Thompson v. Chambers-Smith

CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Ohio
DecidedJuly 22, 2025
Docket2:25-cv-00660
StatusUnknown

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

Bluebook
Thompson v. Chambers-Smith, (S.D. Ohio 2025).

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF OHIO EASTERN DIVISION AT COLUMBUS

GOLDY THOMPSON, : Case No. 2:25-cv-660 : Plaintiff, : : Chief District Judge Sarah D. Morrison vs. : Magistrate Judge Kimberly A. Jolson : CHAMBERS-SMITH, et al., : : Defendants. : :

ORDER AND REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

Plaintiff, a prisoner at Chillicothe Correctional Institution (CCI), has filed a pro se civil rights Complaint under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 alleging retaliation by prison staff. (Doc. 1-2). Plaintiff names thirteen Defendants: The State of Ohio; Annette Chambers-Smith, Director of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (“ODRC”); CCI Warden Shoop; Chief Inspector Morrow; Inspector Free; Captain Ramirez; Lieutenant Cannon; J. Currior; Unit Manager Ivey; T. Napier; and Corrections Officers Williams, Patrick, and Strausbaugh. (Id. at 4–5). By separate Order, Plaintiff has been granted leave to proceed in forma pauperis under 28 U.S.C. § 1915. Now, this matter is before the Undersigned for a sua sponte review of Plaintiff’s Complaint to determine whether the Complaint, or any portion of it, should be dismissed because it is frivolous, malicious, fails to state a claim upon which relief may be granted, or seeks monetary relief from a defendant who is immune from such relief. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B). Having performed the initial screen, Plaintiff MAY PROCEED on his First Amendment retaliation claim against Defendants Napier and Strausbaugh. The Undersigned RECOMMENDS that the remaining claims be dismissed. I. PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND Plaintiff recently filed two civil rights actions in this Court. The first case, Thompson v. Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections, et al., challenges the handling of Plaintiff’s legal mail at CCI. Case No. 2:25-cv-143 (S.D. Ohio Feb. 13, 2025) (Doc. 1). When Plaintiff

initially filed that case, he attempted to raise additional retaliation claims, but the Undersigned recommended those claims be severed and dismissed without prejudice as improperly joined. Thompson, Case No. 2:25-cv-143 (S.D. Ohio Apr. 29, 2025) (Doc 8 at 11–13). The Undersigned further noted that none of the alleged retaliation incidents appeared related to the handling of Plaintiff’s legal mail. (Id. at 11). No objections were filed, and the Chief District Judge adopted the recommendation on July 2, 2025. Thompson, Case No. 2:25-cv-143 (S.D. Ohio July 2, 2025) (Doc. 21). Then, on June 12, Plaintiff filed the instant action asserting the previously severed retaliation claims. (Doc. 1). While the two cases are related, they are proceeding separately in this Court.

II. SCREENING OF PLAINTIFF’S COMPLAINT Plaintiff’s Complaint attempts to state a First Amendment claim for retaliation by CCI staff in response to Plaintiff’s use of grievance procedures to address both the improper handling of his legal mail and disrespectful treatment by staff. (Doc. 1-2 at ¶ 2). Specifically, Plaintiff alleges Defendants retaliated against him by issuing conduct reports and placing him in segregation from December 20, 2024, until January 3, 2025. Plaintiff first alleges he was retaliated against for pursuing grievances regarding the improper handling of his legal mail. Plaintiff notes that he filed informal complaints and grievances regarding the handling of his legal mail on October 16, 2024; October 27, 2024; October 28, 2024; and October 30, 2024. (Id. at ¶¶ 5–10). The remainder of the Complaint describes interactions with CCI staff—specifically Defendants Patrick, Free, Strausbaugh, Ivey, and Napier—that appear unrelated to the handling of his mail and involve what Plaintiff characterizes as disrespectful behavior that violates ODRC standards of employee conduct. (Id.

at ¶¶ 11, 14, 16, 18, 25). On November 12, 2024, Defendant Patrick woke Plaintiff at 3:30 a.m. When Plaintiff informed Patrick that he was no longer on the kitchen wake-up list, Defendant Patrick cursed at him, “[Y]ou is on the mufuckin list, get you ass up.” (Id. at ¶ 11). Plaintiff filed an informal complaint (ICR) about this incident. (Id. at ¶ 12). Defendant Currier replied to the ICR, stating he would address the behavior with Patrick. (Id. at ¶ 13). When Plaintiff escalated the ICR and sought more than a verbal reprimand, Defendant Free was “sarcastic” and asked, “[W]hat do you want me to do, fire him?” (Id. at ¶ 14). Plaintiff then filed a grievance against Free for unprofessional behavior. (Id.) On November 19, 2024, as Plaintiff returned from commissary, Defendant Strausbaugh

asked Plaintiff what he had in his shirt and searched him. (Id. at ¶ 16). Plaintiff alleges that Strausbaugh stated “[t]his is not a retaliation.” (Id.) But Plaintiff contends the search was retaliation for the ICR he filed against Patrick and notes that on prior occasions, Strausbaugh “confiscated the same contraband” from other inmates but “showed favoritism by not writing conduct reports.” (Id.) It appears from the Complaint that Strausbaugh issued Plaintiff a conduct report, Plaintiff filed a grievance against Strausbaugh, and after a hearing on the conduct report, Plaintiff was found not guilty. (Id. at ¶ 20). On November 25, 2024, Defendant Ivey interviewed Plaintiff about the grievance he filed against Strausbaugh. (Id. at ¶ 18). Ivey asked Plaintiff if he was “from up North” and stated she was “trying to help [Plaintiff] understand how this work[s] down here.” (Id.) Plaintiff states he filed an ICR against Ivey for violating ODRC standards of employee conduct because where he is from was “not what the interview should have been about.” (Id.) On December 18, 2024, Plaintiff attempted to speak with Defendant Napier about

grievance paperwork he requested from Defendant Free. (Id. at ¶¶ 25, 31, 34). Plaintiff alleges that Napier violated ODRC’s standards of employee conduct by asking Plaintiff, “What can I do for you BUB?” (Id. at ¶ 25). Plaintiff informed Napier that “BUB” is a racially derogatory term that stands for “black ugly bitch.” (Id.) Defendant Napier denied using the term and issued Plaintiff a conduct report for disrespect and giving false information about the paperwork. (Id. at ¶¶ 25-26). Shortly after that, Plaintiff filed a grievance against Napier for his use of the derogatory term. (Id.) As a result of the conduct report, Plaintiff was placed in segregation from December 20, 2024, until January 3, 2025. (Id. at ¶¶ 27, 33). Plaintiff alleges the conduct report was removed from his record after further review of the incident showed that he did not lie about being asked to report to the unit staff office. (Id. at ¶ 34).

Plaintiff sues each Defendant in his or her individual and official capacity. He seeks monetary damages and injunctive relief ordering Defendants to cease all harassment and retaliation. (Id. at 13). A. Legal Standard In enacting the original in forma pauperis statute, Congress recognized that a “litigant whose filing fees and court costs are assumed by the public, unlike a paying litigant, lacks an economic incentive to refrain from filing frivolous, malicious, or repetitive lawsuits.” Denton v. Hernandez, 504 U.S. 25, 31 (1992) (quoting Neitzke v. Williams, 490 U.S. 319, 324 (1989)). To prevent such abusive litigation, Congress has authorized federal courts to dismiss an in forma pauperis complaint if they are satisfied that the action is frivolous or malicious. Id.; see also 28 U.S.C.

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Thompson v. Chambers-Smith, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/thompson-v-chambers-smith-ohsd-2025.