Wood v. Russell

255 F. Supp. 3d 498, 2017 WL 2485236, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 89275
CourtDistrict Court, D. Delaware
DecidedJune 8, 2017
DocketCiv. No. 14-476-SLR
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 255 F. Supp. 3d 498 (Wood v. Russell) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Delaware primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Wood v. Russell, 255 F. Supp. 3d 498, 2017 WL 2485236, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 89275 (D. Del. 2017).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

Sue L. Robinson, Senior District Judge

I. INTRODUCTION

Plaintiff Kenneth E. Wood Jr. (“plaintiff’), an inmate at the James T.- Vaughn Correctional Center (“VCC”), Smyrna, De-laware, proceeds pro se and has been granted leave to-proceed in forma pauper-is. He filed this lawsuit in April 2014 pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and Title II of the American with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. § 12132.1 (D.I. 3, 19, 66) Presently before the court are defendants’ motions for summary judgment and plaintiffs opposition thereto. (D.I. Ill, 117) The court has jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.O. § 1331.

II. BACKGROUND

On March 19, 2008, plaintiff was convicted of two counts of rape in the third degree. (D.I. 66 at ¶ 12) As a condition of his sentence, plaintiff was to have no contact with his victim or the victim’s family and no contact with anyone under the age of 18. (Id. at ¶ 13) In May 2012, plaintiff began a level four work-release sentence at Morris Community Correction Center (“MCCC”) in Dover, Delaware. (Id. at ¶ 14) In late June 2012, plaintiff s victim’s uncle was moved to the tier where plaintiff was housed. (Id. at 1115) According to plaintiff, he advised defendant Sgt. Russell (“Russell”) of the no contact order and, when he explained that the victim’s uncle was now housed on his tier, she told him, “don’t worry about it, it’ll be alright,” and the two' remained housed on the same tier. (D.I. 121 at ¶ 4) According to Russell, she has no recollection of plaintiff ever .informing her of the no contact order or that plaintiff was housed on the same tier as a relative of his victim. (D.I. 115) According to deputy warden Kent Raymond (“Raymond”),2 neither plaintiff nor any member of the victim’s family would have been assigned to the same housing tier had the staff known. (D.I. 114) According to Raymond, a search of plaintiffs institutional records (including contact notes) contained no evidence that plaintiff requested a change in his housing assignment during the entire time he was housed at the MCCC. (Id.) Also, according to Raymond, there is no evidence that plaintiff informed anyone that he and his victim’s family member were housed on the same tier. (Id.)

On July 8, 2012, plaintiff was attacked and badly beaten by two unidentified inmates who called him a “child molester” and said “this is from Brad.” (D.I. 121 at ¶ 5) Plaintiff was taken to the infirmary where he lied and said his injuries, were from a slip and fall incident because he “did not want to be labeled as a snitch or [503]*503get into trouble.” (D.I. 45 at DOC548, 585; D.I. 113 at A25; D:I. 121 at ¶ 6) Plaintiff was treated at the infirmary for abrasions, and medical staff ordered x-rays of the left foot and ankle and an orthopedic consultation. (D.I. 113 at All-12, 25; D.I. 121, ¶ 7) Plaintiffs ankle was wrapped, he was given pain medication, provided crutches, and ordered to ice and elevate the leg, with no weight bearing. (D.I. 45 at DOC562-563; D.1.113 at All) .

When plaintiff was taken to Kent General Hospital for x-rays, during the ride he told Officer Wall (“Wall”), the guard transporting him, that he had not slipped and fallen but that he had been attacked by an inmate. (D.I. 114 at 114; D.I. 121 at ¶7) Raymond refers to one of the incident reports where plaintiff stated that “he would be OK if he was just moved to a different tier, separate from the inmate that allegedly attacked him.” (D.I. 114 at ¶4) Defendant, officer Eugene Roberts (“Roberts”) and Wall both reported that plaintiff either said that “he feared for his life and would like to be transferred to SCCC” or that he was scared to return to the budding but, when plaintiff returned to MCCC, he told Roberts that he did not have a problem going on a different tier and he preferred that to leaving. (D.I. 45 at DOC713, 718) Plaintiff told Wood that “he would be OK if he was just moved to A-tier.” (Id. at DOC718)

According to Raymond, once plaintiff returned to the MCCC, he was housed in a holding cell for his own protection and safety while his allegations were being investigated and pending further medical evaluation. (D.I. 114 at ¶ 5) Raymond instructed Roberts to keep plaintiff in the holding cell for plaintiffs protection.3 (Id.) The cell had a bunk, sink, toilet, and barber’s chair. (D.I. 121 at ¶ 8) According to plaintiff, the cell was not equipped for a person with a handicap of any kind. (Id.) According to Raymond, if medical staff had determined that plaintiffs,. medical needs could not have been met in the holding cell, alternative housing would have been considered and arranged. (D.I. 114 at ¶ 5)

The x-rays revealed that plaintiff sustained fractures to his left ankle and foot. (D.I. 45 at DOC523) Plaintiff was seen by outside orthopedic surgeon Dr. DuShuttle (“Dr. DuShuttle”) on July 11, 2012, who scheduled plaintiff for surgery on July 13, 2012. (Id. at DOC543) Plaintiff remained in the holding cell for six days while awaiting a surgical repair to his left foot and ankle. (D.I. 113 at A10, 24; D.I. 121 at ¶8)

Plaintiff underwent surgery on July 13, 2013 at the Dover Surgicenter. (D.I. 45 at DOC484, 544; D.I. 113 at A23) He returned to the VCC infirmary for post-surgery pare and remained there from July 13, 2012 to July 20, 2012. (D.I. 45 at DOC393, 477-482, 532, 558-561, 578-584; D.I. 113 at A13, 18-19, 21-25) During that time, he received physical therapy. (Id.) Upon release from the VCC infirmary, plaintiff was transferred to Sussex Correctional Institution (“SCI”) in Georgetown, Delaware, and then to the Sussex Community Correction Center (“SCCC”) with a no weight bearing order. (D.I. 45 at DOC481; D.I. 113 at A 18, 36-40) Plaintiff had a surgical follow-up appointment with Dr. DuShuttle on July 23, 2012. (D.I. 45 at DOC527) He underwent an outpatient procedure on August 20, 2012 to remové the orthopedic hardware (i.e., pins). (D.I. 45 at DOC514, 517) The.next day, plaintiff was seen by Dr. DuShuttle for follow-up of the [504]*504procedure. (D.I. 45 at DOC513) He continued to be followed by the prison medical staff. (D.I. 45 at DOC556-557, 577-578)

According to plaintiff, when he was housed in the holding cell at MCCC awaiting surgery and at the VCC infirmary during his recovery, he asked every officer who visited his cell for- grievance forms only to receive excuses why they were not brought to him or excuses for not having any. (D.I. 121, ¶¶ 8, 9) Once plaintiff was transferred to work release at the SCCC on July 20, 2012, he was able to obtain grievance forms, which he filled out and submitted, but his grievance was returned as time-barred because it was past the seven days from the date of the event plaintiff was grieving. (Id. at ¶ 10) Plaintiff submitted sick call slips on July 21 and 26, 2012 and August 1 and 6, 2012,4 as well as on August 23, 2012. (D.I. 45 at DOC567; D.I. 113 at A41-44)

Raymond searched MCCC records and found no record of plaintiff submitting a grievance while he was housed there during the relevant time-frame. (D.I. 114!at ¶ 6) Lt.

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Bluebook (online)
255 F. Supp. 3d 498, 2017 WL 2485236, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 89275, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/wood-v-russell-ded-2017.