Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-4_07-cv-04919/USCOURTS-cand-4_07-cv-04919-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 550
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Civil Rights (U.S. defendant)
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Prisoner Civil Rights

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

ZIMBABWE A. ABDUL-MALIK,

Plaintiff,

 v.

WALKENHORST COMPANY, et al.,

Defendants. /

No. C 07-04919 CW (PR)

ORDER OF DISMISSAL

INTRODUCTION

Plaintiff, a state prisoner, filed a pro se civil rights

complaint under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. He has also filed an application

for in forma pauperis status. 

For the reasons discussed below, the Court DISMISSES

Plaintiff's claims as not cognizable under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. 

DISCUSSION

I. Legal Standard

A federal court must conduct a preliminary screening in any

case in which a prisoner seeks redress from a governmental entity

or officer or employee of a governmental entity. 28 U.S.C.

§ 1915A(a). In its review, the court must identify any cognizable

claims and dismiss any claims that are frivolous, malicious, fail

to state a claim upon which relief may be granted or seek monetary

relief from a defendant who is immune from such relief. Id.

§ 1915A(b)(1), (2). 

To state a claim under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, a plaintiff must

allege two essential elements: (1) that a right secured by the

Constitution or laws of the United States was violated, and 

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(2) that the alleged violation was committed by a person acting

under the color of State law. West v. Atkins, 487 U.S. 42, 48

(1988). "'[A] complaint should not be dismissed for failure to

state a claim unless it appears beyond doubt that the plaintiff can

prove no set of facts in support of his claim which would entitle

him to relief.'" Terracom v. Valley National Bank, 49 F.3d 555,

558 (9th Cir. 1995) (quoting Conley v. Gibson, 355 U.S. 41, 45-46

(1957)). Pro se pleadings must be liberally construed. Balistreri

v. Pacifica Police Dep't, 901 F.2d 696, 699 (9th Cir. 1988). A

claim that is totally incomprehensible may be dismissed as

frivolous as it is without an arguable basis in law. See Jackson

v. Arizona, 885 F.2d 639, 641 (9th Cir. 1989).

II. Legal Claims

Plaintiff names Defendants Walkenhorsts Company and Patty

Walkenhorsts in his complaint, and he alleges that these Defendants

are liable for failing to fix his broken walkman. These Defendants

cannot be sued under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Plaintiff does not allege

that Defendants were acting under color of state law. Action taken

by a private organization may be under color of state law "if,

though only if, there is such a close nexus between the State and

the challenged action that seemingly private behavior may be fairly

treated as that of the State itself." Brentwood Academy v.

Tennessee Secondary Sch. Athletic Ass'n, 531 U.S. 288, 295 (2001)

(internal quotations omitted). The Supreme Court has found state

action when a challenged activity results from the State's exercise

of coercive power, when the State provides significant

encouragement for the activity, or when a private actor operates as

a willful participant in joint activity with the State. See id.

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P:\PRO-SE\CW\CR.07\Abdul-Malik4919.dismiss.wpd 3

The Court finds that Plaintiff alleges no facts suggesting the

conduct of Defendants Walkenhorsts Company and Patty Walkenhorsts

could fairly be treated as conduct of the State itself. 

Furthermore, because Plaintiff's allegations against Defendants

involve purely private conduct, they do not meet the standards for

cognizable claims under § 1983. See Gomez v. Toledo, 446 U.S. 635,

640 (1980) (a private citizen does not act under color of state

law, an essential element of a § 1983 action); Ouzts v. Maryland

Nat'l Ins. Co., 505 F.3d 547, 559 (9th Cir. 1974), cert. denied,

421 U.S. 949 (1975). 

CONCLUSION

For the foregoing reasons, 

1. Plaintiff's application for in forma pauperis status is

GRANTED.

2. Plaintiff's claims against Defendants Walkenhorsts

Company and Patty Walkenhorsts fail to state a claim upon which

relief may be granted and are DISMISSED with prejudice. 

3. The Clerk of the Court shall enter judgment in accordance

with this Order.

4. This Order terminates Docket no. 2.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: 4/28/08 

CLAUDIA WILKEN

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

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P:\PRO-SE\CW\CR.07\Abdul-Malik4919.dismiss.wpd 4

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

ZIMBABWE A. ABDUL-MALIK,

Plaintiff,

 v.

WALKENHORSTS et al,

Defendant. /

Case Number: CV07-04919 CW 

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I, the undersigned, hereby certify that I am an employee in the Office of the Clerk, U.S. District

Court, Northern District of California.

That on April 28, 2008, I SERVED a true and correct copy(ies) of the attached, by placing said

copy(ies) in a postage paid envelope addressed to the person(s) hereinafter listed, by depositing said

envelope in the U.S. Mail, or by placing said copy(ies) into an inter-office delivery receptacle located

in the Clerk's office.

Zimbabwe Abdul-Malik V-04586

Salinas Valley State Prison

C3-107

P.O. Box 1050

Soledad, CA 93960

Dated: April 28, 2008

Richard W. Wieking, Clerk

By: Sheilah Cahill, Deputy Clerk

Case 4:07-cv-04919-CW Document 5 Filed 04/28/08 Page 4 of 4