Civil Rights : Inmate Rape –  Failure To Protect –  Cross Examination

Where an inmate, who was raped by a new cellmate, sued two corrections officers claiming they failed to protect him, the judgment for the defendants is affirmed because the district court did not abuse its discretion in limiting the defendant’s cross examination of an officer about a disciplinary incident that allegedly reflected on the officer’s character since the probative value was low and the proposed cross examination could have resulted in a “mini-trial on a peripherally related matter.”

Judgment is affirmed.

Walker v. Kane (MLW No. 71471/Case No. 17-1345 – 13 pages) (U.S. Court of Appeals, 8^th Circuit, Benton, J.) Appealed from U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri, Perry, J. (Barbara A. Smith, St Louis, argued for appellant) (Julie Marie Blake, Jefferson City, argued for appellee; Katherine S. Walsh appeared on the brief).

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