(PC) Dearwester v. California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation ( 2020 )

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 9 FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 10 11 FRANK LEE DEARWESTER, No. 2:15-CV-0443-KJM-DMC-P 12 Plaintiff, 13 v. ORDER 14 CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND 15 REHABILITATION, et al., 16 Defendants. 17 18 Plaintiff, a prisoner proceeding pro se, brings this civil rights action pursuant to 19 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Pending before the Court is plaintiff’s first amended complaint (ECF No. 12). 20 The Court is required to screen complaints brought by prisoners seeking relief 21 against a governmental entity or officer or employee of a governmental entity. See 28 U.S.C. 22 § 1915A(a). The Court must dismiss a complaint or portion thereof if it: (1) is frivolous or 23 malicious; (2) fails to state a claim upon which relief can be granted; or (3) seeks monetary relief 24 from a defendant who is immune from such relief. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b)(1), (2). Moreover, 25 the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure require that complaints contain a “. . . short and plain 26 statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a)(2). This 27 means that claims must be stated simply, concisely, and directly. See McHenry v. Renne, 84 F.3d 28 1172, 1177 (9th Cir. 1996) (referring to Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(e)(1)). These rules are satisfied if the 1 complaint gives the defendant fair notice of the plaintiff’s claim and the grounds upon which it 2 rests. See Kimes v. Stone, 84 F.3d 1121, 1129 (9th Cir. 1996). Because plaintiff must allege 3 with at least some degree of particularity overt acts by specific defendants which support the 4 claims, vague and conclusory allegations fail to satisfy this standard. Additionally, it is 5 impossible for the Court to conduct the screening required by law when the allegations are vague 6 and conclusory. 7 8 I. PLAINTIFF’S ALLEGATIONS 9 In this case, plaintiff names the following defendants: (1) California Department of 10 Corrections and Rehabilitation; (2) California State Prison, Deuel Vocational Institution; (3) DOE 11 Employees 01-25. See ECF No. 12. 12 In the process of plaintiff’s transfer from Deuel Vocational Institution to California 13 State Prison, Los Angeles County, an unidentified Transportation Officer deprived plaintiff of his 14 property in violation of his due process rights. The Officer took plaintiff’s reading glasses without 15 returning them and disposed of twenty-one paperback books, seven magazines, three jars of 16 Folgers instant coffee (8 oz. each), and one pair of Nike shower shoes. Although plaintiff signed 17 inventory forms accounting for his missing property, he was required to sign the forms to recover 18 his property before he could inspect the items. Plaintiff alleges he was coerced into signing the 19 forms under a perceived threat of retaliation or loss of his property. 20 21 II. DISCUSSION 22 The Eleventh Amendment prohibits federal courts from hearing suits brought 23 against a state both by its own citizens, as well as by citizens of other states. See Brooks v. 24 Sulphur Springs Valley Elec. Coop., 951 F.2d 1050, 1053 (9th Cir. 1991). This prohibition 25 extends to suits against states themselves, and to suits against state agencies. See Lucas v. Dep’t 26 of Corr., 66 F.3d 245, 248 (9th Cir. 1995) (per curiam); Taylor v. List, 880 F.2d 1040, 1045 (9th 27 Cir. 1989). A state’s agency responsible for incarceration and correction of prisoners is a state 28 agency for purposes of the Eleventh Amendment. See Alabama v. Pugh, 438 U.S. 781, 782 1 (1978) (per curiam); Hale v. Arizona, 993 F.2d 1387, 1398-99 (9th Cir. 1993) (en banc). 2 Plaintiff fails to allege the identity of the Transportation Officer or any other state 3 official responsible for the loss of his property. The named defendants are all immune from suit 4 under the Eleventh Amendment because they are agencies of the State of California. Plaintiff will 5 be provided an opportunity to amend the complaint to allege additional facts and identify 6 responsible defendants. 7 8 III. CONCLUSION 9 Because it is possible that the deficiencies identified in this order may be cured by 10 amending the complaint, plaintiff is entitled to leave to amend prior to dismissal of the entire 11 action. See Lopez v. Smith, 203 F.3d 1122, 1126, 1131 (9th Cir. 2000) (en banc). Plaintiff is 12 informed that, as a general rule, an amended complaint supersedes the prior complaint. See 13 Ferdik v. Bonzelet, 963 F.2d 1258, 1262 (9th Cir. 1992). Thus, following dismissal with leave to 14 amend, all claims alleged in the prior complaint which are not alleged in the amended complaint 15 are waived. See King v. Atiyeh, 814 F.2d 565, 567 (9th Cir. 1987). Therefore, if plaintiff 16 amends the complaint, the Court cannot refer to the prior pleading in order to make plaintiff's 17 amended complaint complete. See Local Rule 220. An amended complaint must be complete in 18 itself without reference to any prior pleading. See id. 19 If plaintiff chooses to amend the complaint, plaintiff must demonstrate how the 20 conditions complained of have resulted in a deprivation of plaintiff’s constitutional rights. See 21 Ellis v. Cassidy, 625 F.2d 227 (9th Cir. 1980). The complaint must allege in specific terms how 22 each named defendant is involved, and must set forth some affirmative link or connection 23 between each defendant’s actions and the claimed deprivation. See May v. Enomoto, 633 F.2d 24 164, 167 (9th Cir. 1980); Johnson v. Duffy, 588 F.2d 740, 743 (9th Cir. 1978). 25 Finally, plaintiff is warned that failure to file an amended complaint within the 26 time provided in this order may be grounds for dismissal of this action. See Ferdik, 963 F.2d at 27 1260-61; see also Local Rule 110. Plaintiff is also warned that a complaint which fails to comply 28 with Rule 8 may, in the Court’s discretion, be dismissed with prejudice pursuant to Rule 41(b). MADE Ge bP TOUING INVITE IVING VUUEIOTE et POO eT AY ST VT 1 | See Nevijel v. North Coast Life Ins. Co., 651 F.2d 671, 673 (9th Cir. 1981). 2 Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that: 3 1. Plaintiff's first amended complaint is dismissed with leave to amend; and 4 2. Plaintiff shall file a second amended complaint within 30 days of the date 5 | of service of this order. 6 7 | Dated: June 18, 2020 Ssvcqo_ 8 DENNIS M. COTA 9 UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28