Adams v. Reagle

Dist. Ct. did not err in granting defendants-prison officials’ motion for summary judgment in plaintiff-prisoner’s section 1983 action, alleging that defendants violated his 1st , 8th and 14th Amendment rights by: (1) filing false assault charge against him (that was eventually dismissed) in retaliation for complaining against one defendant’s removal of plaintiff from kitchen assignment; (2) not allowing him to present live testimony in his disciplinary hearings involving assault charge; (3) imposing unequal punishment on assault charge; and (4) imposing cruel and inhumane conditions on his restrictive housing assignment. Ct. of Appeals found no 1st Amendment violation or discrimination based on his race, where plaintiff failed to present evidence that defendant-officer who generated assault charge knew that plaintiff was innocent of said charge or treated other inmates more favorably. With respect to plaintiff’s 8th Amendment claim, Ct. of Appeals found no violation, where defendant failed to present evidence that any defendant had control over plaintiff’s housing conditions. With respect to plaintiff’s due process claim, Ct. of Appeals found no violation since plaintiff was entitled to only informal due process with respect to instant disciplinary hearings, which was satisfied, where plaintiff was allowed to present written statements from his witnesses and was allowed to present his own oral testimony.