Sama v. Hannigan

Carrie Sama (plaintiff), a state prison inmate, was treated for cervical cancer by prison-contracted physicians (defendants), including Dr. Hannigan, who agreed she needed a radical hysterectomy; Sama asked them to try to save her remaining ovary if possible, and they told her beforehand the odds were low but the decision would be made during surgery, when they in fact found the ovary 'grossly abnormal' and removed it. Sama sued the physicians under § 1983 for removing the ovary without consent; the physicians raised qualified immunity, the district court granted summary judgment in their favor, and Sama appealed.