M.H. v. County of Alameda

62 F. Supp. 3d 1049, 2014 WL 1429720
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. California
DecidedApril 11, 2014
DocketCase No. 11-cv-02868-JST
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 62 F. Supp. 3d 1049 (M.H. v. County of Alameda) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
M.H. v. County of Alameda, 62 F. Supp. 3d 1049, 2014 WL 1429720 (N.D. Cal. 2014).

Opinion

Re: ECF Nos. 121, 133, 134

AMENDED ORDER GRANTING IN PART, DENYING IN PART DEFENDANTS’ MOTIONS FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

JON S. TIGAR, United States District Judge

Table of Contents

I. Introduction... 1055

II. Procedural History.. .1056

III. Jurisdiction... 1056

IV. Facts... 1056

A. Arrest and Medical Screening. . .1056

B. Transfer to Santa Rita Jail.. .1060

C. Transfer to Isolation Cell... 1061

D. Policies and Training Applicable to Deputy Ahlf Concerning Medical Care... 1061

E. Referral to CJMH... 1062

F. Altercation with Deputy Ahlf. ..1064

G. Arrival of the Remaining Sheriffs Deputies... 1066

H. Transfer to Hospital and Death.. .1069

I. Coroner’s Report.. .1070
J. Expert Opinions... 1071
V. Evidentiary Objections... 1074
VI. Legal Standard.. .1075
VII. Analysis... 1075

A. Deliberate Indifference to Serious Medical Needs — Individual Defendants ...1076

B. Monell Claims... 1080
C. Supervisory Liability — Dr. Orr.. .1088
D. Excessive Force... 1089
E. Loss of Familial Association.. .1094
F. Bane Act, California Civil Code Section 52.1.. .1096
G. Negligence, Assault, and Battery as to the County Defendants... 1097
H. Negligence as to Nurse Sancho and the Corizon Defendants... 1098
I. California Government Code Section 845.6.. .1098
VIII. Conclusion.. .1100
I. INTRODUCTION

This case arises out of the death of Martin Harrison while he was in the custody of the Alameda County Sheriffs Office. Plaintiffs Joseph, Krystle, Martin, Jr., and Tiffany Harrison are Mr. Harrison’s adult [1056]*1056children. They assert claims for violation of Mr. Harrison’s civil rights pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and California’s Bane Act, Cal. Civ.Code § 52.1, as well as common law claims against: the County of Alameda; Sheriff Gregory J. Ahern in his official capacity; Sheriffs Deputies Matthew Ahlf, Alejandro Valverde, Joshua Swetnam, Roberto Martinez, Zachary Lit-vinchuk, Ryan Madigan, Michael Bareno, Fernando Rojas-Castaneda, Shawn Sobre-ro, and Solomon Unubun; Megan Hast, A.S.W., a social worker employed by Criminal Justice Mental Health (“CJMH”), an Alameda County employer; Corizon Health, Inc. (formerly Prison Health Services, Inc.); Corizon Health’s Regional Medical Director Dr. Harold Orr; and Corizon Health employee Nurse Zelda Sancho.

Before the Court are motions for summary judgment filed by the County Defendants, County MSJ, ECF No. 121, Nurse Sancho, Sancho MSJ, ECF No. 133, and the remaining Corizon Health Defendants, Corizon MSJ, ECF No. 134.

II.PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Harrison’s minor son, M.H., filed this action on June 10, 2011. Through two amendments, M.H. added Harrison’s two adult sons and two adult daughters as Plaintiffs, as well as Corizon Health, Dr. Orr, and Nurse Sancho as Defendants. The operative Second Amended Complaint was filed November 19, 2012. Second Am. Compl. (“SAC”), ECF No. 46. M.H. settled his claims against all Defendants, and the Court approved the minor’s compromise on October 4, 2013. ECF No. 109. On November 7, 2013, all remaining Plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed their claims against Sheriff Ahern in his individual capacity pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 41(a)(l)(a)(ii). ECF No. 117.

III. JURISDICTION

This Court has federal question jurisdiction over Plaintiffs’ claims arising under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and 1988, and supplemental jurisdiction over Plaintiffs’ state law claims.

IV. FACTS

Many of the facts in this case are disputed by the parties. In reviewing the facts here, the Court will note where facts are disputed. In all other instances, the facts contained herein are undisputed.

A. Arrest and Medical Screening

Decedent Martin Harrison was stopped on August 13, 2010, at 3:55 p.m. for jaywalking by -the Oakland Police Department. The officer arrested Harrison pursuant to a bench warrant for failure to appear at trial for violation of California Vehicular Code § 23152(a) (driving under the influence of'alcohol). Ly Deck ISO County MSJ, ECF No. 125, Ex. A at 4. The arrest report states Harrison weighed 140 pounds and was 6'0" talk Id. He was one day shy of his fiftieth birthday. Id.

1. Medical Screening by Nurse Sancho

Harrison was taken to the Glenn Dyer Detention Facility in Oakland, California. Defendant Sancho, a licensed vocational nurse employed by Defendant Corizon Health (then known as Prison Health Services, Inc.), performed a medical intake assessment, which she memorialized on a standardized intake assessment form. Sherwin Deck ISO County MSJ Opp., ECF No. 149, Ex. 9, Sancho Dep., 54:10-12; Ly Deck, Ex. A at 2. The form was completed at 5:00 p,m. on August 13. The form contained a standardized set of questions followed by space for a narrative description of the inmate’s condition. Harrison’s form indicated that his weight was 142 pounds, and that he was between 5'4" and 5'6" talk Sancho recorded those [1057]*1057measurements after weighing Harrison, although she did not measure his height. Sancho Dep. 67:10-24. Sancho described Harrison as a “medium-sized guy.” Id. She recorded his vital signs as “within normal levels.” Sancho Dep. 66:7-11.

Sancho testified that when she examined Harrison, his demeanor and outward physical symptoms were unremarkable. He walked with a “steady gait,” stood straight, was coherent, alert, and oriented, and calm and quiet. Id. 69:15-23.

Sancho testified that Harrison told her he had two bottles of beer that afternoon, and that Harrison told her “three to four times” that he did not have problems with alcohol withdrawal in the past. Id. 70:1-6. Sancho testified that she asked Harrison what size the bottles were, but forgot to record it on the form. Id. 71:5-7. She also testified that she understood Harrison to have told her he drank two bottles of beer every day. Id. 72:14-15. When she examined Harrison, he smelled of alcohol and his face was “maybe red, but not puffy.” Id.

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Bluebook (online)
62 F. Supp. 3d 1049, 2014 WL 1429720, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mh-v-county-of-alameda-cand-2014.