9th Cir. lets prisoners get books, rejects "encrypted" claim
Declan McCullagh
declan at well.com
Wed Nov 19 12:17:50 PST 2003
TODD LEWIS ASHKER, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF
CORRECTIONS; JAMES GOMEZ; G. BONNIE GARIBAY; S. BONACCORSO; M. JENSEN; S.
CAMBRA; S. STEINBERG, M.D.; WINSLOW; DR. ASTORGA; C. GOLLIHAR; S. RICCI,
M.T.A.; K. BUTCHER; B. PATTON; M. BILLINGTON; B. GRINSTEAD; JOE MCGRATH,
Warden, Defendants-Appellants.
No. 02-17077
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT
October 7, 2003, Argued and Submitted, San Francisco, California
November 18, 2003, Filed
PRIOR HISTORY: [*1] Appeal from the United States District Court for the
Northern District of California. D.C. No. CV 97-1109 CW. Claudia Wilken,
District Judge, Presiding.
...
OPINION:
TASHIMA, Circuit Judge:
Defendants-Appellants, the California Department of Corrections and various
prison officials (collectively, "CDC"), appeal an order of the district
court granting summary judgment in favor of Plaintiff-Appellee, Todd Lewis
Ashker, and issuing a permanent injunction against CDC. Ashker, a state
prisoner housed in the Security Housing Unit ("SHU") at Pelican Bay State
Prison ("PBSP"), challenged a prison policy requiring books and magazines
mailed to the prison to have an approved vendor label affixed to [*2] the
package. In a published opinion, the district court granted summary
judgment in favor of Ashker because the policy unreasonably burdened
Ashker's
<http://www.lexis.com/research//research/buttonTFLink?_m=f301d9b0bbfb87b562632ca03cc7bc4f&_xfercite=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDATA%5b2003%20U.S.%20App.%20LEXIS%2023445%5d%5d%3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_butType=4&_butStat=0&_butNum=1&_butInline=1&_butinfo=U.S.%20CONST.%20AMEND.%201&_fmtstr=FULL&docnum=1&_startdoc=1&wchp=dGLbVtz-zSkAA&_md5=de99423f98b5aa1744cf125b0d22c6ad>First
Amendment rights and was not rationally related to a legitimate penological
objective.
<http://www.lexis.com/research//research/buttonTFLink?_m=f301d9b0bbfb87b562632ca03cc7bc4f&_xfercite=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDATA%5b2003%20U.S.%20App.%20LEXIS%2023445%5d%5d%3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_butType=3&_butStat=2&_butNum=2&_butInline=1&_butinfo=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDATA%5b224%20F.%20Supp.%202d%201253%2cat%201262%5d%5d%3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_fmtstr=FULL&docnum=1&_startdoc=1&wchp=dGLbVtz-zSkAA&_md5=5b9b687b8c1b100dc1b695d8569a2ba1>Ashker
v. Cal. Dep't of
Corr.<http://www.lexis.com/research//research/buttonTFLink?_m=f301d9b0bbfb87b562632ca03cc7bc4f&_xfercite=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDATA%5b2003%20U.S.%20App.%20LEXIS%2023445%5d%5d%3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_butType=3&_butStat=2&_butNum=2&_butInline=1&_butinfo=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDATA%5b224%20F.%20Supp.%202d%201253%2cat%201262%5d%5d%3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_fmtstr=FULL&docnum=1&_startdoc=1&wchp=dGLbVtz-zSkAA&_md5=5b9b687b8c1b100dc1b695d8569a2ba1>,
224 F. Supp. 2d 1253, 1262 (N.D. Cal. 2002). The court further held that
Ashker was entitled to injunctive relief and issued a permanent injunction
enjoining PBSP from enforcing the book label requirement.
