Smith v. Swenson

• Decision Date: 26 April 1971
• Docket Number: Civ. A. No. 1495.
• Parties: Charles SMITH, Plaintiff, v. Harold R. SWENSON, Warden, Missouri State Penitentiary, Jefferson City, Missouri, et al., Defendants.
• Court: U.S. District Court — Western District of Missouri

333 F. Supp. 1253

Charles SMITH, Plaintiff, v. Harold R. SWENSON, Warden, Missouri State Penitentiary, Jefferson City, Missouri, et al., Defendants.

Civ. A. No. 1495.

United States District Court, W. D. Missouri, Central Division.

March 25, 1971.

As Amended April 26, 1971.

Charles Smith, plaintiff, pro se.

Kenneth M. Romines, Asst. Atty. Gen., Jefferson City, Mo., for defendants.

JUDGMENT OF DISMISSAL

WILLIAM H. BECKER, Chief Judge.

In his complaint herein under the Federal Civil Rights Act, plaintiff, a state convict confined in the Missouri State Penitentiary, stated that he had been placed in the "C-Basement maximum security unit" because certain members of the general prison population have made and are making threats against his life; that, by such confinement, plaintiff "is now being treated the same as intractable prisoners who are being punished in C-Basement maximum security unit for violating the rules and regulations of the penitentiary"; that plaintiff's yard privileges and entertainment opportunities had been curtailed; that plaintiff was being deprived of educational opportunities; that he was being deprived of the opportunity to earn "merit time" by donating blood, by working and by other means; that he cannot purchase articles from the commissary; that he is subject to poorer living conditions than other prisoners; that he is denied the right to go to church; and that the C-Basement unit is negligently maintained by defendants in that the window is painted so that it does not let in light.

On December 12, 1969, defendants' motion to dismiss was denied because plaintiff's allegations, viewed in the light most favorable to him under the rule of Conley v. Gibson, 355 U.S. 41, 45-46, 78 S.Ct. 99, 2 L.Ed.2d 80; Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. v. Amalgamated Meat Cutters & Butcher Workmen of North America (C.A.8) 410 F.2d 650; and Leimer v. State Mut. Life Assur. Co. (C.A.8) 108 F.2d 302, may have stated a claim under the Federal Civil Rights Act.

Under the rule of Ivey v. Frost (C.A. 8) 346 F.2d 115, this Court issued its order on August 24, 1970, directing defendants to show cause why the leave originally granted plaintiff to proceed in forma pauperis should not continue. Defendants' response was filed, together with exhibits, on September 2, 1970. The substance of the averments in that response is as follows:

"As can be seen by reference to Respondent's Exhibit `A', plaintiff in the instant case has a history of requesting assignment to the Maximum Security Detention Facility of the Missouri State Penitentiary, of being returned to the general population and reassigned job classifications, and on the return to general population being unable to socialize with other inmates and exhibiting a proclivity to arm himself with knives, has been returned to Maximum Security. Exhibit `A' demonstrates that since the filing of the instant complaint on August 11, 1969, plaintiff has been released to general population and reclassified to job assignments in the furniture factory, and returned to Maximum Security for the posession (sic) of a homemade knife and the stabbing of a fellow inmate. By reference to Exhibit `B', it can be seen that plaintiff was, for his own safety, maintained in the Maximum Security Detention Facility to avoid possible harm to his person. As can be seen further from Exhibit `B', the detention period was for two weeks only. With reference to Exhibit `C', plaintiff in the instant case had the option to notify the classification committee at the exact time he felt he could be returned to general population. By reference to Exhibit `D' it can be seen that because of threats on plaintiff's life, the plaintiff acquiesced in his return to Maximum Security. By reference to Exhibit `E', it can be seen that on review of his Maximum Security Status, plaintiff informed the classification committee that he felt that his return to general population would be dangerous, and that if returned to general population he would have to arm himself in order to protect himself. Exhibits `F', `G', and `H', demonstrate the hesitancy plaintiff exhibited in his being able to make a peaceful return to the general population. As can be seen from the Chronological Data Sheet, that on the 29th of September, 1969, the plaintiff was returned to general population reassigned, and reclassified, and assigned a job in the furniture factory. The Data Sheet then shows a 5-month period in which plaintiff was in general population.

