Webster v. Himmelbach

271 F. Supp. 3d 458
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. New York
DecidedSeptember 27, 2017
Docket1:17-CV-00247 EAW
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 271 F. Supp. 3d 458 (Webster v. Himmelbach) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Webster v. Himmelbach, 271 F. Supp. 3d 458 (W.D.N.Y. 2017).

Opinion

DECISION AND ORDER

ELIZABETH A. WOLFORD, United States District Judge

INTRODUCTION

Plaintiff James Edward Webster (“Plaintiff’), proceeding pro se, files this action seeking relief under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. (Dkt. 7). Specifically, Plaintiff alleges that he was denied due process when he was designated as a “discretionary sex offender” (“DSO”)1 after being released to the custody of the New York State Division of Parole (“Parole”) in Buffalo, New Ygrk. (Id. at 6). Plaintiff also alleges that he was denied his Fifth Amendment protections against double jeopardy when his parole was subsequently revoked and he was reincarcerated. (Id.). Plaintiff further alleges that his First and Fourteenth Amendment rights were violated after he was released back into Parole’s custody because he continued to be subject to the same DSO status, and his supervised release was subsequently revoked for his possession of a smartphone. (Id. at 7-8). Plaintiff seeks damages and requests in-junctive relief “to prevent [the] illegal supervision.” (Id. at 7-8).

Presently before the Court is- Defendants’ motion to dismiss the amended complaint (Dkt. 12), and Plaintiffs motion to file an amended complaint (Dkt. 24). For the following reasons, Defendants’ motion to dismiss is granted, Plaintiffs first cause of action is dismissed with prejudice and Plaintiffs second cause of action is dismissed without prejudice. In addition, Plaintiffs motion to file an amended complaint is denied without prejudice.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND2

On March 28, 2012, Plaintiff was placed on supervised release with Parole after serving 17 years of an indeterminate sentence of 12 ⅛ to 25 years of incarceration for his June 28, 1996, convictions of Manslaughter in the First Degree and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree. (Dkt. 7 at 6). When Plaintiff reported to Parole’s Buffalo Office, Parole Officer (“PO”) G. Ralph informed Plaintiff that he would “be supervised as a discretionary sex offender per S.O.R.A. statute and as a compás level 2.” (Id.). Upon learning of his status as a DSO, Plaintiff-told PO Ralph, PO S, Mattingly, and PO Sem-rau that because he had never been afforded a hearing to dispute his status as a DSO, his due process rights had been violated. (Id.).

As a result of this designation, Plaintiff was required to seek “sex offender treatment” with “Julie Curtus.”3 (Id.). However, Plaintiffs “parole was'violated because Ms. Curtis terminated [Plaintiff] from the program because [he] said that [he] did not feel that [he] was a threat to anyone.” (Id.). Plaintiff “was violated” due to special conditions that had been “put in place by [P]arole for a, 1989 guilty plea which was satisfied completely in 1992....” (Id.). Plaintiff alleges that his subsequent incarceration arising from this violation constitutes “double jeopardy” because his 1989 sentence had already been completed. (Id.). . ■ •

On March 3, 2014, Plaintiff was placed back on supervised release with Parole,4 this time under the supervisión of PO Himmelbach. (Id. at 7). PO Himmelbach continued to impose the DSO designation despite Plaintiffs' advisement that he' “did not receive Due process when first released or [on his] recent release.” (Id.). On August 21, 2014, Plaintiff was found “in pocession [sic] of a smartphone” in violation of his parole conditions. (Id.). Plaintiff “was violated for 24 months.” (Id.).

Plaintiff alleges that he has exhausted his administrative remedies by filing a direct appeal regarding both parole violations. (Id.). The substance of Plaintiffs appeal is unclear, but Plaintiff alleges that his appeal was denied on April 23, 2015, and that his “supplemental Pro-Se brief’ was also denied on April 28, 2015., (Id.).

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

On August 15, 2016,5 Plaintiff filed his initial complaint seeking relief pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. (Dkt. 1). Plaintiff also moved for an order appointing counsel (Dkt. 2), but United States Senior District Judge David G. Larimer denied Plaintiffs motion (Dkt. 4), as well as Plaintiffs subsequent motion for reconsideration. (Dkt. 5; Dkt. 6). On September 1, 2016, Judge Larimer granted Plaintiff leave to file an amended complaint. (Dkt. 4). On December 5, 2016, Plaintiff filed his amended complaint (Dkt. 7), which stated substantially similar allegations as those set forth in his initial complaint.

On January 24, 2017, Defendants filed the pending motion to dismiss. (Dkt. 12). Defendants argue that Plaintiffs claims are barred by Heck v. Humphrey, 512 U.S. 477, 114 S.Ct. 2364, 129 L.Ed.2d 383 (1994), as well as the applicable statute of limitations, and that Plaintiffs claims fail to state a cognizable cause of action under the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process Clause and, in any event, Defendants are insulated from Plaintiffs allegations by the doctrine of qualified immunity. (Dkt. 12-1).

On February 6, 2017, Plaintiff, again, moved for reconsideration of the denial of his motion to appoint counsel, and moved to transfer the case to Buffalo. (Dkt. 15). On March 20, 2017, Judge Larimer denied Plaintiffs second motion for reconsideration, and granted Plaintiffs motion to transfer the case “to Buffalo.” (Dkt. 17).

On March 21, 2017, the case was transferred to the undersigned.6 On June 1, 2017, Plaintiff filed a motion for an extension of time to file a Response/Reply, and for reconsideration of his motion to appoint counsel. (Dkt. 21). Plaintiff was granted an extension of time to file a memorandum of law in opposition to Defendants’ motion to dismiss, but his third motion for reconsideration was denied. (Dkt. 23). '

On July 31, 2017, Plaintiff filed his responsive papers in opposition to Defendants’ motion to dismiss, as well as a cross-motion to amend/correct the amended complaint. (Dkt. 24). On August 15, 2017, Defendants filed.an attorney declaration and a memorandum of law in opposition to Plaintiffs motion to amend/correct and in further support of Defendants’ motion to dismiss. (Dkt. 26). On August 23, 2017, Plaintiff filed a reply in further support of his motion to amend and in further opposition to Defendants’ motion to dismiss. (Dkt. 27).

DISCUSSION

I. Legal Standard

“To survive a motion to dismiss, a complaint must contain sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to ‘state-a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.’ ” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009) (quoting Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 570, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007)). “A claim has facial plausibility when the plaintiff pleads factual content that allows the court to draw the reasonable inference that the defendant is liable for the misconduct alleged.” Rochester Drug Co-op., Inc. v.

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Bluebook (online)
271 F. Supp. 3d 458, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/webster-v-himmelbach-nywd-2017.