendation. (Objs., ECF Nos. 51 (2043 case) & 57 (2042 case).) This matter is now ripe for review. REVIEW OF A REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION A report and recommendation carries no “presumptive weight,” and the responsibility for making a “final determination” remains with the court. Mathews v. Weber, 423 U.S. 261, 271 (1976). The court reviews de novo “those portions of the report . . . to which objection is made” and “may accept, reject, or modify, in whole or in part, the findings or recommendations made by the magistrate judge” or “recommit the matter... with instructions.” 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1). “To trigger de novo review, an objecting party ‘must object to the finding or recommendation on that issue with sufficient specificity so as reasonably to alert the district court of the true ground for the objection.’” Elijah v. Dunbar, 66 F.4th 454, 460 (4th Cir. 2023) (quoting United States v. Midgette, 478 F.3d 616, 622 (4th Cir. 2007)). In the absence of specific objections, the court reviews only for clear error, Diamond v. Colonial Life & Accident Ins. Co., 416 F.3d 310, 315 (4th Cir. 2005), and need not give any explanation for adopting the report, Camby v. Davis, 718 F.2d 198, 200 (4th Cir. 1983). DISCUSSION Though many of Martin’s objections are non-specific or unrelated to the dispositive portions of the magistrate judge’s Report and Recommendation, the court managed to glean two specific objections. First, Martin objects that the magistrate judge erred in finding that legitimate

governmental interests support the SVPTP policy prohibiting him from distributing the newsletter and articles to other residents. (Objs. 2, ECF Nos. 51 (2043 case) & 57 (2042 case).) Second, Martin objects that the magistrate judge erred in finding that he was not denied due process when he was placed on wing restriction before he received notice of the charges against him. (Id., ECF Nos. 51 (2043 case) & 57 (2042 case).) Objection #1 Martin contends that Defendants violated his First Amendment rights by confiscating his newsletter and articles on pedophilia. “When a prison regulation impinges on inmates’ constitutional rights, the regulation is valid if it is reasonably related to legitimate penological interests.” Turner v. Safley. 482 U.S. 78, 89 (1987). In Turner, the Court identified four factors for assessing the reasonableness of a regulation: (1) whether there is a valid, rational connection between the prison regulation and the legitimate governmental interest put forward to justify it; (2) whether there are alternative means of exercising the right that remain open to prison inmates; (3) the impact accommodation of the asserted constitutional right will have on guards and other inmates, and on the allocation of prison resources generally; and (4) whether there’s an absence of ready alternatives to the regulation, which is evidence of [its] reasonableness. Matherly v. Andrews, 859 F.3d 264, 281 (4th Cir. 2017) (internal quotation marks omitted) (citing Turner, 482 U.S. at 89-90). The Turner factors apply to civil detainees as well. Id.

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

Martin v. Wellpath/Correct Care, (D.S.C. 2023).

Martin v. Wellpath/Correct Care (Martin v. Wellpath/Correct Care) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

Mathews v. Weber
423 U.S. 261 (Supreme Court, 1976)
Youngberg v. Romeo Ex Rel. Romeo
457 U.S. 307 (Supreme Court, 1982)
Hewitt v. Helms
459 U.S. 460 (Supreme Court, 1983)
Turner v. Safley
482 U.S. 78 (Supreme Court, 1987)
West v. Atkins
487 U.S. 42 (Supreme Court, 1988)
David E. Camby v. Larry Davis James M. Lester
718 F.2d 198 (Fourth Circuit, 1983)
United States v. Nicholas Omar Midgette
478 F.3d 616 (Fourth Circuit, 2007)
Singer v. Raemisch
593 F.3d 529 (Seventh Circuit, 2010)
Michael Dilworth v. Captain Adams
841 F.3d 246 (Fourth Circuit, 2016)
Thomas Matherly v. J.F. Andrews
859 F.3d 264 (Fourth Circuit, 2017)
Cheryl Simpson v. County of Cape Girardeau
879 F.3d 273 (Eighth Circuit, 2018)
Dustin Williamson v. Bryan Stirling
912 F.3d 154 (Fourth Circuit, 2018)
James R. Pesci v. Tim Budz
935 F.3d 1159 (Eleventh Circuit, 2019)
Thomas Heyer v. US Bureau of Prisons
984 F.3d 347 (Fourth Circuit, 2021)
Larone Elijah v. Richard Dunbar
66 F.4th 454 (Fourth Circuit, 2023)