"By reference to Exhibits `I', `K' and `L', the action the classification committee took in Exhibit `M', can be seen to be the fact of stabbing by plaintiff of another inmate.

"In the light of the foregoing facts, it would appear that at no time has plaintiff in the instant case been arbitrarily, or capriciously, assigned to the Maximum Security Detention Facility of the Missouri State Penitentiary, it would appear that plaintiff has had eight different reviews by the classification committee of his status, that he has been returned three times to general population, only to be returned on his inability to socialize in general population, to Maximum Security."

If the statements of the response were uncontradicted by plaintiff, none of plaintiff's federal rights had been violated. Therefore, plaintiff was granted an opportunity to reply to the factual averments of the response. Plaintiff was expressly invited to file a traverse to the response by an order of this Court. The traverse was filed on September 10, 1970. Pertinently, it stated that plaintiff denied any averments that he is unable to socialize in the general prison population and that he had requested maximum security assignment although he admitted that the classification committee had informed him that they had information which indicated plaintiff "would have a great deal of trouble if he was released to the general prison population" and that "he was placed in the C-Basement Maximum Security Unit * * * because someone (unknown to plaintiff) threw a knife and towel with several holes stabbed in it, into plaintiff's cell and plaintiff reported the incident to a prison guard and turned the knife and towel over to the guard."

Contrary to the order directing the filing of the traverse, however, plaintiff's statement of September 10, 1970, was not under oath. Plaintiff submitted a more complete statement on September 24, 1970, which was under oath and notarized, and which read as follows:

"1. With reference to the defendants' Exhibit `A' filed in this cause, plaintiff denies that he has a history of requesting assignment to the C-Basement Maximum Security Unit of the Missouri State Penitentiary; denies that he requested (at any time) to be placed in the C-Basement Maximum Security Unit of the Missouri State Penitentiary; denies that he is unable to socialize with other inmates; denies that he has armed himself with knives in the general population; admits that he was released from the C-Basement Maximum Security Unit on October 1, 1969; admits that someone threw a knife into his cell on the evening of May 16, 1968, and he reported the incident to a prison guard and as a result he was returned to the C-Basement Maximum Security Unit on May 17, 1968;

"2. With reference to the defendants' Exhibit `B' filed in this cause, plaintiff admits that upon being received at the Missouri State Penitentiary at Jefferson City, Missouri on March 8, 1968, he was placed in the C-Basement Maximum Security Unit; denies that he was placed in the C-Basement Maximum Security Unit for his own safety; admits that he appeared before the Classification Committee on April 18, 1968; admits that he asked to be released from the C-Basement Maximum Security Unit; admits that he was released from the C-Basement Maximum Security Unit on May 1, 1968; admits that he was called to the prison control center on May 8, 1968 and returned to the C-Basement Maximum Security Unit for investigation because of inmate talk in the general population, and was released to the general population on May 15, 1968.

"3. With reference to the defendants' Exhibit `C' filed in this cause, plaintiff admits that he appeared before the Classification Committee on May 22, 1968; denies that he indicated he had reached a point where he felt it necessary that he be placed in the C-Basement Maximum Security Unit; denies that he was placed in the C-Basement Maximum Security Unit at his own request; admits that someone threw a knife into his cell on the evening of May 16, 1968, and he reported the incident to a prison guard; denies that he stated he had the knife to use just in case someone attacked him; denies that he claimed he had received numerous threats that his life might be in danger if he continued in the general population; denies that he had the option to notify the Classification Committee at the exact time he wanted to be released to the general population.

"4. With reference to the defendants' Exhibit `D' filed in...