Redd v. Watts

CourtDistrict Court, D. Maryland
DecidedJuly 25, 2023
Docket1:21-cv-00455
StatusUnknown

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

Bluebook
Redd v. Watts, (D. Md. 2023).

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF MARYLAND

ORLANDO REDD, JR.,

Plaintiff,

v. Civil Action No.: SAG-21-0455

DIRECTOR GAIL WATTS, et al.,

Defendants.

MEMORANDUM Orlando Redd, Jr., who is self-represented, filed this civil rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against Gail Watts, the Director of Baltimore County Detention Center (“BCDC”), PrimeCare Medical, Inc. and Dr. Zowie Barnes. ECF 1. Redd alleges that Defendants failed to provide him with adequate protection from COVID-19 and that he was exposed to black mold in the shower area at BCDC. Id. at 3-4. Redd was housed at BCDC when he filed this action, and now appears to be incarcerated at the Maryland Correctional Training Center.1 On September 30, 2022, Defendant Watts filed a Motion to Dismiss, or in the Alternative, for Summary Judgment. ECF 27. This Court notified Redd of the motion and gave him an opportunity to respond. ECF 31. He has failed to do so. No hearing is required. See Local Rule 105.6 (D. Md. 2023). For the reasons that follow, Watts’s unopposed motion shall be granted. Procedural Background By Memorandum and Order dated August 1, 2022, summary judgment was granted in favor of Defendants Barnes and PrimeCare Medical, Inc. on Redd’s medical care claim, and they

1 See https://dpscs.maryland.gov/inmate/search.do?searchType=detail&id=668508766. Last checked July 20, 2023. Redd, for a second time, has not updated his address as Court rules require. Nevertheless, the Clerk will be directed to update Redd’s address on the docket. were dismissed from this action. ECF 21, 22. The Court found that there is no indication that Redd suffers from a serious medical need pertaining to breathing issues and that the Defendants could not be held deliberately indifferent to any such need. ECF 21. Also on August 1, 2022, Watts’s first Motion to Dismiss, or in the Alternative for Summary Judgment, was denied without prejudice and she was directed to respond to the Complaint. ECF Nos. 21, 22. On August 8, 2022, Watts filed an Answer. ECF No. 24. On September 30, 2022,

Watts filed the instant second Motion to Dismiss, or in the Alternative, for Summary Judgment. ECF 27. Preliminary Motion Watts filed a motion to seal two medical record exhibits filed with her motion to Dismiss, or in the Alternative, for Summary Judgment. ECF 28; 29; 30. Some content from the records is referenced in the memorandum of law. ECF 27-1 at 4. Watts has not asked to seal the memorandum of law. Local Rule 105.11 governs the sealing of all documents filed in the record and states in relevant part that: “[a]ny motion seeking the sealing of pleadings, motions, exhibits or other documents to be filed in the Court record shall include (a) proposed reasons supported by specific

factual representations to justify the sealing and (b) an explanation why alternatives to sealing would not provide sufficient protection.” The rule balances the public’s general right to inspect and copy judicial records and documents, see Nixon v. Warner Commc’ns, Inc., 435 U.S. 589, 597 (1978), with competing interests that sometimes outweigh the public’s right, see In re Knight Publ’g Co., 743 F.2d 231, 235 (4th Cir. 1984). The common-law presumptive right of access can only be rebutted by showing that “countervailing interests heavily outweigh the public interest in access.” Doe v. Pub. Citizen, 749 F.3d 246, 265- 66 (4th Cir. 2014) (quoting Rushford v. New Yorker Magazine, Inc., 846 F.2d 249, 253 (4th Cir. 1988)). The right of access “may be restricted only if closure is ‘necessitated by a compelling government interest’ and the denial of access is ‘narrowly tailored to serve that interest.’” Id. at 266 (quoting In re Wash. Post Co., 807 F.2d 383, 390 (4th Cir. 1986)). “[S]ensitive medical or personal identification information may be sealed,” although not where “the scope of [the] request is too broad.” Rock v. McHugh, 819 F. Supp. 2d 456, 475 (D. Md. 2011). Watts’s request to seal two medical record exhibits is narrow in scope and presents a

compelling reason, and therefore will be granted. Background A. Redd’s allegations2 Redd filed his complaint on February 22, 2021. He claims that Defendants failed to take adequate COVID-19 precautions, and also failed to address black mold present at BCDC. ECF No. 1 at 3-4. He states that on December 22, 2020, a “quarantine notice” was put on an inmate’s cell door in his segregated housing unit. Id. at 3. On December 24, 2020, this same inmate was let out for recreation, and interacted with Redd and other inmates. Id. The inmate remained housed in the unit until December 29, 2020, at which time he was removed and isolated from others. Id. Redd believes he was personally put at risk of contracting COVID-19 due to these events. Id.

Redd also states that inmates did not receive face masks until September 2020, although face masks were provided to correctional officers in March 2020. Id. In addition, he was transported from intake to housing units with other inmates, putting him at further risk of infection. Id. As of January 4, 2021, Redd had been in restricted housing for 16 days and his unit was still on quarantine after 12 days. Id. at 4. He describes improper cleaning of the bathing area, control

2 The Court’s August 1, 2022 Memorandum contains a statement of facts which is incorporated herein. ECF No. 21. center door, and bannisters. Id. Further, there was black mold all over bathing area walls and he was not able to access cleaning supplies. Id. Although the conditions took “a toll” on his breathing, he was denied “breathing treatments” by correctional staff because he does not have health problems for breathing “in the data base.” Id. His poor living conditions were not addressed until he made an informal complaint. Id. Redd feels as though his health was “jeopardized and taken for granted.” Id.

B. Defendant Watts’s Response Redd was housed at BCDC following his arrest and initial court appearance on February 21, 2020. ECF No. 27-8. Redd was then transferred from BCDC to the Maryland state prison system after he was convicted and sentenced on August 23, 2021. ECF No. 27-11. Redd was incarcerated at BCDC at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Watts filed with her motion a declaration, ECF 27-7, and multiple exhibits3 ECF 27-2-27-6; 27-8 - 27-31, detailing the safety measures that were put in place at BCDC to address COVID-19 from March 2020 through January 2021. ECF No. 27-7. On March 13, 2020, CDC guidelines regarding COVID- 19 were posted in all BCDC housing units. Id. at 3. On March 19, 2020, a video about COVID- 19 was played during each shift for BCDC inmates. Id. On March 25, 2020, BCDC building

3 Watts’s first Motion to Dismiss, or in the Alternative, for Summary Judgment was denied without prejudice due to her failure to file the declaration referenced in the motion and to properly identify exhibits referenced in the memorandum of law. ECF Nos. 21, 22. Along with the instant motion, Watts has provided her declaration, yet fails to reference any of the exhibits filed in support of the statements made. ECF No. 27-7. Further, although counsel’s memorandum of law now references exhibits by letter, the exhibits have been docketed by number with no indication of the letter of the exhibit, requiring the Court to examine each document to determine which exhibit counsel has referenced.

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Redd v. Watts, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/redd-v-watts-mdd-2023.