Noble

Adams and Cuevas are prison officials responsible for a post-riot lockdown of Corcoran State Prison in California. They appeal the district court’s denial of then-assertion of qualified immunity against inmate Noble’s claim that the lockdown resulted in a denial of his Eighth Amendment right to outdoor exercise. We have jurisdiction over this timely appeal, and we reverse and remand with instructions to enter judgment in favor of the officials.

Background

During 2002, Noble was a prisoner in the Substance Abuse Treatment Center (“SATF”) at Corcoran State Prison. He is an African-American who was also a “former” street gang member from Los Angeles — a “Crip.” Noble was classified as a “Level IV” inmate, the highest level of custody, and he was housed in Facility C.

Because of a particularly violent armed riot on Facility C’s exercise yard by African-American prisoners against staff on January 09, 2002, described by the Facility Captain of SATF as the most violent and savage attack he had observed in 20 years, Warden D.G. Adams of the SATF formally declared a state of emergency (approved by the Director of Corrections) and imposed a “lockdown” on the entire prison. The…