(PC) Gomez v. Ramirez

District Court, E.D. California·Decided June 6, 2022·No. 2:20-cv-00757·Unknown

Opinion

EDWARD GOMEZ, No. 2:20-CV-0757-TLN-DMC-P Plaintiff, v. FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS A. RAMIREZ, et al., Defendants. Plaintiff, a prisoner proceeding pro se, brings this civil rights action under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Pending before the Court are Defendants’ partial motion to dismiss, ECF No. 29, Plaintiff’s opposition, ECF No. 30, and Defendants’ reply, ECF No. 31. Plaintiff, an inmate at California Health Care Facility, Stockton (CHCF), names the following as Defendants: (1) A. Ramirez, Guard; (2) R. Yepez, Lieutenant; and (3) L. Eldridge, Warden. See ECF No. 23, pg. 2. The crux of Plaintiff’s complaint concerns a medical needs claim, safety claim, and retaliation claim against Defendant Ramirez, a retaliation claim and a supervisor liability claim against Defendant Yepez, and a supervisor liability claim against Defendant Eldridge. Plaintiff also asserts a claim for “denying accessed [sic] to the courts,” but fails to supply the Court with any facts. See id. at 5. Defendant Ramirez In Plaintiff’s first amended complaint, Plaintiff alleges three claims against Defendant Ramirez: (1) a violation of Plaintiff’s Eighth Amendment rights for having a deliberate indifference to Plaintiff’s medical needs; (2) a violation of Plaintiff’s Eighth Amendment rights for placing Plaintiff at a substantial risk of serious harm; and (3) a violation of Plaintiff’s First Amendment rights for retaliating against Plaintiff. See id. at 3-6. 1. Medical Needs Plaintiff claims that Defendant Ramirez violated Plaintiff’s Eighth Amendment rights by showing deliberate indifference to his medical needs and delaying medical assistance resulting in unnecessary pain and suffering. See id. at 3. Plaintiff alleges that on Aug. 14, 2019, he called for medical assistance because he believed he was experiencing autonomic dysreflexia which is an emergency medical condition and requires immediate assistance. See id. Plaintiff had stopped urinating, his blood pressure was high, and he believed his catheter was obstructed. See id. According to the complaint, RN Carasca responded to Plaintiff’s call but was prevented from entering Plaintiff’s room by Defendant Ramirez. See id. Plaintiff alleges that Ramirez would not allow the RN to assist Plaintiff until after Plaintiff disclosed confidential medical information. See id. Plaintiff claims that while he waited for medical assistance he was in extreme pain and at risk of serious harm or death. See id. Plaintiff alleges that Defendant Ramirez deliberately denied and delayed medical assistance in violation of Plaintiff’s Eighth Amendment rights. See id. at 4. 2. Safety On September 5, 2019, while Plaintiff was being undressed, Defendant Ramirez stood and watched Plaintiff. See id. at 5. Defendant Ramirez then “called Plaintiff a child molester, putting Plaintiff in danger if any other inmate would have heard, which brought mush [sic] fear and anxiety to Plaintiff? Plaintiff Gomez is a quadriplegic (C6-C7), which makes it impossible to protect himself in any degree.” Id. (errors in original). / / / / / / 3. Retaliation On August 26, 2018, Plaintiff wrote a 602 complaint against Defendant Ramirez for denying him medical assistance. See id. at 5. Plaintiff alleges that Defendant Ramirez then began harassing Plaintiff for filing a complaint against Defendant Ramirez. See id. Plaintiff states that Defendant “Ramirez was hoping that the harassments would intimidate Plaintiff into not exercising his right of going forward with the complaint against him.” Id. The harassment included looking at Plaintiff while Plaintiff was naked and while having a bowel movement, calling Plaintiff a child molester, threatening to make false allegations against Plaintiff, and threatening to “kick [Plaintiff] out of the unit.” See id. Defendant Yepez 1. Retaliation Plaintiff also claims that Defendant Yepez violated his First Amendment rights by retaliating against him for his exercise of free speech. See id. at 5. During the 602 appeal interview with Defendant Yepez, Defendant Yepez threatened Plaintiff that “if he did not sign off the 602 written against guard Ramirez . . . ‘there must be more property in Plaintiff’s cell that guard Ramirez could take.’” Id. 2. Supervisor Liability Additionally, Plaintiff appears to allege a supervisor liability claim against Defendant Yepez. Plaintiff states that Plaintiff “made it known to Lt. Yepes of the harassments and threats.” Id. at 6 (errors in original). However, “Yepes choose to make his own threat and did nothing to stop the threats and harassments by Guard Ramirez allowing Ramirez to continue his threats and harassments against Plaintiff.” Id. (errors in original). Defendant Eldridge Plaintiff alleges that Defendant Eldridge is also guilty because Eldridge “was aware of all of the threats, and harassments by signing off the 602’s complaints that was written against guard A. Ramirez.” Id. at 6. Plaintiff further alleges that “[by] doing so, she choose [sic] not to take corrective actions to stop continued violations or defer further abuse against Plaintiff Gomez. Instead, the reviewing personnel attempted to cover-up and or deny any or all wrongdoing.” Id. Plaintiff does not allege anything further concerning Defendant Eldridge. In considering a motion to dismiss, the Court must accept all allegations of material fact in the complaint as true. See Erickson v. Pardus, 551 U.S. 89, 93-94 (2007). The Court must also construe the alleged facts in the light most favorable to the plaintiff. See Scheuer v. Rhodes, 416 U.S. 232, 236 (1974); see also Hosp. Bldg. Co. v. Rex Hosp. Trustees, 425 U.S. 738, 740 (1976); Barnett v. Centoni, 31 F.3d 813, 816 (9th Cir. 1994) (per curiam). All ambiguities or doubts must also be resolved in the plaintiff's favor. See Jenkins v. McKeithen, 395 U.S. 411, 421 (1969). However, legally conclusory statements, not supported by actual factual allegations, need not be accepted. See Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 129 S. Ct. 1937, 1949-50 (2009). In addition, pro se pleadings are held to a less stringent standard than those drafted by lawyers. See Haines v. Kerner, 404 U.S. 519, 520 (1972). Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 8(a)(2) requires only “a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief” in order to “give the defendant fair notice of what the . . . claim is and the grounds upon which it rests.” Bell Atl. Corp v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 555 (2007) (quoting Conley v. Gibson, 355 U.S. 41, 47 (1957)). However, in order to survive dismissal for failure to state a claim under Rule 12(b)(6), a complaint must contain more than “a formulaic recitation of the elements of a cause of action;” it must contain factual allegations sufficient “to raise a right to relief above the speculative level.” Id. at 555-56. The complaint must contain “enough facts to state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.” Id. at 570. “A claim has facial plausibility when the plaintiff pleads factual content that allows the court to draw the reasonable inference that the defendant is liable for the misconduct alleged.” Iqbal, 129 S. Ct. at 1949. “The plausibility standard is not akin to a ‘probability requirement,’ but it asks for more than a sheer possibility that a defendant has acted unlawfully.” Id. (quoting Twombly, 550 U.S. at 556). “Where a complaint p

