Boyer v. Williams

District Court, D. Nevada·Decided April 23, 2021·No. 2:20-cv-02269·Unknown

Opinion

DONALD BOYER, Case No.: 2:20-cv-02269-APG-VCF

Plaintiff Order

v.

BRIAN E. WILLIAMS, SR., et al.,

Defendants

Plaintiff Donald Boyer is in the custody of the Nevada Department of Corrections (NDOC). He has filed an amended civil rights complaint under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. ECF No. 9. I now screen Boyer’s First Amended Complaint (FAC). Federal courts must conduct a preliminary screening in any case in which an incarcerated person seeks redress from a governmental entity or officer or employee of a governmental entity. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(a). In its review, the court must identify any cognizable claims and dismiss any claims that are frivolous, malicious, fail to state a claim upon which relief may be granted, or seek monetary relief from a defendant who is immune from such relief. See id. § 1915A(b)(1), (2). Pro se pleadings, however, must be liberally construed. Balistreri v. Pacifica Police Dep’t, 901 F.2d 696, 699 (9th Cir. 1990). To state a claim under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, a plaintiff must allege two essential elements: (1) the violation of a right secured by the Constitution or laws of the United States, and (2) that the alleged violation was committed by a person acting under color of state law. See West v. Atkins, 487 U.S. 42, 48 (1988). In addition to the screening requirements under § 1915A, the Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA) requires a federal court to dismiss an incarcerated person’s claim if “the allegation of poverty is untrue” or if the action “is frivolous or malicious, fails to state a claim on which relief may be granted, or seeks monetary relief against a defendant who is immune from such

relief.” 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2). Dismissal of a complaint for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted is provided for in Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6), and the court applies the same standard under § 1915 when reviewing the adequacy of a complaint or an amended complaint. When a court dismisses a complaint under § 1915(e), the plaintiff should be given leave to amend the complaint with directions as to curing its deficiencies, unless it is clear from the face of the complaint that the deficiencies could not be cured by amendment. See Cato v. United States, 70 F.3d 1103, 1106 (9th Cir. 1995). Review under Rule 12(b)(6) is essentially a ruling on a question of law. See Chappel v. Lab. Corp. of Am., 232 F.3d 719, 723 (9th Cir. 2000). Dismissal for failure to state a claim is proper only if it is clear that the plaintiff cannot prove any set of facts in support of the claim that

would entitle him or her to relief. See Morley v. Walker, 175 F.3d 756, 759 (9th Cir. 1999). In making this determination, the court takes as true all allegations of material fact stated in the complaint, and the court construes them in the light most favorable to the plaintiff. See Warshaw v. Xoma Corp., 74 F.3d 955, 957 (9th Cir. 1996). Allegations of a pro se complainant are held to less stringent standards than formal pleadings drafted by lawyers. See Hughes v. Rowe, 449 U.S. 5, 9 (1980). While the standard under Rule 12(b)(6) does not require detailed factual allegations, a plaintiff must provide more than mere labels and conclusions. Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 555 (2007). A formulaic recitation of the elements of a cause of action is insufficient. Id. A reviewing court should “begin by identifying pleadings [allegations] that, because they are no more than mere conclusions, are not entitled to the assumption of truth.” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 679 (2009). “While legal conclusions can provide the framework of a complaint, they must be supported with factual allegations.” Id. “When there are well-pleaded factual

allegations, a court should assume their veracity and then determine whether they plausibly give rise to an entitlement to relief.” Id. “Determining whether a complaint states a plausible claim for relief . . . [is] a context-specific task that requires the reviewing court to draw on its judicial experience and common sense.” Id. Finally, all or part of a complaint filed by an incarcerated person may therefore be dismissed sua sponte if that person’s claims lack an arguable basis either in law or in fact. This includes claims based on legal conclusions that are untenable (e.g., claims against defendants who are immune from suit or claims of infringement of a legal interest which clearly does not exist), as well as claims based on fanciful factual allegations (e.g., fantastic or delusional scenarios). See Neitzke v. Williams, 490 U.S. 319, 327-28 (1989); see also McKeever v. Block,

932 F.2d 795, 798 (9th Cir. 1991). Boyer brings three claims against multiple defendants for events that allegedly took place while he was incarcerated at High Desert State Prison (HDSP). ECF No. 9 at 1. He sues the State of Nevada,1 Brian E. Williams, Sr., Calvin Johnson, Ennis-Wright, Prentice, Dr. Garafulo, Christy Rodriguez, Cal Johnson, G. Piccinini, Darla Foyle, and S. Moyle. Id. Claim 1

1 I dismiss with prejudice all claims against the State of Nevada as amendment would be futile. See Will v. Michigan Dep’t of State Police, 491 U.S. 58, 65 (1989) (holding that states are not persons subject to suit for purposes of § 1983). In Boyer’s original complaint, he alleged he was denied his Fourteenth Amendment right to due process in connection with his denial of parole. ECF No. 1 at 6-9. I dismissed that claim with prejudice. ECF No. 6 at 4. I explained2 that allegations that a defendant violated state or local law, procedures, and regulations are not sufficient to state a claim for violation of the

Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process Clause. Swarthout v. Cooke, 562 U.S. 216, 222 (2011). I further explained that, in order to state a Fourteenth Amendment due process claim, Boyer must adequately allege that he was denied a specified liberty interest and that he was deprived of that liberty interest without the constitutionally required procedures. Id. at 219. When there is such a liberty interest or property interest, the only other issue is whether the plaintiff was deprived of that interest without the constitutionally required procedures. Id. I informed3 Boyer that in Nevada state prisoners do not have a liberty interest in parole or parole eligibility. See Moor v. Palmer, 603 F.3d 658, 661-62 (9th Cir. 2010); Fernandez v. Nevada, No. 3:06-CV-00628-LRH- RAM, 2009 WL 700662, at *10 (D. Nev. Mar. 13, 2009); see also Nev. Rev. Stat. § 213.10705 (stating that “[t]he Legislature finds and declares that the release or continuation of a person on

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