Shell v. Lingo

CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Arkansas
DecidedSeptember 26, 2025
Docket6:23-cv-06058
StatusUnknown

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

Bluebook
Shell v. Lingo, (W.D. Ark. 2025).

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT WESTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS HOT SPRINGS DIVISION

ROBERT D. SHELL PLAINTIFF

v. Case No. 6:23-cv-06058

NURSE PRACTITIONER DARRELL WAYNE ELKIN (Jail Medical Staff, Hot Springs County Detention Center); CAPTAIN JOSH LINGO (Hot Springs County Detention Center); MRS. DONNA DEFENDANTS

AMENDED ORDER The instant Amended Order is issued only to clarify that Defendants Donna and Lingo’s Motion for Summary Judgment (ECF No. 56) is granted in part and denied in part. Defendants Donna and Lingo’s Motion for Summary Judgment (ECF No. 56) is denied as to Plaintiff’s Claim Two. Defendants Donna and Lingo’s Motion for Summary Judgment (ECF No. 56) is granted as to all other claims. Defendant Elkin’s Motion for Summary Judgment (ECF No. 61) is granted as to all claims. Defendants Lingo and Elkin are terminated as Defendants. Only Defendant Donna remains in this case. Before the Court is the Report and Recommendation filed July 14, 2025, by the Honorable Christy Comstock, United States Magistrate Judge for the Western District of Arkansas. (ECF No. 74). Defendant Darrell W. Elkin (“Defendant Elkin”) filed an objection. (ECF No. 75). The Court finds the matter ripe for consideration. I. BACKGROUND On May 10, 2023, Plaintiff filed this action under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 in connection with time spent in the Hot Spring County Detention Center.1 Plaintiff identifies himself as a pretrial detainee. (ECF No. 4, at 2). Plaintiff suffers from epilepsy and experienced several seizures while at the Hot Spring County Detention Center. Plaintiff asserts three claims. In Claim One, Plaintiff alleges that all Defendants denied him medical care by: (1) failing to give him access to “an actual

doctor, neurologist or neurosurgeon” for his “grade 5 Brain Arteriovenous Malformation;” (2) denying him medication for his epilepsy for “multiple weeks;” and (3) failing to provide medical treatment for a fever Plaintiff believed to be COVID-19. In Claim Two, Plaintiff alleges that he was placed in a restraint chair by Defendant Donna in response to a seizure. He further alleges that no one in the detention center would call the ambulance. He claims that someone called Defendant Elkin, the jail nurse practitioner, but nothing was done. Instead, he alleges that the detention center staff waited until his seizure was over and returned him to his pod. Plaintiff asserts Claim Two against Defendants Donna and Elkin. In Claim Three, Plaintiff alleges that Defendants Elkin and Lingo refused him access to a neurologist or neurosurgeon and refused to request his outside provider medical records. Plaintiff brings all claims against Defendants in their individual

and official capacity. On January 27, 2025, Defendants Lingo and Donna filed their Motion for Summary Judgment on the merits. (ECF Nos. 56, 57, 58). Defendant Lingo and Donna first argue that they provided Plaintiff with access to a medical professional each time he requested it and that Plaintiff’s insistence upon a specialist for his medical conditions is merely a disagreement with the jail medical staff’s (Defendant Elkin) treatment decisions. (ECF No. 57, at 3-7). Defendant Lingo and Donna next argue that they are “entitled to qualified immunity on [Plaintiff’s] second claim concerning the use of a restraint chair because they followed a medical professional’s instructions

1 Plaintiff also brought claims against Defendants in the Nevada County Detention Center. His claims against Nevada County were severed from this case and a new case in the proper District Division was opened. (ECF No. 2). following [Plaintiff’s] seizure.” (ECF No. 57, at 8). Defendant Lingo, who is not named for this claim, testifies in his affidavit that “no jail employees witnessed Plaintiff’s seizure.” (ECF No. 57, at 9). Defendant Lingo testifies that he called Defendant Elkin once he learned of Plaintiff’s seizure. He testifies that Defendant Elkin advised Defendant Lingo that it was unnecessary to take

