Awe v. Mullins et al

Filing 39

MEMORANDUM OPINION. Signed by Judge Jackson L. Kiser on 7/1/2015. (tvt)

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lbe ael ndif r nt o s e i us di l ds n olton he ght
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Dee a t fldamoin frs mmayj g n , n Plitf r s o d d mà i s ematrrp
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to o u r ud me t a d an if e p n e , kngt te ie
h
frdipo iin. Aftrr vi ngt r or , Ig a tDee d n s moin frs mmayj d me t
o s sto 1 e e ewi he ec d rn fn a t' to o u r u g n .

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antf am ha
s flc e t d
known/ ume e 'c oni a t ii i hi
doc nt d' hr c rhrts n s
kne ,(s ve edege r tvedicdie e,' hr cC nitons'dicpr r i a bul ng,
es te r
ne a i s s as 'c oni t a i r' s otuson nd gi
her
c
ompr son ofner er ,e plt ts rngr' f
es i
v oot nd a e dpuri 'de onne ve tbr e,a i baa
d re a nd m lnce.
Cons que l Pl i if s yshe i una e t do q lt m ove e s f RO SP' s i lho i
e nty, a ntf a
s bl o
l he
m nt or
S pec a usng

s urt pr ed est a e so - - el a i te ,lke e r s ,s we s a t ne and f miy
ec iy oc ur o cc s utofc l ctvii s i xe cie ho r , tor y
n l
viiai a c a sfcai n hea i ,duet Def nda s alege f iur t te thi a l nt t t
st ton, nd l s ii to
rngs
o e nt ' l d a l e o r a s ime s ha
rs tdi t
e ule n t
unbea a e ' i
r bl ' pa n.

1Paniffldagu n wi o t vd n ei rs o s t Dee a t' to frsmmayj d me t
litf ie r me t t u e ie c n ep n e o fnd ns moin o u r u g n.
h
Cons nty,lmus r y ont ve ii d c pli t r f t t e de ei s
eque l
t el
he rte om ant o e ue he vi nc n uppor dft m oto f s m ay
t he in or um r

j d me t Se W iimsv. ifn 9 2F.d8 0, 23(t Ci. 9 )( tn av rfe c mpan çst e uv ln
u g n. e la
l
Grfi, 5 2 2 8 4h r 1 91 noig eiid o litç he q iae t
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o a o o igafd vtfrsmmayj d me t u p ss wh ntealg t nsc nan dteenaeb sdo
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esna k o e g '
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l rs
n e pons ,De e
e f ndant s m i t f l ng e denc Dr M uli i a lce e me c
s ub t he olowi vi e. . lns s i ns d di al
doc o a ha be n pr di m e ca s r i e t i t sa ROSP sncea oxi t l Aprl
t r nd s e ovi ng di l e v c s o nma e t
i
ppr ma ey
i
201 Be or Dr M uli r nde e c ea ROSP,Pli ifr cevedX r ofbot hi i M a c
4. f e . lns e r d ar t
antf e i
ays
h ps n r h
20l t ts
3 ha howe Pli ifs f r fom de ne a i a t ii i bot hi . Theteam e tf
d antf ufe ed r
ge r tve rhrts n h ps
r t n or

t sc ton i tzoug m e c ton unl soruntlt c ton deeror t se
hi ondii s lr h di a i
es
i he ondii
t i a e nough t tslge y
ha tr r
i wa r n e Pl i ifhasr ceve me c ton f t sc ton.
s r a t d. antf
e i d dia i or hi ondii
On M a 1 201 Dr M uli or e aone- a botom bunk a l rtera sg e
y 3, 4, . lns der d
ye r t
nd owe i s inm nt
f Pl i if a Dr M uli o de e asx- ont l rte as i nm e f Pl i ifon Augus 5,
or antf, nd . lns r r d i m h owe ir sg nt or antf
t
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4.
lns eane
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sr or e we owerter
i
a s g e a ag n a ove t r que t
s i nm nt nd ai ppr d he e s .

