This case concerns the civil liberties of Henry Lee Underwood, a black prisoner at Folsom Sate Prison, who, in in 1978, underwent a disciplinary hearing over the course of which he "was charged with having written a threatening letter to an official of th California Community Release Board." Joe Campoy is the Associate Warden of Custody at Folsom and was a member of the disciplinary committee which heard Underwood's case. The lawsuit was brought against him and several others employed by Folsom Prison in a supervisory capacity. During the hearing, Underwood pled "not guilty" and alleged that he was denied the opportunity to "present exculpatory evidence." He also admitted to writing the letter, but endied any "violent physical or forceful intentions." He was found guilty by the committee and "received ten days isolation from the disciplinary committee." However, "...approximately twenty-four hours later he appeared before the Institutional Classification Committee and was given an additional nine months of segregation as a result of the findings of the disciplinary committee." He sought "declaratory relief as well as seeking $100,000 compensatory damages and $150,000 punitive damages from the defendants." The evidence that Underwood wished to present was a letter from Congressman Ron Dellums offering advice and sympathy. The Ninth Circuit court, in 1981, "vacated this court's earlier judgement dismissing plaintiff's action" and ordered the court to consider the Dellums letter and "determine the value of his first amendment claims."