The Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court on Monday dismissed a lawsuit brought by a former inmate of the State Correctional Institution in Huntingdon, who complained that he was twice attacked by officers during his short stay there.

The inmate, Anthony James Rainey, 37, of Lancaster, is presently incarcerated in the State Correctional Institution Waymart, Wayne County, where he was moved following at least two incidents that occurred in 2022 while he was at SCI Huntingdon.

In August 2024, he filed a civil rights complaint against John Rivello, the Superintendent of SCI Huntingdon, as well as five security personnel and two other employees.

His complaint was dismissed by Huntingdon County Judge George N. Zanic.

Rainey filed an appeal with the Pennsylvania Superior Court, but the Superior Court in January 2025 transferred the case to the Commonwealth Court, which has the task of hearing cases that involve local and state government.

The lawsuit filed by Rainey reported that between January and May 2022, he was being held in SCI Huntingdon’s restricted housing unit.

He contended that employees at Huntingdon subjected him “to constitutional violations, improper treatment and abuse, which resulted in severe harm and immeasurable mental anguish.”

His focus was on two incidents that occurred in May 2022.

The Commonwealth Court judges reviewing the Rainey case — Lori A. Dumas, Stacy Wallace and Bonnie Brigance Leadbetter — reported that the first incident occurred when Rainey refused an order to “cuff up.”

It is alleged the security team placed Rainey in a cage where he was struck by a “riot shield,” pinned to the floor and was kicked twice in the head.

The second incident stemmed from his refusal to stop banging on his cell door.

The security team used pepper spray and removed him from his cell.

He claimed the spray caused him to have a seizure. The riot shield was once again employed to strike him, which, he charged, caused him to drift in and out of consciousness.

It was after this incident that he was transferred to SCI Waymart.

Zanick dismissed the Rainey lawsuit, contending that it was “frivolous,” meaning it had no basis in the law.

The Commonwealth Court Judges summed up Rainey’s appeal by explaining he was contending the Huntingdon judge “erred or abused its discretion by refusing to entertain his federal claims challenging the conditions of his confinement.”

The opinion by the panel then explained further that the Commonwealth Court considers claims brought under the Federal Civil Rights Act as personal injury actions under Pennsylvania law.

Personal injury actions are subject to the state’s two-year statute of limitations.

The Commonwealth Court panel noted that Zanick also ruled the Rainey lawsuit breached the two-year statute of limitations as well.

The May 2022 incidents, which were the focus of the Rainey lawsuit, occurred more than two years before the filing of his lawsuit.

“Under Pennsylvania Law, his untimely complaint was frivolous, as it lacked arguable basis of law or in fact,” the opinion, written by Dumas, concluded.