Schnitzler v. Reisch, CIV. 06-4064.

• Decision Date: 28 September 2007
• Docket Number: No. CIV. 06-4064.,CIV. 06-4064.
• Parties: Aaron L. SCHNITZLER, Plaintiff, v. Tim REISCH, Cabinet Secretary, SD Department of Corrections; Bob Dooley, Warden, Mike Durfee State Prison; Mike Storgaard, STOP Treatment Director, Mike Durfee State Prison, Defendants.
• Court: U.S. District Court — District of South Dakota

518 F.Supp.2d 1098

Aaron L. SCHNITZLER, Plaintiff, v. Tim REISCH, Cabinet Secretary, SD Department of Corrections; Bob Dooley, Warden, Mike Durfee State Prison; Mike Storgaard, STOP Treatment Director, Mike Durfee State Prison, Defendants.

No. CIV. 06-4064.

United States District Court, D. South Dakota, Southern Division.

September 28, 2007.

Aaron L. Schnitzler, Springfield, SD, pro se.

James Ellis Moore, Jeffrey L. Bratkiewjcz, Woods, Fuller, Shultz & Smith, PC, Sioux Falls, SD, for Defendants.

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

LAWRENCE L. PIERSOL, District Judge.

All Defendants have moved for summary judgment. Plaintiff resists the Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment, and in his "Motion to Dismiss" (Doc. 44) requests injunctive relief exempting him from the South Dakota Department of Corrections STOP program.

BACKGROUND

Plaintiff, Aaron Schnitzler, is an inmate at the Mike Durfee State Penitentiary in Springfield, South Dakota. He filed this lawsuit pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983¹, alleging he has refused to participate in the South Dakota Department of Corrections STOP (sex offenders) program. He sues Tim Reisch, Secretary of the South Dakota Department of Corrections, Bob Dooley, Warden of the Mike Durfee Penitentiary, and Mike Storgaard, a STOP Treatment Director in their individual and official capacities. Schnitzler alleges the STOP program violates his religious beliefs by requiring his participation in explicit group discussions of a sexual nature as well as viewing certain images. Because he has refused to participate in the program, he has been deemed "noncomplaint" with his individual program directive ("IPD"). His request for an alternative program has been denied. Plaintiffs Complaint requests that he either (1) be allowed to participate in a modified STOP program which does not offend his religious beliefs; (2) be exempted from the STOP program; or (3) be placed in compliance with his IPD.² Schnitzler does not request monetary damages.

JURISDICTION

Plaintiff's Complaint challenges the conditions of his confinement.

UNDISPUTED FACTS

Plaintiff Aaron Schnitzler is an inmate in the custody of the South Dakota Department of Corrections. Schnitzler has been incarcerated since February 18, 2000; he is currently housed at the Mike Durfee State Prison in Springfield. Schnitzler was convicted of³ sexual contact with a child under the age of sixteen in violation of SDCL § 22-22-7, and was sentenced by the Honorable Jerome A. Eckrich III to, a term of imprisonment of fifteen years. (Dooley Aff. ¶ 2). Schnitzler is a practicing Jehovah's Witness. Tim Reisch is the Secretary of the South Dakota Department of Corrections, and has held that position since before January 7, 2003. (Reisch Aff, ¶ 1). Bob Dooley is Warden of the Mike Durfee State Prison, and has held that position during Schnitzler's incarceration. (Dooley Aff. ¶ 1). Mike Storgaard is a therapist for the sex offender treatment program for the South Dakota Department of Corrections, called STOP, which stands for Special Treatment of Perpetrators. Storgaard, who works at the Durfee State Prison, has held that position since 1998. (Storgaard Aff. ¶ 1).

Because Schnitzler was convicted of a sex offense, he was identified at the outset of his incarceration as needing sex offender treatment. His IPD dated March 12, 2000, indicated that he needed to "participate as directed in the STOP program and cooperate fully with all conditions of the program." (Storgaard Aff. Ex. A). The DOC makes treatment available to inmates beginning two years before the inmate is first eligible for parole. (Id. ¶ 3). Schnitzler was first offered sex offender treatment in early 2002. (Id. ¶ 4). When Schnitzler was first offered treatment, the program was approximately two years long, and then involved ongoing follow-up therapy. Currently, the program takes between eighteen to twenty-four months to complete. (Id.). The program is more fully described in Defendants' responses to Plaintiff's Request for Production of Documents, which are attached to Defendants' Statement of Undisputed Material Facts (Doc. 30) as Exhibit A. The program does include explicit discussion of sexual matters (including pornography, sexual intercourse, rape, sexual fantasies, and methods of victim "grooming") in a group setting. See Defendants' Responses to Plaintiff's Request for Production of Documents No. 2, Ex. A.

