Niemic v. Maloney

448 F. Supp. 2d 270, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 66612, 2006 WL 2664359
CourtDistrict Court, D. Massachusetts
DecidedAugust 11, 2006
DocketCivil Action 04-11482-NMG
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 448 F. Supp. 2d 270 (Niemic v. Maloney) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Massachusetts primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Niemic v. Maloney, 448 F. Supp. 2d 270, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 66612, 2006 WL 2664359 (D. Mass. 2006).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM & ORDER

GORTON, District Judge.

The plaintiff, Keith Niemic (“Niemic”), who represents himself, alleges that defendants Michael Maloney, Peter Allen, David Nolan, Pat Mulvey, David Brian, Paul Murphy, Gary Hebda, Ann Marie Aucoin, Dick Solom, Beverly Veglas, Susan Martin, Kristie LaDouceur, Stan Galas, Arthur Brewer, June Binney, Jeff Shorey, Kara Erdody, Donna Fitzgerald, Donald Kern and Gurvinder Jaiswal violated his civil rights under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and the United States Constitution and the Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) and are liable to him under several common law *274 tort theories. Several motions have been filed in this Court, including motions for summary judgment and for a preliminary injunction. Having considered the memo-randa in support of and in opposition to the multiple pending motions, the Court rules as follows.

I. Background

A. Facts

Niemic is currently incarcerated at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center (“SBCC”) in Shirley, Massachusetts, although most of the events described in his complaint took place while he was incarcerated at the MCI-Cedar Junction state correctional facility in Walpole, Massachusetts (“the Walpole facility”).

For several years, Niemic has suffered from a liver ailment, chronic migraines and other physical and mental conditions. He alleges that he began requesting treatment for his liver problem in 1997 but that he did not begin a program of Interferon to treat Hepatitis C until December 31, 2001. The treatment was discontinued in June, 2002, apparently because Niemic told his doctors that the side-effects were too painful.

In July, 2003, Niemic requested that his Hepatitis C treatment be resumed but was told that a six-month waiting list existed for the treatment. Niemic alleges that in September, 2003, he was forcibly and coer-cively 1) subjected to a medical examination, 2) required to provide a urine sample and 3) given medical treatment against his will. After that episode, Niemic again requested treatment for his liver condition but was told that treatment could not begin because he had submitted a “dirty” urine sample and needed to be drug-free for 12 months before commencement of the program.

With respect to his migraines, Niemic contends that although several doctors prescribed various medications for him in November 2001, May, 2002, and April, 2003, he was either denied those prescriptions or given inadequate substitutes. The medical records show that he consistently refused Tylenol and Motrin and wanted only more potent narcotics to treat his pain. Moreover, he contends that he was subjected to an extended delay before being allowed to see a neurologist.

According to the plaintiff, the ineffective treatment, willful indifference and various denials of his complaints and requests for relief from physical pain caused him serious injury and emotional distress.

In September, 2003, the plaintiff was transferred to the Departmental Disciplinary Unit (“DDU”) at the Walpole facility to serve a one-year term for reasons that Niemic maintains are unjustified, i.e., for making complaints about being placed illegally in a segregated block. He contends that after he was removed to the DDU he was deprived of various legal materials and personal records for a significant length of time in contravention of the policy set forth in the DDU manual.

Niemic further contends that his complaints and requests relating to his physical ailments went unaddressed while he was in the DDU. In October, 2003, for instance, he made numerous complaints about physical pain and a rapid 20-pound weight loss without receiving an adequate response. He alleges that he continued to suffer pain about which he complained for the following eight months but that his requests for evaluations and treatment were denied.

In October, 2003, Niemic attended a disciplinary hearing with respect to the alleged “dirty” urine incident but was allegedly denied adequate access to legal materials in advance of that hearing and of a *275 tape recording of the proceedings afterward. The results of the drug test were affirmed at the hearing and Niemic was assessed a fíne and a penalty depriving him of various privileges, including visits, telephone, television, radio and commissary, for six months. He submits that he was, furthermore, deprived of adequate legal materials to appeal that decision.

In addition to the foregoing allegations, Niemic alleges that 1) he has been deprived of timely access to incoming and outgoing mail for several years, 2) he has been deliberately deprived of access to legal materials on multiple occasions, which has specifically deprived him of meaningful participation in legal proceedings brought by or against him, 3) deliberately false reports have been made about him, 4) a freeze was put on his personal financial account in order to prevent him from filing legal papers and 5) various grievances and requests were treated with deliberate indifference and callousness.

B. Procedural History

On June 29, 2004, Niemic filed a handwritten, 68-page complaint against the named defendants in their individual and official capacities alleging numerous violations of federal and state law. The defendants fall generally into two categories: a) 12 employees of the Massachusetts Department of Corrections (“the Corrections defendants”) and b) eight employees of the University of Massachusetts Correctional Health (“UMCH”) (“the medical defendants”), which provides medical services to the Walpole facility (among other correctional institutions). The complaint states claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, the FOIA and for common law tort violations.

Niemic has requested relief in the form of 1) 29 declaratory judgments, 2) injunc-tive relief addressing plaintiffs medical treatment and the disciplinary action taken in response to the “dirty urine” hearing, 3) compensatory damages totaling $455,000 and 4) punitive damages in the amount of $300,000. He has requested a jury trial.

On December 21, 2005, this Court issued a Memorandum and Order which disposed of multiple pending motions of the plaintiff and ordered the Corrections defendants to respond to the plaintiffs Motion for a Temporary Restraining Order and Preliminary Injunction on or before January 13, 2006. That response was filed on January 12, 2006.

At present, there are seven motions pending before this Court:

1) plaintiffs Motion for a Temporary Restraining Order and Preliminary Injunction against the Corrections defendants (Docket No. 67);
2) medical defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment (Docket No. 81);
3) plaintiffs Renewed Motion for Appointment of Law Student to represent him (Docket No. 87);
4) plaintiffs “Motion to Deny Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment or in the Alternative to Stay Such Motion” (Docket No. 88);

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Bluebook (online)
448 F. Supp. 2d 270, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 66612, 2006 WL 2664359, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/niemic-v-maloney-mad-2006.