<http://www.lexis.com/research//research/buttonTFLink?_m=f301d9b0bbfb87b562632ca03cc7bc4f&_xfercite=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDATA%5b2003%20U.S.%20App.%20LEXIS%2023445%5d%5d%3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_butType=3&_butStat=2&_butNum=3&_butInline=1&_butinfo=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDATA%5b224%20F.%20Supp.%202d%201253%2cat%201263%5d%5d%3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_fmtstr=FULL&docnum=1&_startdoc=1&wchp=dGLbVtz-zSkAA&_md5=9f5f455207db9b2772aade2a200c3195>Id.<http://www.lexis.com/research//research/buttonTFLink?_m=f301d9b0bbfb87b562632ca03cc7bc4f&_xfercite=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDATA%5b2003%20U.S.%20App.%20LEXIS%2023445%5d%5d%3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_butType=3&_butStat=2&_butNum=3&_butInline=1&_butinfo=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDATA%5b224%20F.%20Supp.%202d%201253%2cat%201263%5d%5d%3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_fmtstr=FULL&docnum=1&_startdoc=1&wchp=dGLbVtz-zSkAA&_md5=9f5f455207db9b2772aade2a200c3195>
at 1263-64. Our jurisdiction is pursuant to
<http://www.lexis.com/research//research/buttonTFLink?_m=f301d9b0bbfb87b562632ca03cc7bc4f&_xfercite=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDATA%5b2003%20U.S.%20App.%20LEXIS%2023445%5d%5d%3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_butType=4&_butStat=0&_butNum=4&_butInline=1&_butinfo=28%20U.S.C.%201291&_fmtstr=FULL&docnum=1&_startdoc=1&wchp=dGLbVtz-zSkAA&_md5=f941391ebedded53bac2138d046ec933>28
U.S.C. ''
1291<http://www.lexis.com/research//research/buttonTFLink?_m=f301d9b0bbfb87b562632ca03cc7bc4f&_xfercite=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDATA%5b2003%20U.S.%20App.%20LEXIS%2023445%5d%5d%3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_butType=4&_butStat=0&_butNum=5&_butInline=1&_butinfo=28%20U.S.C.%201292&_fmtstr=FULL&docnum=1&_startdoc=1&wchp=dGLbVtz-zSkAA&_md5=c3cc63ad063335ed2a971d28c7ed9da4>
and 1292(a). n1 We affirm.
...
Glen Rodman, a sergeant at PBSP in Receiving and Release ("R&R"), explained
that the majority of SHU inmates are involved in gang activity and are
therefore likely to receive contraband in the mail, such as books
containing drugs or encrypted with gang messages. All items received by
PBSP are inspected for contraband and may further be inspected by a
fluoroscope machine. Because such machines cannot detect encrypted
material, the book label requirement is an additional security measure
designed "to help ensure that reading material comes directly from the
vendor, as opposed to passing through an unknown third party." According to
Rodman, "an additional purpose served by the book label requirement is to
reduce the amount of material that is required to be individually screened
by" the three R&R staff members who are responsible for tracking the mail,
searching it for contraband, and delivering approved materials to inmates.
...
We agree with the district court that the evidence submitted by both Ashker
and CDC "refutes any common-sense connection between the book label policy
and PBSP's legitimate goals of ensuring against contraband and providing
prison safety."
<http://www.lexis.com/research//research/buttonTFLink?_m=f301d9b0bbfb87b562632ca03cc7bc4f&_xfercite=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDATA%5b2003%20U.S.%20App.%20LEXIS%2023445%5d%5d%3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_butType=3&_butStat=2&_butNum=39&_butInline=1&_butinfo=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDATA%5b224%20F.%20Supp.%202d%201253%2cat%201260%5d%5d%3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_fmtstr=FULL&docnum=1&_startdoc=1&wchp=dGLbVtz-zSkAA&_md5=fbf61b398bf29bb01fa874f79dc43c16>Ashker<http://www.lexis.com/research//research/buttonTFLink?_m=f301d9b0bbfb87b562632ca03cc7bc4f&_xfercite=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDATA%5b2003%20U.S.%20App.%20LEXIS%2023445%5d%5d%3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_butType=3&_butStat=2&_butNum=39&_butInline=1&_butinfo=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDATA%5b224%20F.%20Supp.%202d%201253%2cat%201260%5d%5d%3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_fmtstr=FULL&docnum=1&_startdoc=1&wchp=dGLbVtz-zSkAA&_md5=fbf61b398bf29bb01fa874f79dc43c16>,
224 F. Supp. 2d at 1260. When the inmate presents such evidence, the state
is required to "'present enough counter-evidence to show that the
connection is not so remote as to render the policy arbitrary or
irrational.'"
