Smith v. Martinez et al

Filing 4

WRITTEN Opinion entered by the Honorable Ruben Castillo on 7/14/2011. The plaintiff's motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis 3 is granted. The court authorizes and orders Cook County Jail officials to deduct $2.67 from the plain tiff's account, and to continue making monthly deductions in accordance with this order. The clerk shall send a copy of this order to the Supervisor of Inmate Trust Fund Accounts, Cook County Dept. of Corrections Administrative Office, Division V, 2700 S. California, Chicago, Illinois 60608. However, summonses shall not issue at this time. On the court's own motion, Matthew J. Gulde, Stetler & Duffy, Ltd., 11 South LaSalle, Suite 1200, Chicago, Illinois 60603, [phone] is appoin ted to represent the plaintiff in accordance with counsels trial bar obligations under the District Court's Local Rule 83.37 (N.D. Ill.). The complaint on file is dismissed without prejudice to appointed counsel filing an amended complaint within 60 days if the amended complaint comports with appointed counsel's obligations under Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. [For further details see written opinion.] Mailed notice(ca, ).

Order Form (01/2005)

United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois
Name of Assigned Judge
or Magistrate Judge

RUBÉN CASTILLO

CASE NUMBER

11 C 4624

CASE
TITLE

Sitting Judge if Other
than Assigned Judge

DATE

7/14/2011

Timothy Smith (#2007-0086555) vs. Superintendent Martinez, et al.

DOCKET ENTRY TEXT:

The plaintiff’s motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis [#3] is granted. The court authorizes and orders Cook
County Jail officials to deduct $2.67 from the plaintiff’s account, and to continue making monthly deductions in
accordance with this order. The clerk shall send a copy of this order to the Supervisor of Inmate Trust Fund Accounts,
Cook County Dept. of Corrections Administrative Office, Division V, 2700 S. California, Chicago, Illinois 60608.
However, summonses shall not issue at this time. On the court’s own motion, Matthew J. Gulde, Stetler & Duffy, Ltd.,
11 South LaSalle, Suite 1200, Chicago, Illinois 60603, [phone] is appointed to represent the plaintiff in
accordance with counsel’s trial bar obligations under the District Court’s Local Rule 83.37 (N.D. Ill.). The complaint
on file is dismissed without prejudice to appointed counsel filing an amended complaint within 60 days if the amended
complaint comports with appointed counsel’s obligations under Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
O [For further details see text below.]

Docketing to mail notices.

STATEMENT
The plaintiff, an inmate in the custody of the Cook County Department of Corrections, has brought this
pro se civil rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. The plaintiff claims that the defendants, jail officials,
violated the plaintiff’s constitutional rights by using excessive force against him.
The plaintiff’s motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis is granted. Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §
1915(b)(1), the plaintiff is assessed an initial partial filing fee of $2.67. The supervisor of inmate trust accounts
at the Cook County Jail is authorized and ordered to collect, when funds exist, the partial filing fee from the
plaintiff’s trust fund account and pay it directly to the Clerk of Court. After payment of the initial partial filing
fee, the trust fund officer at the plaintiff’s place of confinement is directed to collect monthly payments from the
plaintiff’s trust fund account in an amount equal to 20% of the preceding month’s income credited to the account.
Monthly payments collected from the plaintiff’s trust fund account shall be forwarded to the Clerk of Court each
time the amount in the account exceeds $10 until the full $350 filing fee is paid. All payments shall be sent to
the Clerk, United States District Court, 219 S. Dearborn St., Chicago, Illinois 60604, attn: Cashier’s Desk, 20th
Floor, and shall clearly identify the plaintiff’s name and the case number assigned to this action. The Cook
(CONTINUED)
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STATEMENT (continued)
County inmate trust account office shall notify transferee authorities of any outstanding balance in the event the
plaintiff is transferred from the jail to another correctional facility.
Under 28 U.S.C. § 1915A, the court is required to conduct a prompt threshold review of the complaint.
Here, accepting the plaintiff’s allegations as true, the court finds that the complaint articulates a colorable federal
cause of action. Unjustified force against a pretrial detainee violates the inmate’s rights under the Fourteenth
Amendment. See, e.g., Dorsey v. St. Joseph County Jail Officials, 98 F.3d 1527, 1528 (7th Cir. 1998), citing
Graham v. Connor, 490 U.S. 386, 395 n. 10 (1989). Furthermore, a correctional official may be liable for a
constitutional violation committed by another if he or she has a reasonable opportunity to intervene but fails to do
so. See Miller v. Smith, 220 F.3d 491, 495 (7th Cir. 2000).
However, the complaint on file is unacceptable. First, Section 1983 creates a cause of action based on
personal liability and predicated upon fault; thus, “to be liable under § 1983, an individual defendant must have
caused or participated in a constitutional deprivation.” Pepper v. Village of Oak Park, 430 F.3d 809, 810 (7th Cir.
2005) (citations omitted). The doctrine of respondeat superior (blanket supervisory liability) does not apply to
actions filed under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. See, e.g., Kinslow v. Pullara, 538 F.3d 687, 692 (7th Cir. 2008). In addition,
the U.S. Marshal will be unable to identify or serve the “John Doe” defendants without any more information.
Due to the serious nature of the plaintiff’s allegations, the court hereby appoints Matthew J. Gulde / Stetler
& Duffy, Ltd. / 11 South LaSalle, Suite 1200 / Chicago, Illinois 60603 / [phone] to represent the plaintiff
in accordance with counsel’s trial bar obligations under the District Court’s Local Rule 83.37 (N.D. Ill.). After
investigation, appointed counsel should file an amended complaint within sixty days if such amendment comports
with counsel’s obligations under Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. If counsel is unable to file an
amended complaint, he should so inform the court.

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