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

(PC) Gomez v. Ramirez, (E.D. Cal. 2022).

(PC) Gomez v. Ramirez ((PC) Gomez v. Ramirez) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

Taylor v. Mason
22 U.S. 325 (Supreme Court, 1824)
Conley v. Gibson
355 U.S. 41 (Supreme Court, 1957)
Jenkins v. McKeithen
395 U.S. 411 (Supreme Court, 1969)
Haines v. Kerner
404 U.S. 519 (Supreme Court, 1972)
Scheuer v. Rhodes
416 U.S. 232 (Supreme Court, 1974)
Estelle v. Gamble
429 U.S. 97 (Supreme Court, 1976)
Bounds v. Smith
430 U.S. 817 (Supreme Court, 1977)
Rhodes v. Chapman
452 U.S. 337 (Supreme Court, 1981)
Helling v. McKinney
509 U.S. 25 (Supreme Court, 1993)
Christopher v. Harbury
536 U.S. 403 (Supreme Court, 2002)
Erickson v. Pardus
551 U.S. 89 (Supreme Court, 2007)
Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly
550 U.S. 544 (Supreme Court, 2007)
Ashcroft v. Iqbal
556 U.S. 662 (Supreme Court, 2009)
Nevada Department of Corrections v. Greene
648 F.3d 1014 (Ninth Circuit, 2011)
Ivey v. Board of Regents of University of Alaska
673 F.2d 266 (Second Circuit, 1982)
Keith A. Berg v. Larry Kincheloe
794 F.2d 457 (Ninth Circuit, 1986)
Cleolis Hunt v. Dental Department
865 F.2d 198 (Ninth Circuit, 1989)