No. 24-837

Anne Francisco, et al. v. Jason England, et al.

Lower Court: Eighth Circuit
Docketed: 2025-02-05
Status: Denied
Type: Paid
Response Waived
Tags: corrections-staff deliberate-indifference eighth-amendment mental-health qualified-immunity suicide-watch
Key Terms:
SocialSecurity Punishment
Latest Conference: 2025-03-07
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether evidence of violations of suicide intervention procedures constitutes deliberate indifference under the Eighth Amendment for denying prompt mental health care to a suicidal prisoner

Question Presented (OCR Extract)

The Eighth Amendment prohibits prison guards from intentionally denying or delaying access to medical care. Respondents failed to immediately start suicide watch when they were informed Joshua Francisco was suicidal by other inmates, they observed he was crying and upset, and knew he had previously been on suicide watch, and disciplinary segregation was imposed for his refusal to go to a special mental health unit. The questions presented, upon which the circuits are deeply divided: 1. Whether evidence that corrections staff were found in violation of written prison suicide intervention procedures requiring them to immediately start suicide watch when they knew the inmate was a serious suicide risk is proof of deliberate indifference in an Eighth Amendment claim for intentionally denying prompt mental health care? 2. What evidence of deliberate indifference is sufficient to defeat qualified immunity for corrections staff at the summary judgment stage in an Eighth Amendment claim for intentionally denying prompt mental health care for a suicidal prisoner?

Docket Entries

2025-03-10
Petition DENIED.
2025-02-19
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 3/7/2025.
2025-02-13
Waiver of Jason England, et al. of right to respond submitted.
2025-02-13
Waiver of right of respondent Jason England, et al. to respond filed.
2024-11-29
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due March 7, 2025)

Attorneys

Anne Francisco, et al.
James E. Parrot — Petitioner
James E. Parrot — Petitioner
Jason England, et al.
Joshua Michael DivineOffice of the Missouri Attorney General, Respondent
Joshua Michael DivineOffice of the Missouri Attorney General, Respondent