(PC) Alexander v. Garza

CourtDistrict Court, E.D. California
DecidedApril 29, 2021
Docket1:20-cv-01486
StatusUnknown

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

Bluebook
(PC) Alexander v. Garza, (E.D. Cal. 2021).

Opinion

1 2 3 4 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 5 EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 6 JULIAN J. ALEXANDER, ) Case No.: 1:20-cv-01486-SAB (PC) ) 7 Plaintiff, ) ORDER DIRECTING CLERK OF COURT TO 8 v. ) )

R THA IN SD AO CM TL IOY N A SSIGN A DISTRICT JUDGE TO

9 GARZA, et al., ) FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATION 10 ) ) R CE LACO IMM SM AE NN DD DIN EG F ED NIS DM AI NS TS SA L OF CERTAIN Defendants. ) 11 ) (ECF No. 17) ) 12 ) 13

14 Plaintiff Julian J. Alexander is proceeding pro se and in forma pauperis in this civil rights 15 action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. 16 Currently before the Court is Plaintiff’s second amended complaint, filed March 25, 2021. 17 I. 18 SCREENING REQUIREMENT 19 The Court is required to screen complaints brought by prisoners seeking relief against a 20 governmental entity or officer or employee of a governmental entity. 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(a). The Court 21 must dismiss a complaint or portion thereof if the prisoner has raised claims that are legally “frivolous 22 or malicious,” that “fail[] to state a claim on which relief may be granted,” or that “seek[] monetary 23 relief against a defendant who is immune from such relief.” 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B); see also 28 24 U.S.C. § 1915A(b). 25 A complaint must contain “a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is 26 entitled to relief. . . .” Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a)(2). Detailed factual allegations are not required, but 27 “[t]hreadbare recitals of the elements of a cause of action, supported by mere conclusory statements, do 28 1 not suffice.” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678 (2009) (citing Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly, 550 2 U.S. 544, 555 (2007)). Moreover, Plaintiff must demonstrate that each defendant personally participated 3 in the deprivation of Plaintiff’s rights. Jones v. Williams, 297 F.3d 930, 934 (9th Cir. 2002). 4 Prisoners proceeding pro se in civil rights actions are entitled to have their pleadings liberally 5 construed and to have any doubt resolved in their favor. Wilhelm v. Rotman, 680 F.3d 1113, 1121 (9th 6 Cir. 2012) (citations omitted). To survive screening, Plaintiff’s claims must be facially plausible, which 7 requires sufficient factual detail to allow the Court to reasonably infer that each named defendant is 8 liable for the misconduct alleged. Iqbal, 556 U.S. at 678-79; Moss v. U.S. Secret Service, 572 F.3d 962, 9 969 (9th Cir. 2009). The “sheer possibility that a defendant has acted unlawfully” is not sufficient, and 10 “facts that are ‘merely consistent with’ a defendant’s liability” falls short of satisfying the plausibility 11 standard. Iqbal, 556 U.S. at 678; Moss, 572 F.3d at 969. 12 II. 13 SUMMARY OF ALLEGATIONS 14 The Court accepts Plaintiff’s allegations in his complaint as true only for the purpose of the 15 screening requirement under 28 U.S.C. § 1915. 16 While Plaintiff was housed at Corcoran State Prison in the year 2018, he suffered from bipolar 17 disorder. The condition was marked by symptoms such as severe depression, episodes of mania, 18 delusional states, racing thoughts, and suicidal ideations. Plaintiff was under the treatment of the 19 mental health unit. Plaintiff was just released from the inpatient program within the mental health 20 unit, just two week prior the incidents at issue in this action. 21 Plaintiff also has an extensive history of self-harm and crisis episodes, such as rage, 22 uncontrollable weeping, and extreme anxiety. 23 In September 2018, Plaintiff was housed in cell 3A-04, which is in the administrative 24 segregation unit. On or about September 4, 2018, Plaintiff’s condition and mental health began to 25 decompensate due to escalating tensions with the unit correctional staff. 26 Plaintiff began to voice his complaints about the unit staff’s gross negligence and extreme acts 27 of misconduct, including refusing to provide CDCR 602 appeal forms, spraying noncombative inmates 28 and lack of decontamination, refusal to feed inmates, and destroying personal property. Defendant 1 Perez would frequently take it upon himself to torture inmates he was displeased with by pepper 2 spraying them. Defendants Garza and Hackworth would stand by and watch the misconduct. 3 Plaintiff began to document the Defendants’ actions on or about September 4, 2018, and that is 4 when he became a target. Plaintiff confronted Defendants Garza, Hackworth, Perez, Contreas and 5 Bonilla about their misconduct. Plaintiff’s advances were met with extreme contempt and threats of 6 physical harm which was intended to prevent Plaintiff from exposing their misconduct. Based on the 7 misconduct, Plaintiff was stressed to the point that he was suicidal. Plaintiff expressed his suicidal 8 ideations. Plaintiff also broke his cell window in an attempt to force Defendants Garza, Hackworth, 9 Perez, Contreas, and Bonilla to follow policy and remove Plaintiff from his cell for a psychiatric 10 evaluation. However, Defendants refused to allow Plaintiff to be taken from his cell or to call a 11 psychologist. Plaintiff’s requests were made over a period of four days, to no avail. Instead, a rolling 12 shield made of clear plexiglass was placed in front of Plaintiff’s cell, and Defendants Bonilla and 13 Contreas while provoking him by saying “go ahead cut. If that’s what you want to do, … do it.” 14 Defendants Garza and Hackworth both were absolutely aware of everything was taking place 15 because the Plaintiff and his peers would repeatedly yell out to them: “Do you job, were [sic] going to 16 write this up. And watch, your [sic] going to get sued.” Plaintiff’s frustration escalated to the point 17 that he began to curse the Defendants, and Defendants Perez, Bonilla, Contreas, and Hackworth would 18 say “put some bass in your voice. And keep talk’n and your [sic] going to end up getting rucked 19 up…But go ahead cut your writ, push paper work (staff complaints) we really don’t give a shit. Keep 20 at it, and you guys will get yours.” Plaintiff was being threatened with physical and mental harm for 21 utilizing the appeal system. 22 Plaintiff broke his cell window on September 4, 2018. Then, on September 7, 2018, Plaintiff 23 did exactly what Defendants Perez, Contreas, and Bonilla had repeatedly advised him to do. Plaintiff 24 was experiencing deep frustration, embarrassment, stress, and deep rage. When Plaintiff was brought 25 out of the shower he took a shard of glass and proceeded to lacerate his left arm. After showing 26 Defendant Contreas and stated he was suicidal, Defendants Bonilla and Perez attempted to pepper 27 spray Plaintiff, despite the fact that he was no longer engaged in self-injurious behavior. Plaintiff 28 avoided being pepper sprayed by taking cover behind the upper tier shower curtain. Plaintiff later 1 went to the front shower and told floor staff that he was still suicidal. Defendants Garza, Perez, 2 Contreas, and Bonilla laughed at Plaintiff. Defendants took turn provoking Plaintiff and threatening 3 him with physical harm. Defendant Garza failed in his supervisory role to prevent his subordinates 4 from repeatedly engaging in misconduct.

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Bluebook (online)
(PC) Alexander v. Garza, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/pc-alexander-v-garza-caed-2021.