Devlin v. Commonwealth (Lawyers Weekly No. 11-053-13)
NOTICE: All slip opinions and orders are subject to formal revision and are superseded by the advance sheets and bound volumes of the Official Reports. If you find a typographical error or other formal error, please notify the Reporter of Decisions, Supreme Judicial Court, John Adams Courthouse, 1 Pemberton Square, Suite 2500, Boston, MA 02108-1750; (617) 557-1030; SJCReporter@sjc.state.ma.us 12‑P‑401 Appeals Court PATRICK J. DEVLIN vs. COMMONWEALTH. No. 12‑P‑401. Suffolk. October 11, 2012. ‑ April 24, 2013. Present: Kantrowitz, Sikora, & Rubin, JJ. Massachusetts Tort Claims Act. Governmental Immunity. Commonwealth, Liability for tort. Negligence, Governmental immunity, Correctional facility. Incompetent Person, Commitment. Civil action commenced in the Superior Court Department on November 12, 1998. The case was tried before Christopher J. Muse, J., and a motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict or for a new trial, as well as a motion for remittitur, were considered by him. Brian P. Mansfield for the Commonwealth. Joshua M.D. Segal for the plaintiff. RUBIN, J. The following facts are taken from the undisputed testimony at the trial in the Superior Court. The plaintiff, Patrick J. Devlin, was on November 1, 1995, civilly committed to Bridgewater State Hospital under G. L. c. 123, § 35, on the petition of his wife, who feared he was a danger to himself because of his alcoholism. Devlin was housed and treated with other civilly committed individuals in the Massachusetts addiction center, which was part of the Southeastern Correctional Center in Bridgewater. In addition to civilly committed individuals, present at the addiction center were guards and members of the inner perimeter security (IPS) unit. There were also “trustees,” criminal convicts who worked in the civil commitment area doing laundry, sweeping, and other janitorial chores. On Thanksgiving afternoon, November 23, 1995, Devlin sought to make a telephone call to his wife to let her know that he was not angry at her for having him civilly committed. It was after lunch and, while most of the other civilly committed individuals were watching football on television, Devlin was on his bunk in the room in which he slept. Those seeking to make a telephone call were required to place their nametags on a post near a telephone about forty-five feet from Devlin’s bunk. The nametags formed a list and when someone’s tag was first on the list, it would be that individual’s turn to place a call. It being Thanksgiving, everyone sought to make a telephone call, and Devlin’s tag was the last one. After one of the other civilly committed inmates came in and told Devlin it was his turn, he left his bunk and approached the telephone. When […]