Washington v. Dillard

District Court, E.D. California·Decided June 30, 2023·No. 1:23-cv-00431·Unknown

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

PERRY KENJI WASHINGTON, Case No. 1:23-cv-00431-SAB

Plaintiff, ORDER SCREENING COMPLAINT

v. (ECF No. 1)

CURTIS DILLARD, et al., DEADLINE: THIRTY DAYS Defendants. Plaintiff Perry Kenji Washington (“Plaintiff”), proceeding pro se, initiated this civil rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 on March 22, 2023, against Curtis Dillard and “Ebony” (collectively, “Defendants”). (ECF No. 1.) The complaint is now before this Court for screening. I. The Court is required to screen complaints brought by prisoners seeking relief against a governmental entity or officer or employee of a governmental entity. 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(a). The Court must dismiss a complaint or portion thereof if the prisoner has raised claims that are legally “frivolous or malicious,” that “fail[] to state a claim on which relief may be granted,” or that “seek[] monetary relief against a defendant who is immune from such relief.” 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B). Federal Rule of Civil Procedure (“Rule”) 8 requires that a complaint contain “a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief ….” Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a)(2). If the factual elements of a cause of action are present but are scattered throughout the complaint and not organized into a “short and plain statement of the claim,” dismissal for failure to satisfy Rule 8 is proper. McHenry v. Renne, 84 F.3d 1172, 1178 (9th Cir. 1996). Thus, to comply with Rule 8, a complaint should clearly and fully set forth “who is being sued, for what relief, and on what theory, with enough detail to guide discovery.” Id. Such notice pleading is required in federal court in order to “give the defendant fair notice of what the claim … is and the grounds upon which it rests.” Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly (Twombly), 550 U.S. 544, 555 (2007) (internal quotations omitted). Detailed factual allegations are not required, but “[t]hreadbare recitals of the elements of a cause of action, supported by mere conclusory statements, do not suffice.” Ashcroft v. Iqbal (Iqbal), 556 U.S. 662, 678 (2009) (citing Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 555 (2007)). “Vague and conclusory allegations of official participation in civil rights violations are not sufficient ….” Ivey v. Bd. of Regents of the Univ. of Alaska, 673 F.2d 266, 268 (9th Cir. 1982). Plaintiffs proceeding pro se in civil rights actions are entitled to have their pleadings liberally construed and to have any doubt resolved in their favor. See Wilhelm v. Rotman, 680 F.3d 1113, 1121 (9th Cir. 2012) (citations omitted). Nonetheless, to survive screening, Plaintiff’s claims must be facially plausible, which requires sufficient factual detail to allow the Court to reasonably infer that each named defendant is liable for the misconduct alleged. Iqbal, 556 U.S. at 678–79; Moss v. U.S. Secret Serv., 572 F.3d 962, 969 (9th Cir. 2009). The “sheer possibility that a defendant has acted unlawfully” is not sufficient, and “facts that are ‘merely consistent with’ a defendant’s liability” falls short of satisfying the plausibility standard. Iqbal, 556 U.S. at 678; Moss, 572 F.3d at 969. Thus, where a plaintiff fails to “nudge [his or her] claims … across the line from conceivable to plausible[,]” the complaint is properly dismissed. Iqbal, 556 U.S. at 680 (internal quotations omitted). Leave to amend may be granted to the extent that the deficiencies of the complaint can be cured by amendment. Cato v. U.S., 70 F.3d 1103, 1106 (9th Cir. 1995). II. The Court accepts Plaintiff’s allegations as true only for the purpose of the sua sponte screening requirement under 28 U.S.C. § 1915. Plaintiff brings this civil action against Curtis Dillard (Sr.), Curtis Dillard Jr., the mother of Curtis Dillard, and “Ebony” based on purported federal question claims of identity theft, cyber terrorism, and “terrorism/criminal threats.” (ECF No. 1 at 2–4.) Plaintiff claims Dillard Sr. is a gangster, pimp, drug dealer, and extortionist. (Id. at 2.) He similarly claims Dillard Jr. is a gangster, extortionist, and drug dealer. (Id.) Plaintiff claims Ebony is a street enforcer that threatens people. (Id. at 3.) Dillard Sr., Dillard Sr.’s mother, Dillard Jr., and Ebony are allegedly part of the notorious “Top Hat Mob.” (Id. at 8.) Plaintiff alleges the Top Hat Mob, based in San Francisco, hires gang members and bribes Fresno County Police officers to complete various objectives. (Id.) Plaintiff claims he was assaulted in San Francisco by members of the Top Hat Mob. (Id.) He alleges he was forced to be a drug mule; drink and drive; and sell use methamphetamine, heroin, and Fentanyl, and cigarettes. (Id.) Plaintiff further alleges the Mob threatened him to do these things and not tell anyone about it, or they would cut off Plaintiff’s head and the heads of Plaintiff’s mother, sister, and “Malayna.” (Id.) Plaintiff alleges that, at one point, he “came forward with the truth” and afterwards, his mother’s car was stolen and she was “held hostage” in Vallejo, California, and currently remains there. (Id.) Plaintiff tried to file a police report in Vallejo, but they would not accept it. (Id.) Plaintiff also alleges he was “forced to say [he] was crazy and go to [the] hospital on several occasions.” (Id.) Plaintiff claims the Top Hat Mob stole his tax information, stimulus checks and tax money. (Id. at 6.) More specifically, Plaintiff alleges Dillard Sr. and Dillard Jr., on orders of their own mother, forced Plaintiff’s mother, at gunpoint, to give them Plaintiff’s social security card, identification card, medical information, birth certificate, and email address. (Id.) Dillard Sr. and Jr. then created new bank accounts, email addresses and credit accounts under Plaintiff’s name and stole money, property, and mail valuing over $150,000. (Id.) Plaintiff seeks to sue Defendants for identify theft and attacking his mother. (Id.) He seeks monetary damages and an order from the Court to reinstate Plaintiff’s driver’s license, issue a handgun license, provide counseling for Plaintiff’s family, and place Plaintiff and his family in witness protection. (Id. at 7, 9.) A. Jurisdiction – Federal Question A district court has federal question jurisdiction in “all civil actions arising under the Constitution, laws, or treaties of the United States.” 28 U.S.C. § 1331. The “presence or absence of federal question jurisdiction is governed by the ‘well-pleaded complaint rule,’ which provides that federal jurisdiction exists only when a federal question is presented on the face of the plaintiff’s properly pleaded complaint.” Caterpillar, Inc. v. Williams, 482 U.S. 386, 386 (1987). For Plaintiff’s suit to “arise under” federal law, Plaintiff’s “statement of [his] own cause of action” must “show[] that it is based upon [federal law].” See Vaden v. Discover Bank, 556 U.S. 49, 60–62 (2009). Here, however, it is unclear what federal question claim/s Plaintiff is asserting.1

