PS5-133 NOT PRECEDENTIAL
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE THIRD CIRCUIT
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No. 09-2484
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JOSEPH ARUANNO,
Appellant
v.
Officer ANDREW BOOKER; D.O.C. Administrator PAUL LAGANA;
GEORGE HAYMAN; SID Investigator CAPRICE CHAVERS;
DHS Director MERRILL MAIN; DHS Commissioner, KEVIN RYAN
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On Appeal from the United States District Court
for the District of New Jersey
(D.N.J. Civil No. 08-cv-00305)
District Judge: Honorable Jose Linares
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Submitted Pursuant to Third Circuit LAR 34.1
June 2, 2010
Before: SMITH, FISHER and GARTH, Circuit Judges.
(Filed:June 10, 2010 )
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OPINION
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PER CURIAM
Joseph Aruanno, proceeding pro se, appeals an order of the United States District
Court for the District of New Jersey granting motions to dismiss his civil rights action.
We will affirm the District Court’s order.
Aruanno, who was civilly committed to the Special Treatment Unit in Kearny,
New Jersey pursuant to the New Jersey Sexually Violent Predator Act, N.J. Stat. Ann.
§ 30:4-27.24 et seq., filed a complaint in District Court against various employees of the
New Jersey Department of Human Services (“DHS”) and the New Jersey Department of
Corrections (“DOC”). Aruanno alleged that he had met with DOC Administrator Paul
Lagana in November 2006 regarding some stolen property. He stated that he and Lagana
also discussed a criminal complaint Aruanno had submitted against Corrections Officer
Booker.
Aruanno further alleged that the next day Officer Booker sexually assaulted him in
his room and threatened to kill him if he told what had happened. Aruanno averred that
he reported the assault, that he was placed in lock-up for three months, and that he was
harmed on a daily basis. Aruanno stated that he spoke with Investigator Chavers of the
DOC’s Special Investigation Division but Chavers told him she would not pursue his
complaint because he did not have any witnesses. Aruanno averred that he had witnesses
but he wanted Chavers to assure their safety before he revealed their names. Aruanno
further alleged that the Special Investigation Division’s refusal to act encouraged Officer
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Booker and others to continue to harm him until December 2007, when Officer Booker
was fired for sexually harassing the staff.
Aruanno claimed Lagana failed to properly supervise and instruct the staff, DOC
Commissioner George Hayman failed to properly train and supervise the other
defendants, and DHS Commissioner Kevin Ryan and DHS Director Merrill Main allowed
the DOC to commit these “atrocities.” Aruanno sought damages, declaratory relief, and
an order of protection from further retaliation.
The District Court granted motions to dismiss the complaint for failure to state a
claim upon which relief could be granted, which were filed by the DHS and DOC
defendants, with the exception of Officer Booker. The District Court afforded Aruanno
the opportunity to file an amended complaint. Aruanno filed a document titled
“Amended Complaint” in which he attempted to address the deficiencies in the original
complaint that the District Court had noted in its decision. Concluding Aruanno had not
cured those deficiencies, the District Court granted motions to dismiss the amended
complaint filed by the DHS and DOC defendants, again with the exception of Officer
Booker. This appeal followed.
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We have jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1291.1 Our review of a grant of a
motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim upon which relief may be granted is plenary.
Monroe v. Beard, 536 F.3d 198, 205 (3d Cir. 2008).
We find no error in the District Court’s decision. As explained by the District
Court, Aruanno did not state a claim for relief against DOC defendants Lagana and
Hayman because they were not personally involved in the harm he allegedly suffered.
See Rode v. Dellarciprete, 845 F.2d 1195, 1207 (3d Cir. 1988) (holding liability under
§ 1983 may not be based on a theory of respondeat superior). Aruanno also did not state
a claim for relief based on an alleged failure to train and supervise because he did not
aver facts supporting the conclusion that either Lagana or Hayman was deliberately
indifferent to a risk of harm. See Gilles v. Davis, 427 F.3d 197, 207 n.7 (3d Cir. 2005)
(noting deliberate indifference requirement for failure-to-train claim). For the same
reason, Aruanno did not state a failure-to-protect claim against DHS defendants Main and
Ryan. See Hamilton v. Leavy, 117 F.3d 742, 746 (3dCir. 1997) (setting forth elements of
Eighth Amendment failure-to-protect claim).2 As noted by the District Court, Aruanno’s
1
At least with respect to his damages claim, Aruanno’s appeal was prematurely
filed because the District Court had yet to adjudicate Aruanno’s claims against Officer
Booker. Saber v. FinanceAmerica Credit Corp., 843 F.2d 697, 701-02 (3d Cir. 1988).
The District Court has since adjudicated those claims and a final order has been entered.
As such, we have jurisdiction to entertain the present appeal. Cape May Greene, Inc. v.
Warren, 698 F.2d 179, 184-85 (3d Cir. 1983).
2
To the extent Aruanno’s claim is grounded in the Fourteenth Amendment, see
Youngberg v. Romeo, 457 U.S. 307, 315-16 (1982), Aruanno has not alleged facts
supporting the conclusion that the conduct of Main and Ryan “shocked the conscience.”
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complaint and amended complaint against the DOC and DHS defendants contain
conclusory allegations without supporting facts. The District Court also properly
dismissed Aruanno’s claim of a conspiracy by Chavers, which was also unsupported by
any factual allegations.
Aruanno also appeals the District Court’s denial of his motion to disqualify the
Attorney General from representing Officer Booker, motion for appointment of counsel,
and request for injunctive relief. For the reasons stated by the District Court, these
motions were properly denied.
Accordingly, we will affirm the District Court’s order.
See Nicini v. Morra, 212 F.3d 798, 810 (3d Cir. 2000).
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