Chappell v. Univ TX Med Branch
Chappell v. Univ TX Med Branch
Opinion
IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
No. 02-40447 Summary Calendar
ANTWONE CHAPPELL,
Plaintiff-Appellant,
versus
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MEDICAL BRANCH; UNITED STATES FEDERAL BUREAU OF PRISONS,
Defendants-Appellees.
-------------------- Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas USDC No. 1:01-CV-598 -------------------- January 17, 2003
Before HIGGINBOTHAM, SMITH, and CLEMENT, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM:*
Antwone Chappell, federal prisoner # 78681-080, appeals the
district court’s dismissal of his
42 U.S.C. § 1983action as
frivolous and for failure to state a claim. Chappell argues that
his Eighth Amendment rights were violated when he mistakenly was
given an injection intended for another patient with a similar
name (Chappelle). The responses to Chappell’s administrative
remedies indicate that the prison acknowledged the mistake but
* Pursuant to 5TH CIR. R. 47.5, the court has determined that this opinion should not be published and is not precedent except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH CIR. R. 47.5.4. No. 02-40447 -2-
determined that it was a tuberculosis skin test that was
administered to Chappell and that he was required to have one of
these tests annually. Chappell argues that the injection was not
a tuberculosis test, and he contends for the first time on appeal
that the injection altered his blood pressure so that he now is
required to take blood pressure medication. Paradoxically, he
also contends that administration of the skin test may have
increased his risk for developing tuberculosis, alleging a recent
spread of the disease in prison. Because Chappell did not raise
the arguments regarding his blood pressure or the spread of
tuberculosis before the district court, we will not address these
issues for the first time on appeal. See Leverette v. Louisville
Ladder Co.,
183 F.3d 339, 342(5th Cir. 1999).
Chappell does not argue that the injection was administered
with the knowledge that he was not the inmate who was supposed to
receive it. Rather, he contends that the nurse’s failure to
request his identification card prior to administering the
injection violated inmate accountability policies and indicated
the need for further training of medical personnel. Given the
absence of intentional conduct or specific factual allegations
showing a pattern of similar conduct, Chappell has not
established deliberate indifference under the Eighth Amendment.
See Farmer v. Brennan,
511 U.S. 825, 839-41, 847(1994); Thompson
v. Upshur County, Texas,
245 F.3d 447, 459 (5th Cir. 2001);
Varnado v. Lynaugh,
920 F.2d 320, 321(5th Cir. 1991).
Accordingly, the judgment of the district court is AFFIRMED.
Reference
- Status
- Unpublished