Joseph v. U.S. Public Defenders Office

District Court, D. New Mexico·Decided October 6, 2021·No. 1:21-cv-00837·Unknown

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF NEW MEXICO

STAR JOSEPH,

Plaintiff,

vs. No. 1:21-cv-00837-KWR-LF

U.S. PUBLIC DEFENDERS OFFICE, AMANDA SKINNER, personally,

Defendants.

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

THIS MATTER is before the Court under 28 U.S.C. §§1915A and 1915(e)(2)(B) and Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6) on the Civil Complaint filed by Plaintiff Star Joseph. (Doc. 1). The Court will dismiss the Civil Complaint for failure to state a claim, for lack of standing, and as frivolous and malicious, will impose a “strike” under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g), and will enter final judgment. I. Procedural and Factual Background Plaintiff Star Joseph is a federal pretrial detainee at the Cibola County Correctional Center. (Doc. 1 at 5). This is one of a number of civil cases filed by Plaintiff. See, e.g., Joseph v. U.S. Attorney’s Office, CV 21-00836 WJ/KRS; Joseph v. Albuquerque Police Department, CV 21- 00838 KWR/GJF; Joseph v. Johnson, CV 21-00895 RB/KK; Joseph v. U.S. Public Defenders Office, No. CV 21-00903 MV/GJF; and Joseph v. United States Attorneys Office, CV 21-00904 JCH/KBM. Plaintiff Joseph filed his Civil Complaint on August 26, 2021. (Doc. 1). In the Civil Complaint, Plaintiff purports to sue the Federal Public Defender and his court-appointed FPD counsel for his criminal case, No. CR 17-02483 KG. (Doc. 1 at 1-3). Plaintiff did not pay the civil filing fee and did not submit an application to proceed in forma pauperis under 28 U.S.C. § 1915. Paradoxically, Plaintiff did file a Motion to Appoint Counsel, asking the Court to provide him a court-appointed attorney at the Court’s expense. (Doc. 2). Plaintiff Joseph also filed an Objection to Cure Notices (Doc 5), claiming that he did not need to cure the form of the complaint in this case because he is proceeding under the “RICO Act” and that all of his cases should be referred to a military tribunal because the country is in a state of war. (Doc. 5). Plaintiff did file an Application to Proceed in District Court Without Prepayment of Fees or Costs on September 16, 2021. (Doc. 4). The Court granted the Application to Proceed on September 29, 2021 and ordered Plaintiff to make an initial partial payment of the filing fee within 30 days. (Doc. 7). To date, Plaintiff has not made the initial partial payment. On October 1, 2021, Plaintiff filed a Motion to Proceed Pro Se. (Doc. 8). In his Motion,

Plaintiff claims that court-appointed counsel cannot represent him due to a lack of contract and a conflict of interest. (Doc. 8). Therefore, he seeks to withdraw his Motion to Appoint Counsel (Doc. 2) and to be allowed to proceed pro se. (Doc. 8 at 1). On October 4, 2021, Plaintiff Joseph filed a Motion to Serve Subpoenas and Complaints (Doc. 9), asking the Court to issue and serve process on the Defendants in this and several other cases he has filed. (Doc. 9 at 1-2). Plaintiff’s Complaint, in its entirety, makes the following allegations: “Defendant does not adequately represent Plaintiff, thereby, denying Plaintiff the right to a fair trial and a right to due process. The Defendant has a contract with the United States, the Plaintiff, in the criminal case against the Plaintiff listed above. The Defendant is loyal to the entity that pays it because the entity, the United States, is responsible for the livelihood of the Defendant. Plaintiff also does not have a contract with the Defendant, therefore, the Defendant is not loyal to the Plaintiff. Also, the Defendant cannot serve two masters. This creates an extreme conflict of interest and indicates the U.S. Public Defender’s Office is part of a Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organization in violation of the RICO Act, 18 USC 1962, and the Defendant is committing Major Fraud Against the people of the United States, 18 USC 1031. The Defendant has been given evidence of the surety bond fraud scheme documenting that there are no surety bonds for elected officials at the N.M. Secretary of State’s Office as required by law, NMSA 10-2-7; and Defendant has not reported the crime to a judge or law enforcement. This is a crime, Misprision of Treason, 18 USC 2382. This is punishable by 7 years in prison. This is also considered advocating for the overthrow of the government, 18 USC 2385, which carries the maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. In addition the Defendant has derilicted its duty of public office, another crime. RICO, are enemies of the people of the United States. Defendant is adhering to, giving aid and comfort to the enemy RICO. This is textbook treason, 18 USC 2381, with a maximum penalty to suffer death. Plaintiff understand the Defendant, the United States, is using Null and Void laws to get guilty pleas from poor people by violation of the Dick Act of 1902, 2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, and Marbury v. Madison, and the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution. Plaintiff seeks the seizing of the assets of the Defendant’s employees for their involvement in a RICO and allowed by the RICO Act, and President Trump’s Executive Order dated 12-21-2017, seizing the assets of those involved in corruption. Plaintiff seeks the revocation of the Defendant’s employees law licenses based on the seriousness of the crimes Defendant has committed. Plaintiff seeks $5 Million in punitive damages for Major Fraud with a RICO escalation of 3 times $5 Million for a total of $20 Million.”

(Doc. 1 at 1-3).

II. The Law Regarding Dismissal for Failure to State a Claim Plaintiff Joseph is proceeding pro se and in forma pauperis. The Court has the discretion to dismiss an in forma pauperis complaint sua sponte for failure to state a claim upon which relief may be granted under either Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6) or 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B). A claim should be dismissed where it is legally or factually insufficient to state a plausible claim for relief. Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544 (2007). Under Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6) the Court must accept all well-pled factual allegations, but not conclusory, unsupported allegations, and may not consider matters outside the pleading. Twombly, 550 U.S. at 555; Dunn v. White, 880 F.2d 1188, 1190 (10th Cir. 1989). The court may dismiss a complaint under Rule 12(b)(6) for failure to state a claim if “it is ‘patently obvious’ that the plaintiff could not prevail on the facts alleged.” Hall v. Bellmon, 935 F.2d 1106, 1109 (10th Cir. 1991) (quoting McKinney v. Oklahoma Dep’t of Human Services, 925 F.2d 363, 365 (10th Cir. 1991)). A plaintiff must allege “enough facts to state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.” Twombly, 550 U.S. at 570. Under § 1915(e)(2)(B) the court may dismiss the complaint at any time if the court determines the action fails to state a claim upon which relief may be granted. § 1915(e)(2)(B)(2) The authority granted by § 1915 permits the court the unusual power to pierce the veil of the complaint's factual allegations and dismiss those claims whose factual contentions are clearly baseless. Neitzke v.

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