<http://www.lexis.com/research//research/buttonTFLink?_m=f301d9b0bbfb87b562632ca03cc7bc4f&_xfercite=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDATA%5b2003%20U.S.%20App.%20LEXIS%2023445%5d%5d%3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_butType=3&_butStat=2&_butNum=40&_butInline=1&_butinfo=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDATA%5b238%20F.3d%201145%2cat%201150%5d%5d%3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_fmtstr=FULL&docnum=1&_startdoc=1&wchp=dGLbVtz-zSkAA&_md5=71700d10b8dea8d7772e45ac0eac0de9>Prison
Legal
News<http://www.lexis.com/research//research/buttonTFLink?_m=f301d9b0bbfb87b562632ca03cc7bc4f&_xfercite=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDATA%5b2003%20U.S.%20App.%20LEXIS%2023445%5d%5d%3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_butType=3&_butStat=2&_butNum=40&_butInline=1&_butinfo=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDATA%5b238%20F.3d%201145%2cat%201150%5d%5d%3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_fmtstr=FULL&docnum=1&_startdoc=1&wchp=dGLbVtz-zSkAA&_md5=71700d10b8dea8d7772e45ac0eac0de9>,
238 F.3d at 1150 (quoting
<http://www.lexis.com/research//research/buttonTFLink?_m=f301d9b0bbfb87b562632ca03cc7bc4f&_xfercite=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDATA%5b2003%20U.S.%20App.%20LEXIS%2023445%5d%5d%3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_butType=3&_butStat=2&_butNum=41&_butInline=1&_butinfo=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDATA%5b197%20F.3d%20348%2cat%20357%5d%5d%3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_fmtstr=FULL&docnum=1&_startdoc=1&wchp=dGLbVtz-zSkAA&_md5=ea87db13e6a4b553082576e69f0ba503>Frost<http://www.lexis.com/research//research/buttonTFLink?_m=f301d9b0bbfb87b562632ca03cc7bc4f&_xfercite=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDATA%5b2003%20U.S.%20App.%20LEXIS%2023445%5d%5d%3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_butType=3&_butStat=2&_butNum=41&_butInline=1&_butinfo=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDATA%5b197%20F.3d%20348%2cat%20357%5d%5d%3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_fmtstr=FULL&docnum=1&_startdoc=1&wchp=dGLbVtz-zSkAA&_md5=ea87db13e6a4b553082576e69f0ba503>,
197 F.3d at 357). CDC has failed to do so.
First, CDC already [*12] requires that books be sent directly from
approved vendors. As the district court reasoned, prison staff can easily
determine whether packages have been sent directly by vendors or have been
sent to a third party first by checking address labels and invoices. See
<http://www.lexis.com/research//research/buttonTFLink?_m=f301d9b0bbfb87b562632ca03cc7bc4f&_xfercite=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDATA%5b2003%20U.S.%20App.%20LEXIS%2023445%5d%5d%3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_butType=3&_butStat=2&_butNum=42&_butInline=1&_butinfo=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDATA%5b224%20F.%20Supp.%202d%201253%2cat%201261%5d%5d%3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_fmtstr=FULL&docnum=1&_startdoc=1&wchp=dGLbVtz-zSkAA&_md5=35729e29db57ecd3370dae43472c8630>Ashker<http://www.lexis.com/research//research/buttonTFLink?_m=f301d9b0bbfb87b562632ca03cc7bc4f&_xfercite=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDATA%5b2003%20U.S.%20App.%20LEXIS%2023445%5d%5d%3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_butType=3&_butStat=2&_butNum=42&_butInline=1&_butinfo=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDATA%5b224%20F.%20Supp.%202d%201253%2cat%201261%5d%5d%3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_fmtstr=FULL&docnum=1&_startdoc=1&wchp=dGLbVtz-zSkAA&_md5=35729e29db57ecd3370dae43472c8630>,
224 F. Supp. 2d at 1261. If the package had been sent to a third party, who
then sent the package to the prisoner, the vendor's address label and
invoice would indicate that fact. Requiring R&R staff to check the address
label seems no more burdensome than requiring them to check for the vendor
label and the vendor stamp in the appropriate box on the label. CDC has
presented no evidence or argument to refute this reasoning.