Dr M uli a s l r d ofPl ntf sdesr f ano- elpas on Aprl1 201
. lns lo ea ne
ai if
ie or
kne
s
i 7, 5.
Acc di t Pli ifsmedialr c d,aphyscan ha e mi Pl i ifon Ocobe 7, 4,
or ng o antf
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t r 201
a de e t r ques f ano- elpa sbec us Pl i ifha af nci na r ng ofmoto i
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hi e r m ii s no de or t o s li and anor gat I or rf Dr M uli t detr i
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mal i. n de or . lns o e m ne
whehe Pl i ifqua ii f rano- elpa s he wo d ha t e m i Pl ntf be a ea not r antf
lfes o
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ul ve o xa ne ai if c us
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el s i nii n l f e t ec iy t

Pli ifdi notco pl n t Dr M uli a utis r a e t hi hi knee o ba k a
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m ai o . lns bo s ues elt d o s ps
s r c nd
ha notr que t ano- elpas durng t rl ta nt e onNove be 1 201 Dr
d
e sed
kne
s i hei as ppoi m nt
m r 8, 4. .
M uli expl nst tPl i ifma s i a sck c lr ques i Pli tf f l t thi co ton
lns
ai ha antf y ubm t i al e t f a n if ee s ha s ndii
ha de eror t d ort the ha a m edi alne Dr M uli de e e rr f i t t e tPl i if
s t i ae
ha
s
c
ed. . lns ni s ve e us ng o r a a ntf .

2Dr M uli 'undertndi ofprs polcyi t tal rte or ra efro y sx mont i r
lns
sa ng
ion i s ha owe ir de r o nl i
h ncement a
s nd
.
t tani aeai aene onl t s bm i ar ques f r walt havet or rrne
ha
nm t nm t eds y o u t e t or ene
o
hat de e wed.
3Howeve 5 s d uponPli ifsm e c r or al , Dr M uli do t t tPli ifquaii sf ano
r ba e
antf' dial ec d one . lns ub s ha antf
lte or kne pas .
el s

Nu s Phi ,asROSP' he nu s i r s i ef rbot admi sr tveand ci c
r e pps
S ad r e, s e ponsbl o h
nitai
lnial
t ks A fe r vi w i t adm i s r tve 1 ofs c c l r ques s N tr e Phi a r t t
as . t r e e ng he
ni t a i og
ik al e
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a ntf
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lke ohe i aesa pe polc s
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no- lpas ort s e aphysc a ROSP nur e ma notis ano- elpas un i i i
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ss y
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a horze by aphys can.
ut i d
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Nur ePhi not t tPl i ifha a or f ral rte fom Aug t5,201
s
pps es ha antf d n der o owe ir r
us
4,
t oug Fe a y 5,2015.l or rf rt to de t be r ne d, a ntf smpl nee d t
hr h bnz r
n de o ha r r o e we Pli if i y de o
s i s h a r que t butPli ifdi no do s Upon r vi wi ROSP' e e toni r cor
ubm t uc e s ,
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s tm , s Phi dic r t ts urt saf ha hous d Pl ntf i a uppe te cel
yse Nur e pps s ove ed ha ec iy t f d
e ai if n n
r ir l
alhoug D r M uli 'l e te or rw asi ef e tt ough Fe u r 5, 5. Bec us D r
t
h . lns ow r i r de
n f c hr
br a y 201
a e .
M uli 'l e te or r wasi t el c r c r c dss t m , ur e Phi doe no know w hy
lns ow r i r de
n he e t oni e or ys e N s
pps s t

Pli ifwa hous d i a u rte c l a s de esha ng ha a c e por ne
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e n n ppe i r el, nd he ni vi
d ny ontm a ous
knowldge oft pr em .Asme c lpe s
e
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di a r onne , f nda sdo notcon r o ha a hort
l De e nt
tol r ve ut iy
ove t housng ofi aes I t d,t me c de rme c n i s m e c lo d sr r ng
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i
nm t . nsea he di al pa t nt a s ue di a r er ega di
t m e c lne dsf botom bunksa l rte s butROSP s c iy sa fde e neswhehe
he di a e or t
nd owe ir ,
e urt t f t nni
t r
o how t eo de sma bei e e e
r
hos r r y mplm nt d.W he br
n oughtt hi at nton on Aprl1 2015, .
o s te i
i 7,
Dr

M uli r ne d al we tero de ont s m e da
lns e we o r i r r he n
y.
N ur e Dee deni ha ng ha a die ti ve e w ih Pl ntf c e ni t cl i s
s
l
es vi
d ny r c nvol m nt t ai if onc r ng he a m
r i e i t sac i n orc em por neo know l
a s d n hi to
ont
a us
edge ofPl i i f shous ng as i e on a uppe
a ntf
i
s gnm nt
n
r
te . She de e r c vi a s c ca lr que tf om Pl i ifa
ir
ni s e ei ng ny i k l e s r
a ntf bouta l e te hous ng
ow r i r
i
as i ent a no- lpa s ora m e c lcondii durng t r l nttm e.
s gnm ,
knee s ,
di a
ton i he e eva i

De e nt c l t tPl i ifha notb n de e a e st media te m e an
f nda s oncude ha antf s
ee ni d cc s o
c l r at nt d
a rt the ha ha a botom te a s g ne snc Fe a y 201 A lhough Pl i ifi f m ii r
ve ha
s d
t i r s i m nt i e bnz r
5. t
a ntf s n la

w ih t pr e e t r ques m e c lte t nta ha us d t e pr ed e i t pa t
t he oc dur s o e t di a r a me nd d e hos oc ur s n he s,
Pl i t f had no s it d r a e r ques sf m e ca t e t e .
a n if
t ubm te el t d e
t or di l r a m nt
lI.

