Joseph A. Cognato v. Dr. P. J. Ciccone, Director, United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners, Springfield, Missouri

Joseph Cognato, age 29, a federal prisoner, who is paralyzed from the waist down as a result of a gunshot wound, seeks habeas corpus relief against Dr. P. J. Ciccone, director of the United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners, Springfield, Missouri. Cognato, presently confined at the Medical Center claims that he is being deprived of proper medical treatment by being denied the medication “Talwin” to relieve his pain. The district court considered the petition as one alleging that prison authorities were subjecting Cognato to cruel and unusual treatment by failing to provide adequate…