Richard Johnston v. Karen Gedney ( 2021 )


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  •                            NOT FOR PUBLICATION                           FILED
    UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS                        APR 27 2021
    MOLLY C. DWYER, CLERK
    U.S. COURT OF APPEALS
    FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT
    RICHARD JOHNSTON,                               No. 19-17560
    Plaintiff-Appellant,            D.C. No. 3:16-cv-00754-MMD-
    WGC
    v.
    KAREN GEDNEY; ROMEO ARANAS,                     MEMORANDUM*
    Defendants-Appellees.
    Appeal from the United States District Court
    for the District of Nevada
    Miranda M. Du, District Judge, Presiding
    Submitted April 20, 2021**
    Before: THOMAS, Chief Judge, TASHIMA and SILVERMAN, Circuit Judges.
    Nevada state prisoner Richard Johnston appeals pro se from the district
    court’s summary judgment in his 
    42 U.S.C. § 1983
     action alleging deliberate
    indifference to his serious medical needs. We have jurisdiction under 
    28 U.S.C. § 1291
    . We review de novo the district court’s decision on cross-motions for
    *
    This disposition is not appropriate for publication and is not precedent
    except as provided by Ninth Circuit Rule 36-3.
    **
    The panel unanimously concludes this case is suitable for decision
    without oral argument. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(a)(2).
    summary judgment. JL Beverage Co., LLC v. Jim Beam Brands Co., 
    828 F.3d 1098
    , 1104 (9th Cir. 2016). We affirm.
    The district court properly granted summary judgment for defendants
    because Johnston failed to raise a genuine dispute of material fact as to whether
    defendants were deliberately indifferent to Johnston’s chronic back pain. See Starr
    v. Baca, 
    652 F.3d 1202
    , 1207 (9th Cir. 2011) (setting forth requirements for
    supervisory liability under § 1983); Toguchi v. Chung, 
    391 F.3d 1051
    , 1060-61
    (9th Cir. 2004) (deliberate indifference is a high legal standard requiring a
    defendant be aware of and disregard an excessive risk to an inmate’s health).
    The district court did not abuse its discretion by denying Johnston’s requests
    to stay discovery because Johnston failed to adhere to the district court’s local rules
    and did not diligently pursue discovery prior to requesting a stay. See Bias v.
    Moynihan, 
    508 F.3d 1212
    , 1223 (9th Cir. 2007) (standard of review for discovery
    rulings and district court’s compliance with its local rules); Cornwell v. Electra
    Cent. Credit Union, 
    439 F.3d 1018
    , 1026-27 (9th Cir. 2006) (district court was
    within its discretion to deny discovery motion, where the movant’s prior discovery
    efforts were not diligent).
    We do not consider matters not specifically and distinctly raised and argued
    in the opening brief. See Padgett v. Wright, 
    587 F.3d 983
    , 985 n.2 (9th Cir. 2009).
    2                                     19-17560
    All pending motions are denied.
    AFFIRMED.
    3   19-17560