A pat i e tte t s mmayj d me ti t pla ig ,h d s o eya dd s ls r
ry s n ild o u r u g n f he e dn s te ic v r n ico u e
ma e i l on tl ,a a a fdaviss
t ras ie nd ny fi t how t tt r i no g nediput ast a m a e i f c .
ha he e s
enui s e o ny t ral a t

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v. 56() tra a t r hos ce sr o sa ih he e nt
ry'
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lg m os f vo a e t t non- ovi pa t a r s bl f c - i r c d r t n a ve di tf
i ht
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d fa as mma yj d me tmoin. En i v Na'As ' o Bus & Ed c Ra o l .5 F.d
ee t u r u g n to ' ns . tl sn f . u . di.nc, 3 3
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5 , 2( t Ci.1 9 ) A panifc n o us ar s o et amoinf rs mmayj dg n t
5 6 4h r 9 5 . litf n n t e e p ns o
to o u r u me t o
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r udgme .
nt
Cl ni e v.McDevit 555F. 3 336( hCi.
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r ona l wa e a t ndi tng ubsa i l ik e i us r nd cualy ec ze he

e se ofs hars Fame v. e n,511U. 8 8 (994) SDei r t i feenc
xitnce uc ik. r r Brnna
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Pli ifc nnots ce by me el r si o hi a c a i i t compl ntt t
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uc ed
r y e tng n s c us ton n he
ai ha

Dee nt tal)t pr vi g m)wihnee dme ca c es r c s'n lghtoft e de e
fnda s d il o o de hi t de di l ar evie 'i i
f
he vi nc

s p o t De e d n s moinf rs mmayj dg n .S eBel lCo p. Two y 5 0
u p ri
ng fn a t' to o u r u me t e lAt. r v. mbl, 5
U. 544,555(
S.
2007)(nt na quottonmaksomitd)(e ognii apli ifsba i f rle
i er l ai
r
te rc zng antf ss or eif

de r mor t nlbesa c ncusons).W he Dr Muli s w Pli ifonNove
t quies e ha a l nd o l i '
r
n . lns a antf
mber1
8,
201 aboutm e c ton ma eme ,Pli ifneiherc
4,
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nag nt a ntf t ompl i ofis r a e t hi hi ,
aned s ues elt d o s ps
kne s orba norr ques e a noe,
ck
e
td
knee pas . Dr M uli w a ne rpr en e w ih Pl i ifs
l s
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de ie f ano- el s untlAprl1 2015 a wasnoti ved i t o he physcin' pror
sr or
kne pa s i
i 7,
, nd
nvol n he t r
ia s i

de a oft r ques.The e i no e de et i ca et tDef nda swe e a r s c iy sa f
ni l he e t
r s
vi nc o ndi t ha
e nt r wa e e urt tf
ha as i
d sgnedPl i ift a uppe te des t Dr M uli 'or rf a bo tm te ,a i a
antf o n
r i r pie . lns de or to i r nd n ny
e nt s c iy saf spl e e ofPl i ifon a uppe te i a mat rbeyond De e nt '
ve , e urt t f ac m nt
antf
n
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te
f nda s
c r . The e i no e de et tDef nda swe e dei r t l i fe e t a s rousm e ca
ontol
r s
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ne d,a t y c nnotbehel la e f t a t o omisonsofs cziy sa f who we e
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e trt t f,
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rs
e pons bl f e cu i m e c lor r f r l
i e or xe tng di a de s o ower te c las i e s N o m e c lofi e i
-i r el s gnm nt .
di a fc r n

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ii
d
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ii d

i nt a ds mma yj d me t
mmu iy n u r u g n .
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Fo tefr g igr a o , g a t fn a t' to f rs mma yj d me t a dI
r h o e on e s ns I r n Dee d n s moi n o u r u g n , n
r ci Plitf sl vet pr e t f mapa rsbe a ei i cla fom t r or t t
es nd anif ea o oc ed q or
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Pl i ifha S hr s rkes'a i notunderi m i ntda rof s r o phys ca ha plr ua
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