The Plaintiff, Maximo Gomez, is a prisoner in the custody of the Florida Department of Corrections. Gomez has filed a civil rights complaint under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, alleging that two defendants employed at Martin Correctional Institution, “K. Layton” and “Captain Vernon,” violated his Eighth Amendment rights through their deliberate indifference to Gomez’s safety. Gomez alleges that he inadvertently discovered that Defendant Layton was having a sexual relationship with another inmate. Gomez further alleges that, when he reported this to Defendant Vernon, the two defendants conspired with each other to enlist another inmate to violently attack Gomez. Gomez asserts that, as a result of the attack, he suffered numerous stab wounds, broken ribs, and a collapsed lung; he is now seeking compensatory and punitive damages against both of the Defendants. This case is in its early stages, as neither Defendant has been served. If interested, please email FLSD_ProBono@flsd.uscourts.gov
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The first set of claims relate to Excessive Force used by five jail employees. They are identified as Sergeant Quest, Deputy Maynes, Deputy Anda, Deputy Green, and Deputy Powell. According to Plaintiff, these five defendants beat him in his cell despite his compliance with orders. Plaintiff alleged that he was punched, stomped on, dragged to the floor, and hit multiple times. Plaintiff further alleged that one of the defendants, specifically Sergeant Quest, ordered the beating in his cell.
The second set of claims are for Failure to Intervene against the previously mentioned jail employees. This claim alleges that those five defendants, who applied force in Plaintiff’s cell, failed to take reasonable steps to protect him from excessive force by instead participating in the beating.
Plaintiff raised a claim of Retaliation against Sergeant Quest. According to Plaintiff, Sergeant Quest relocated him to a windowless cell because Plaintiff filed a grievance and requested medical attention after being beaten. Plaintiff alleged that Sergeant Quest “intercepted” the attempt at grieving or seeking medical attention. Replacement was ordered, as Plaintiff alleges, to prevent officials from seeing or documenting Plaintiff’s injuries. At the pleading stage, this Court drew an inference that placement in a windowless cell may have been ordered as an attempt to hinder Plaintiff’s ability to substantiate legal claims.While relocated, the replacement allegedly prevented Plaintiff from receiving medical treatment for fifteen days.
As to his final claim, Plaintiff raised a claim of deliberate indifference to serious medical needs against Nurse Henri. According to these allegations, Nurse Henri failed to provide emergency medical services and failed to provide treatment after the beating. The allegations also state that Nurse Henri did not write an event report after the beating. As injuries, Plaintiff states that he endured a concussion, broken ribs, and cuts, bleeding, and swelling to his head and face. Plaintiff adds that he now suffers from blurred vision, headaches, and panic attacks that range in their severity. If interested, please email FLSD_ProBono@flsd.uscourts.gov
Pro se Plaintiff, Marlon Lewis, filed this action seeking review of an unfavorable decision by the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration on Plaintiffs claim for disability insurance benefits. Plaintiff contends that he is entitled to disability benefits because he has several severe medical impairments that prevent him from working. The complaint was filed on June 29, 2021, and Defendant has not yet filed a response. If interested, please email mcaliley@flsd.uscourts.gov
Pro se Plaintiff Jean Baptiste Mackenson filed a 42 U.S.C. § 1983 complaint again Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw. Plaintiff was arrested on November 14, 2018 on an alleged felony violation and transported to the Palm Beach County Jail, where he was detained pending a bond hearing. After being granted bond, Plaintiff posted his bond on March 17, 2019. Plaintiff filed a motion requesting entry of an order directing his immediate release to home confinement, as per the conditions of his bond. Despite posting bond, plaintiff was held pursuant to a 48-hour Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) hold. ICE never obtained custody of Plaintiff, and he remained in custody until he pled guilty in December 2020. Defendant has filed a motion to dismiss Plaintiffs excessive continued detention complaint. Plaintiff has not filed a response. If interested, please email williams@flsd.uscourts.gov
In this section 1983 action, Plaintiff, Norberto Iglesias, alleges numerous Defendants employed by the Florida Department of Corrections and Inspector Generals Office violated his Eighth Amendment rights. Plaintiff additionally asserts state law claims of gross negligence and civil RICO. Plaintiff states he witnessed, on multiple occasions, certain Defendants sell firearms, ammunition, TEXTER C-4, and GPS cellular telephones to the inmates at Everglades Correctional Institution. Plaintiff claims he made several formal and informal requests to other Defendants regarding this matter but never received a response. Plaintiff alleges he was the victim of retaliation by another inmate who was hired to attack and kill him. During the attack, Plaintiff was stabbed 19 times and sustained life-threatening injuries. Plaintiff is now blind in his left eye. Plaintiff maintains the Defendants were aware of these illegal activities and deliberately refused to act or protect him from harm. Plaintiff is now seeking $2,000,000 in compensatory and punitive damages. Plaintiffs claims survived Defendants Motion to Dismiss, and the case is currently closed pending Plaintiffs filing of a response to Defendants Motion for Summary Judgment. If interested, please email FLSD_ProBono@flsd.uscourts.gov
Plaintiff, a pro se prisoner at Dade Correctional Institution, filed a civil rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. section 1983 alleging abuse by a number of employees of the institutions in which he has been incarcerated. Plaintiffs complaint alleges three claims: a claim of deliberate indifference to his serious medical needs, a claim Defendants violated the Eighth Amendment's prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment, and a claim Defendants violated his Fourteenth Amendment right to due process. Plaintiff states he suffers from a number of mental illnesses for which he was denied treatment. Because of Plaintiff's self-reported mental illness, he seeks a volunteer lawyer to represent him in his case. Summary judgment has been granted for the Defendants; Plaintiff has appealed. If interested, please email FLSD_ProBono@flsd.uscourts.gov
Defendant has answered the complaint, and discovery will begin soon. If interested, please email FLSD_ProBono@flsd.uscourts.gov
Plaintiff, a pre-trial detainee at Palm Beach County West Detention Center, filed a Complaint under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 complaining of civil rights violations. Plaintiff complains of First and Eighth Amendment violations committed by corrections deputies at Palm Beach County West Detention Center. If interested, please email FLSD_ProBono@flsd.uscourts.gov
Plaintiff has filed a pro se complaint under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 alleging, among other things, that Defendants used excessive force in arresting him. The case is in its early stages and Defendants have not been served. If interested, please email FLSD_ProBono@flsd.uscourts.gov
Plaintiff is a pro se prisoner bringing an action under Section 1983 against an officer with the Department of Corrections (“Defendant Officer”) for claims of excessive force and deliberate indifference to serious medical needs. In support, Plaintiff alleges that, while conducting an inventory check of Plaintiff’s property, Defendant Officer threatened and then applied enough force to break Plaintiff’s arm. Immediately thereafter, Defendant Officer handcuffed Plaintiff with his arms behind his back. After 40 minutes elapsed, another prison official saw Plaintiff, removed Plaintiff’s hand restraints, and made efforts to procure medical attention. Defendant Officer, upon seeing that Plaintiff was no longer handcuffed, placed Plaintiff in handcuffs again, put him on a transport vehicle to another institution, and drove that vehicle in a manner allegedly designed to increase Plaintiff’s pain. Plaintiff received reconstructive surgery to repair his arm and has received physical therapy. A Settlement Conference is scheduled before the U.S. Magistrate Judge for October 5, 2021 at 10:00 am. Trial is scheduled for October 12, 2021. If interested, please email FLSD_ProBono@flsd.uscourts.gov