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Washington v. Dillard, (E.D. Cal. 2023).

Washington v. Dillard (Washington v. Dillard) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

Van Ness v. Buel
17 U.S. 48 (Supreme Court, 1819)
Foman v. Davis
371 U.S. 178 (Supreme Court, 1962)
Warth v. Seldin
422 U.S. 490 (Supreme Court, 1975)
Rizzo v. Goode
423 U.S. 362 (Supreme Court, 1976)
Caterpillar Inc. v. Williams
482 U.S. 386 (Supreme Court, 1987)
West v. Atkins
487 U.S. 42 (Supreme Court, 1988)
H. J. Inc. v. Northwestern Bell Telephone Co.
492 U.S. 229 (Supreme Court, 1989)
Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly
550 U.S. 544 (Supreme Court, 2007)
Ashcroft v. Iqbal
556 U.S. 662 (Supreme Court, 2009)
Bartlett v. Strickland
556 U.S. 1 (Supreme Court, 2009)
Monsanto Co. v. Geertson Seed Farms
561 U.S. 139 (Supreme Court, 2010)
Alvera M. Aldabe v. Charles D. Aldabe
616 F.2d 1089 (Ninth Circuit, 1980)
United States v. Daniel Isaac Drake
673 F.2d 15 (First Circuit, 1982)
George Acri v. Varian Associates, Inc.
114 F.3d 999 (Ninth Circuit, 1997)
Empress LLC v. City and County of San Francisco
419 F.3d 1052 (Ninth Circuit, 2005)