On January 11, 2002, Schnitzler refused to participate in the STOP program for religious reasons, and signed a form indicating his refusal to participate. (Storgaard Aff. ¶ 5). In his response to the Defendant's Statement of Undisputed Material Facts (No. 11), Schnitzler asserts the STOP program violates the religious principles espoused by his (Jehovah's Witness) faith. Specifically, Mr. Schnitzler repeatedly quotes Ephesians 5:3-4⁴ and Philippians 4:8 in support of his assertion that graphic group discussions of a sexual nature are contrary to his religious beliefs. Schnitzler cited these same scriptures and other religious authority, including excerpts from the Jehovah's Witness publications Awake! and The Watchtower to Defendant Reisch (Reisch Aff. Ex. A — Awake! December 8, 2003, April 8, 2004, Watchtower October 15, 2003, February 15, 2004,) and Warden Dooley (Dooley Aff. Exs. A-C — The Watchtower, February 15, 2005). Mr. Schnitzler also attached copies of scriptures and religious authority to his Brief in Opposition to Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment as Exs. A, (Ephesians, Philippians), B (Awake! October 8, 2005) C & D (The Watchtower, February 15, 2005, July 15, 2006).

Each periodic review of Schnitzler's IPD after January 11, 2002, indicated that he was noncompliant with the directive that he participate in treatment. (Storgaard Aff. ¶ 5). Additionally, since November, 2004, Schnitzler has been compliant with every other element of his IPD. (Storgaard Aff. Ex. C). On May 31, 2005, Schnitzler filed an informal resolution request in which he requested an alternative to the STOP program for religious reasons. (Attached to Defendants' Statement of Undisputed Material Facts as Exhibit B). Schnitzler's request indicated his religion precluded him from participating in group treatment involving graphic discussions of sex offenses. The response indicated that Mike Storgaard was willing to discuss the issue with Schnitzler, and that the Department of Corrections did not intend to violate or change anyone's religion through participation in the program. (Id.).

On June 3, 2005, Schnitzler filed a request for administrative remedy in which he indicated his wish to be compliant, but expressed his belief that "[t]he STOP program is based on self-examination, and a search for answers that are outside of my relationship with Jehovah." (Dooley Aff. ¶ 3). He asked for an alternative to the program that did not violate his religious beliefs. (Id.). On June 15, 2005, Warden Dooley responded to the request by indicating that no alternate programs were planned, that STOP was the only current program offered for sex offenders, and that Schnitzler would remain noncompliant unless he participated in treatment. (Id. ¶ 4).

On June 30, 2005, Schnitzler wrote to Secretary Reisch about his refusal to participate in the STOP program, asked that he be considered compliant with his IPD, and indicated his willingness to participate in alternative treatment. (Reisch Aff. ¶ 2). Secretary Reisch responded on July 7, 2005, and indicated that he would not intercede by excusing Schnitzler from participation in the STOP program. (Id. ¶ 3). Reisch wrote that he wanted "to do everything I can to reduce the chances of people recidivating," and that "[t]he STOP program is necessary to help certain inmates improve their chances of staying crimefree upon their release." (Id.). Schnitzler again wrote to Reisch on July 13, 2005, and argued that he was willing to participate in treatment, but that he would "not listen to detailed accounts of what other people in the group may or may not have done to their victims. This includes any written or recorded accounts of the victims, or the offenders, sexually descriptive abuse." (Id. ¶ 4).

On August 5, 2005, Storgaard talked to Schnitzler after he had discussed Schnitzler's situation with Kris Petersen, the director of the sex-offender treatment program for the Department of Corrections. (Storgaard Aff. ¶ 6; Petersen Aff. ¶¶ 3-5). Storgaard told Schnitzler that he needed to participate in the program, and that the recidivism rate for those who did not participate in group therapy was sixty percent. (Storgaard Aff. ¶ 6). On August 9, 2005, Secretary Reisch responded to Schnitzler's letter dated July 13, 2005, and reiterated that he needed to participate in the STOP program. (Reisch Aff. ¶ 5). Schnitzler submitted a project application dated February 13, 2006, in which he again asked for an alternate program for sex-offender treatment. (Dooley Aff. ¶ 5). Schnitzler's proposed alternative would not include "sexually explicit worksheets, handouts, videos, or specific written and/or recorded accounts of victims, and offenders sexually descriptive abuse." (Id.). Warden Dooley denied the project application on March 16, 2006. (Id.).

Storgaard and Peterson have opined that an essential aspect of the STOP program is group therapy. They have also opined that Schnitzler's proposed alternative, in which group therapy would not be involved, would be ineffective treatment, i.e., it would be unlikely to prevent recidivism. (Storgaard Aff. ¶ 7; Petersen Aff. ¶ 6).

All inmates convicted of a sex offense are identified as needing sex offender treatment without regard to their religion. (Peterson Aff. ¶ 7). Schnitzler has not been forced to participate in sex offender treatment. (Storgaard Aff. ¶ 8). Schnitzler has not been forced to do anything contrary to his religious beliefs. (Id.). He has consistently asserted, however, that compliance with his IPD requires participation in...