Sanders v. Ryan

484 F. Supp. 2d 1028, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 29070, 2007 WL 1138835
CourtDistrict Court, D. Arizona
DecidedMarch 19, 2007
DocketCV 03-0523-PHX-EHC-MEA
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 484 F. Supp. 2d 1028 (Sanders v. Ryan) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Arizona primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Sanders v. Ryan, 484 F. Supp. 2d 1028, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 29070, 2007 WL 1138835 (D. Ariz. 2007).

Opinion

ORDER

CAROLL, District Judge.

Before the Court are Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment (Doc. # 94), *1032 Plaintiffs Response (Doc. # 105), and Defendants’ Reply (Doc. # 111). After careful review of the pleadings and the record in this case, the Court will grant Defendants’ motion and enter judgment for Defendants.

I. Procedural History

Plaintiff is an inmate incarcerated at the Arizona Department of Corrections (ADC), who brought this civil rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Plaintiff filed a Second Amended Complaint on April 18, 2005, presenting eleven claims for relief against Defendants ADC Director Sehriro, ADC Corrections Officers Baldwin, Benson, Rodriguez, Ennis-Bullock, John Doe, Richard Roe, William Woe, and the State of Arizona (Doc. # 55). On January 10, 2006, the Court granted the parties’ stipulation to dismiss Counts III-VIII and XI and Defendants Sehriro, Baldwin, Benson, and Rodriguez (Doc. # 84). Because none of the remaining claims concern Defendants Doe, Roe or Woe, they too will be dismissed from this action. Consequently, only Defendants Ennis-Bullock and the State of Arizona and Counts I, II, IX, and X of the Second Amended Complaint remain before the Court.

II. Factual History

A. Counts I and II

Plaintiff raises the same issues in Counts I and Il-violation of his religious exercise rights. Plaintiff is and has been at all relevant times an adherent of the Independent Fundamental Baptist faith. Plaintiff avers that a fundamental aspect of his religion is the opportunity to attend religious services and to listen to the preaching of a pastor of Plaintiffs faith. To this end, Plaintiff listens to tape recorded church services from the North Ridge Baptist Church.

The ADC has implemented Department Order (DO) 909, which delineates the property an inmate may possess. During the time relevant to this lawsuit, Plaintiff was housed at the Eyman Unit — Special Management Unit I (SMU I). Plaintiff alleges that Defendant Ennis-Bullock prevented him from possessing all of the tapes that DO 909 permits and, thereby, violated his right to practice his religion. Specifically, Plaintiff claims that DO 909 permits him to possess ten audio cassette tapes and that he had ten in his possession (Doc. # 55 at 6). 1 He alleges that when two new religious tapes were mailed to him, Ennis-Bullock refused to allow him to add the tapes to his possessions, labeling them “contraband” and “in excess” of the property limit (Id.). Plaintiff alleges that he asked to exchange two tapes already in his possession for the two new tapes but that Ennis-Bullock told him that he had to “dispose of[,] ... not store” the two exchanged tapes (Doc. # 55 at 7). Plaintiff refused to dispose of any of his tapes and, in response, Ennis-Bullock refused to give the new tapes to Plaintiff. Plaintiff claims that Ennis-Bullock’s actions substantially burdened Plaintiffs free exercise rights in violation of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (“RLUIPA”), *1033 the First Amendment, and A.R.S. Title 41, Chapter 9.

B. Count IX

Plaintiff is hearing impaired. He asserts that while housed in SMU I, he was authorized to possess a television and headphones for use in his cell. On October 11, 1999, Plaintiff claims that a television and a “pair of Optimus Nova — 42” headphones were delivered to the prison for his use. Plaintiff avers that the headphones are designed to “mitigate [Plaintiffs] hearing disability” (Doc. # 55 at 21). Plaintiff claims that SMU I staff allowed him to possess the television but refused to allow him to possess the headphones, instead placing them in his “stored property.”

After a brief transfer to another unit, Plaintiff was again housed in SMU I on January 18, 2000 (Doc. # 55 at 21). Upon his return to SMU I, Plaintiff was again not permitted to have the headphones in his possession. Consequently, Plaintiff claims that he was forced to listen to his television through his walkman-brand headphones, which did not permit him to hear the television bi-aurally (Id.). Plaintiff alleges that the State of Arizona’s denial of access to his “Optimus Nova-42” headphones violates the Americans with Disabilities Act.

C. Count X

Plaintiff also asserts a claim for discrimination against the State of Arizona for its failure to notify him individually when services are available or activities are occurring in his unit. Plaintiff avers that he has repeatedly asked SMU I supervisory staff to inform him when certain services are available or activities are occurring so that he could participate because he is unable to hear announcements adequately. Plaintiff claims that the State of Arizona has refused to accommodate him because he is not completely deaf, which he asserts constitutes discrimination based on his disability.

III. Summary Judgment Standard

A court must grant summary judgment if the pleadings and supporting documents, viewed in the light most favorable to the non-moving party, “show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c); see also Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322-23, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986). When considering a summary judgment motion, the evidence of the non-movant is “to be believed, and all justifiable inferences are to be drawn in his favor.” Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). These inferences are limited, however, “to those upon which a reasonable jury might return a verdict.” Triton Energy Corp. v. Square D. Co., 68 F.3d 1216, 1220 (9th Cir.1995).

Rule 56(c) mandates the entry of summary judgment against a party who, after adequate time for discovery, fails to make a showing sufficient to establish the existence of an element essential to that party’s case, and on which the party will bear the burden of proof at trial. Celotex, 477 U.S. at 322-23, 106 S.Ct. 2548. Rule 56(e) compels the nonmoving party to “set forth specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue for trial” and not to “rest upon the mere allegations or denials of [the party’s] pleading.” The nonmoving party must do more than “simply show that there is some metaphysical doubt as to the material facts.” Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co., Ltd. v. Zenith Radio Corp., 475 U.S. 574, 586-87, 106 S.Ct. 1348, 89 L.Ed.2d 538 (1986).

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Bluebook (online)
484 F. Supp. 2d 1028, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 29070, 2007 WL 1138835, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/sanders-v-ryan-azd-2007.