Bailey v. Einerson

CourtDistrict Court, D. Alaska
DecidedNovember 18, 2024
Docket3:24-cv-00027
StatusUnknown

This text of Bailey v. Einerson (Bailey v. Einerson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Alaska primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

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Bailey v. Einerson, (D. Alaska 2024).

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF ALASKA

PHILLIP JACKSON BAILEY, Plaintiff, Case No. 3:24-cv-00027-SLG v. CAROL LYNNIE EINERSON, et al., Defendants.

SCREENING ORDER On January 23, 2024, self-represented prisoner Phillip Jackson Bailey (“Plaintiff”) filed a civil complaint against employees of the Alaska Department of Corrections (“DOC”) alleging violations of his due process and equal protection rights under the Fourteenth Amendment.1 After the Court notified Plaintiff that his

filing was deficient, Plaintiff filed an application to proceed without prepaying the filing fee on July 9, 2024.2 The Court has now screened Plaintiff’s Complaint in accordance with 28 U.S.C. §§ 1915(e) and 1915A. As explained further below, the Complaint is DISMISSED for failure to comply with Rule 8 of the Federal Rules of Civil

Procedure and failure to state a claim upon which relief could be granted. However,

1 Docket 1. 2 Dockets 2, 4. Plaintiff is accorded 60 days to file an amended complaint in accordance with the guidance herein. SCREENING STANDARD

Under the Prison Litigation Reform Act, the Court is required to screen complaints brought by prisoners seeking relief against a governmental entity or officer or employee of a governmental entity.3 In this screening, a court shall dismiss the case at any time if the court determines that the action: (i) is frivolous or malicious;

(ii) fails to state a claim on which relief may be granted; or (iii) seeks monetary relief against a defendant who is immune from such relief.4

In conducting its screening review, a federal court must liberally construe a self-represented plaintiff’s pleading and give the plaintiff the benefit of the doubt.5 Although the scope of review generally is limited to the contents of the complaint, a court may also consider documents attached to the complaint, documents incorporated by reference in the complaint, or matters of judicial notice.6 Such

3 28 U.S.C. §§ 1915, 1915A. 4 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B). 5 See Hebbe v. Pliler, 627 F.3d 338, 342 (9th Cir. 2010) (citing Bretz v. Kelman, 773 F.2d 1026, 1027 n.1 (9th Cir. 1985) (en banc)). 6 United States v. Ritchie, 342 F.3d 903, 908 (9th Cir. 2003). Case No. 3:24-cv-00027-SLG, Bailey v. Einerson, et al. documents that contradict the allegations of a complaint may fatally undermine the complaint's allegations.7 Before a court may dismiss any portion of a complaint, a court must provide

a plaintiff with a statement of the deficiencies in the complaint and an opportunity to amend or otherwise address the problems, unless to do so would be futile.8 Futility exists when “the allegation of other facts consistent with the challenged pleading could not possibly cure the deficiency.”9 DISCUSSION

Plaintiff claims that on or about August 24, 2023, he received mail containing sexually explicit material.10 He believes Defendants allowed the “contraband” into the facility to implicate Plaintiff in a crime and violate his rights.11 He also claims he was threatened for reporting the incident.12 Plaintiff claims Defendants violated his due process and equal protection rights and implicates the Prison Rape

7 Sprewell v. Golden State Warriors, 266 F.3d 979, 988 (9th Cir. 2001), amended by 275 F.3d 1187 (2001) (noting that a plaintiff can “plead himself out of a claim by including ... details contrary to his claims”). 8 See Gordon v. City of Oakland, 627 F.3d 1092, 1094 (9th Cir. 2010) (citing Albrecht v. Lund, 845 F.2d 193, 195 (9th Cir. 1988)). 9 See Schreiber Distributing Co. v. Serv-Well Furniture Co., 806 F.2d 1393, 1401 (9th Cir. 1986). 10 Docket 1 at 4. 11 Docket 1 at 4. 12 Docket 1 at 5. Case No. 3:24-cv-00027-SLG, Bailey v. Einerson, et al. Elimination Act (PREA). For relief, Plaintiff wants his record to show he did not bring the contraband into the facility, nor was he aware it was being sent to him. He also wants the Facility Administration to be held accountable for distributing the

mail to him.13 However, the Court is unable to identify a plausible injury that affected Plaintiff personally, and the DOC records Plaintiff filed with his Complaint undermine his allegations. Although Plaintiff requests DOC records be updated, they already support his statement that was not responsible for bringing the illicit

material into the prison.14 Rather, according to the Property Seizure Report dated 8/24/2023, Plaintiff “voluntarily turned in a letter… that should have never made it through the screening process for distribution.”15 The report goes on to thank Plaintiff for notifying DOC staff and promptly returning the illicit material.16 Similarly, the Incident Report Form dated 8/24/2024, summarizing the alleged events and

Plaintff’s concerns, is labeled as informational and does not include any disciplinary actions. Plaintiff also filed three Request for Interview forms—none of which describe any discipline or deprivation imposed after Plaintiff turned in the

13 Docket 1 at 5. 14 Docket 1-1. 15 Docket 1-1 at 2. 16 Docket 1-1 at 2. Case No. 3:24-cv-00027-SLG, Bailey v. Einerson, et al. mail.17 There does not appear to be any information in Plaintiff’s DOC records implicating him in any criminal acts or violations of prison policies, and therefore, there is nothing to update or correct. Additionally, it is unclear what it is Plaintiff

wants Defendants to be “accountable” for when he has not pleaded sufficient facts to establish standing or support a claim for which relief could be granted. I. Standing “[F]ederal courts are courts of limited jurisdiction” and “may not exercise jurisdiction absent a statutory basis.”18 A party asserting that a federal court has

jurisdiction over an action bears the burden of establishing it.19 A party invoking federal jurisdiction must also satisfy the threshold requirement of showing an actual case or controversy under Article III of the U.S. Constitution.20 Federal courts enforce this jurisdictional limitation through the doctrine of standing.21 To establish standing, a plaintiff “must demonstrate that he has suffered an

injury-in-fact, that the injury is traceable to the [defendant's] actions, and that the injury can be redressed by a favorable decision.”22 An injury-in-fact is “an invasion

17 Docket 1-1 at 4-6. 18 Home Depot U.S.A., Inc. v. Jackson, 139 S. Ct. 1743, 1746 (2019). 19 Hertz Corp. v. Friend, 559 U.S. 77, 96 (2010). 20 Los Angeles v. Lyons, 461 U.S. 95 (1983). 21 See DaimlerChrysler Corp. v. Cuno, 547 U.S. 332, 340–42 (2006). 22 Chapman v. Pier 1 Imports (U.S.) Inc., 631 F.3d 939, 946 (9th Cir. 2011) (en banc) (citing Fortyune v. Am. Multi-Cinema, Inc., 364 F.3d 1075, 1081 (9th Cir. 2004)). Case No. 3:24-cv-00027-SLG, Bailey v. Einerson, et al. of a legally protected interest which is (a) concrete and particularized, and (b) ‘actual or imminent’ not ‘conjectural’ or ‘hypothetical.’ ”23 A “particularized” injury is one that “ ‘affect[s] the plaintiff in a personal and individual way.’ ”24 A “concrete”

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