McDaniel v. Fenty ( 2009 )


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  •                                                                                           FILED
    JAN 13 2009
    UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
    FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA                           Clerk, u.s. District and
    Bankruptcy Courts
    Ronnie Lee McDaniel,                          )
    )
    Plaintiff,                     )
    )
    v.                                     )
    )
    Civil Action No.       09 0070
    Mayor Adrian Fenty,                           )
    )
    Defendant.                    )
    MEMORANDUM OPINION
    This matter is before the Court on its initial review of the complaint brought pro se and
    plaintiffs application to proceed in forma pauperis. Pursuant to 
    28 U.S.C. § 1915
    (e), the Court
    is required to dismiss a complaint upon a determination that it, among other grounds, fails to
    state a claim upon which relief may be granted. 
    28 U.S.C. § 1915
    (e)(2)(B)(ii).
    Plaintiff sues District of Columbia Mayor Adrian Fenty for $10 million in damages
    because he allegedly "refused to mediate and solve [an] issue on his city's police departments,"
    that resulted in the deprivation of plaintiff s constitutional rights. CompI. Plaintiff claims that
    Mayor Fenty made a "personal choice" not to act "after numerous contacts." 
    Id.
     Although a
    District of Columbia official may be held personally liable for depriving an individual of "rights,
    privileges, or immunities secured by the Constitution and laws," 
    42 U.S.C. § 1983
    , he must have
    directly participated in the alleged wrongdoing. See Cameron v. Thornburgh, 
    983 F.2d 253
    , 258
    (D.C. Cir.l993); Meyer v. Reno, 
    911 F. Supp. 11
    , 15 (D.D.C.l996) (citing cases); Price v. Kelly,
    
    847 F. Supp. 163
    , 169 (D.D.C.l994), affd, 
    56 F.3d 1531
     (D.C. Cir. 1995). Plaintiffs claim
    against Mayor Fenty in his individual capacity based apparently on the alleged wrongful acts of
    D.C. police officers fails as a matter oflaw. 1 See Graham v. Davis, 
    880 F.2d 1414
    , 1421 (D.C.
    Cir. 1989) (citing Monell v. Dep't. a/Social Services a/the City a/New York, 
    436 U.S. 658
    ,691
    (1978)) (defendant cannot be held liable under section 1983 on theories of respondeat superior
    or vicarious liability). The complaint therefore is dismissed. A separate Order accompanies this
    Memorandum Opinion.
    Date: December ~, 2008
    1 Plaintiff has submitted a separate complaint against District of Columbia Police Chief
    Cathy L. Lanier, which the Court will permit to go forward.
    2