Second, all personal property received by inmates in the mail is searched
prior to delivery. CDC contends that these searches are not always
effective, pointing out that contraband has been missed due to human error.
However, "CDC [has] articulated no scenario in which the book label policy
provides a measure of security not afforded by these routine and mandatory
searches."
<http://www.lexis.com/research//research/buttonTFLink?_m=f301d9b0bbfb87b562632ca03cc7bc4f&_xfercite=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDATA%5b2003%20U.S.%20App.%20LEXIS%2023445%5d%5d%3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_butType=3&_butStat=2&_butNum=43&_butInline=1&_butinfo=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDATA%5b224%20F.%20Supp.%202d%201253%5d%5d%3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_fmtstr=FULL&docnum=1&_startdoc=1&wchp=dGLbVtz-zSkAA&_md5=90ffc68b59ab8f8e28f4d807625081f0>Id.
CDC further argues that the fluoroscope machine does not detect weapons or
encrypted messages. [*13] That the lack of a book label can act as a sort
of "red flag," alerting prison staff to books sent by non-vendors when
their routine search may have missed this fact may be a legitimate concern,
but it is a concern that is quite lacking in substantial evidentiary
support. The district court pointed out that Sergeant Rodman "provided
absolutely no specific facts regarding the alleged incident" in which drugs
escaped the detection of the fluoroscope machine, id., and, on appeal, CDC
has pointed to no evidence in the record regarding the efficacy of the book
label policy.
Finally, at least with respect to contraband, there is no rational basis
for CDC to impose an approved vendor label requirement on books, but not on
tennis shoes, thermal clothing, or appliances. CDC has made no effort to
explain why books are more susceptible to being used to deliver contraband
than other items. "Common sense would dictate that PBSP's concern would
extend to such items."
<http://www.lexis.com/research//research/buttonTFLink?_m=f301d9b0bbfb87b562632ca03cc7bc4f&_xfercite=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDATA%5b2003%20U.S.%20App.%20LEXIS%2023445%5d%5d%3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_butType=3&_butStat=2&_butNum=44&_butInline=1&_butinfo=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDATA%5b224%20F.%20Supp.%202d%201253%2cat%201262%5d%5d%3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_fmtstr=FULL&docnum=1&_startdoc=1&wchp=dGLbVtz-zSkAA&_md5=1f56c18a11265f9d33f8f1808dfb5974>Id.<http://www.lexis.com/research//research/buttonTFLink?_m=f301d9b0bbfb87b562632ca03cc7bc4f&_xfercite=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDATA%5b2003%20U.S.%20App.%20LEXIS%2023445%5d%5d%3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_butType=3&_butStat=2&_butNum=44&_butInline=1&_butinfo=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDATA%5b224%20F.%20Supp.%202d%201253%2cat%201262%5d%5d%3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_fmtstr=FULL&docnum=1&_startdoc=1&wchp=dGLbVtz-zSkAA&_md5=1f56c18a11265f9d33f8f1808dfb5974>
at 1262. Because the book label policy fails the first Turner factor, we do
not address the other factors. n4
<http://www.lexis.com/research//research/buttonTFLink?_m=f301d9b0bbfb87b562632ca03cc7bc4f&_xfercite=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDATA%5b2003%20U.S.%20App.%20LEXIS%2023445%5d%5d%3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_butType=3&_butStat=2&_butNum=45&_butInline=1&_butinfo=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDATA%5b261%20F.3d%20896%2cat%20901%5d%5d%3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_fmtstr=FULL&docnum=1&_startdoc=1&wchp=dGLbVtz-zSkAA&_md5=9d2055e9ce7792e2c9e106e7e7d92dd1>Morrison<http://www.lexis.com/research//research/buttonTFLink?_m=f301d9b0bbfb87b562632ca03cc7bc4f&_xfercite=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDATA%5b2003%20U.S.%20App.%20LEXIS%2023445%5d%5d%3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_butType=3&_butStat=2&_butNum=45&_butInline=1&_butinfo=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDATA%5b261%20F.3d%20896%2cat%20901%5d%5d%3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_fmtstr=FULL&docnum=1&_startdoc=1&wchp=dGLbVtz-zSkAA&_md5=9d2055e9ce7792e2c9e106e7e7d92dd1>,
261 F.3d at 901.
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