Jones v. TDCJ

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The Fifth Circuit vacated the magistrate judge's denial of a preliminary injunction after plaintiff filed suit alleging that prison officials exhibited deliberate indifference to his serious medical needs in violation of the Eighth Amendment. Plaintiff, a diabetic, specifically alleged that prison officials cancelled his prescribed diet on multiple occasions, forcing him to consume high-sugar meals up to four times a day, contrary to the orders of his unit physician. Construing plaintiff's pro se pleadings liberally, the court held that plaintiff had alleged a pattern of knowing interferences with prescribed medical care for his diabetes, despite his multiple complaints and his official grievance, which were all essentially ignored. Such allegations were sufficient to state a claim for deliberate indifference and thus plaintiff had shown a sufficient likelihood of success on the merits of his preliminary injunction. Plaintiff also alleged a substantial threat of irreparable injury. Finally, the magistrate judge's conclusion that it was improbable that plaintiff could establish that the grant of an injunction would not disserve the public interest was without basis in the record. Accordingly, the court remanded for further proceedings. View "Jones v. TDCJ" on Justia Law