Plaintiff to the hospital and to instead monitor Plaintiff’s condition for several hours. (ECF No. 57, at 9). Defendant Lingo testifies that he does not recall Plaintiff being put in a restraint chair, but he does remember having Plaintiff moved to an area near the front of the jail so staff could monitor his condition. (ECF No. 57, at 9-10). Defendant Lingo and Donna also argue that Defendant Lingo was not personally involved in Plaintiff’s treatment with regard to Plaintiff’s third claim. Finally, Defendants Lingo and Donna argue that Hot Spring County is entitled to summary judgment regarding the official capacity claims because Plaintiff alleges no Hot Spring County custom or policy that led to a violation of his constitutional rights. On February 18, 2025, Plaintiff filed his Response to Defendants Lingo and Donna’s

Motion for Summary Judgment. (ECF Ns. 65, 66). As to Plaintiff’s second claim, he notes that the record is unclear as to why he was moved to the front of the jail if no seizure was witnessed. Plaintiff also notes that it is unclear whether Defendant Lingo called Defendant Elkin because Defendant Elkin does not mention speaking with Defendant Lingo in his affidavit. (ECF No. 65, at 4, 11). On February 25, 2025, Defendants Lingo and Donna filed a Reply. (ECF No. 67). Defendant Lingo testifies that Plaintiff was moved to the front area of the jail by staff after Plaintiff “and other inmates reported [the] seizure to [Defendant] Lingo.” (ECF No. 67, at 2; ECF No. 56- 3, at 2). On February 4, 2025, Defendant Elkin filed his Motion for Summary Judgment. (ECF Nos. 61, 62, 63). He argues that he was not deliberately indifferent to Plaintiff’s needs and provided a detailed summary of over twenty visits with Plaintiff. (ECF No. 62). Defendant Elkin made no mention in his affidavit of Defendant Lingo’s phone call regarding Plaintiff’s seizure,

placement in the restraint chair, or his instructions to monitor Plaintiff for several hours. (ECF No. 63-1). On February 26, 2025, Plaintiff filed his Response to Defendant Elkin, arguing that Defendant Elkin is not a properly credentialed advanced practice nurse and was operating outside of his specialty. (ECF Nos. 68, 69). On March 12, 2025, Defendant Elkin replied, noting that his credentials were not at issue and do not create a material question of fact. (ECF No. 73). On July 14, 2025, Judge Comstock issued the instant Report and Recommendation, recommending that the Court grant in part and deny in part Defendants’ summary judgment motions. (ECF No. 74). Judge Comstock recommends that the Court: (1) grant Defendants’ motions as to Plaintiff’s individual capacity allegations in Plaintiff’s Claims One and Three (denial

and delay of medical care); (2) grant Defendants’ motions as to Plaintiff’s official capacity claims; and (3) deny Defendants’ motions as to Plaintiff’s Claim Two (use of restraint chair). Judge Comstock also recommends that the Court terminate Defendant Lingo from the case. Specifically, Judge Comstock recommends that Defendants’ motion as to Claim Two be denied because four genuine issues of material facts remain. First, whether Plaintiff was actually placed in the restraint chair, and if so, why and for how long. Second, whether Plaintiff was experiencing a seizure when he was placed in the restraint chair. Third, who was involved in placing Plaintiff in the restraint chair. Fourth, whether Defendant Donna observed Plaintiff experiencing a seizure severe enough that a layperson would know that medical attention was needed. (ECF No. 74, at 20-21). On July 22, 2025, Defendant Elkin filed an objection to the Report and Recommendation. (ECF No. 75).

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

Related

Bell v. Wolfish
441 U.S. 520 (Supreme Court, 1979)
Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc.
477 U.S. 242 (Supreme Court, 1986)
Nelson v. Shuffman
603 F.3d 439 (Eighth Circuit, 2010)
Schaub v. VonWald
638 F.3d 905 (Eighth Circuit, 2011)
Holden v. Hirner
663 F.3d 336 (Eighth Circuit, 2011)
Donna Krenik v. County of Le Sueur
47 F.3d 953 (Eighth Circuit, 1995)
Popoalii v. Correctional Medical Services
512 F.3d 488 (Eighth Circuit, 2008)
Mark Morris v. Kelley Cradduck
954 F.3d 1055 (Eighth Circuit, 2020)
Danzel Stearns v. Inmate Services Corporation
957 F.3d 902 (Eighth Circuit, 2020)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
Shell v. Lingo, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/shell-v-lingo-arwd-2025.