Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_07-cv-03824/USCOURTS-cand-3_07-cv-03824-3/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

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

MARCUS L. HARRISON,

Plaintiff,

v.

INSTITUTIONAL GANG OF 

INVESTIGATIONS; et al.,

Defendants. /

No. C 07-3824 SI (pr)

ORDER FOR BRIEFING ON

PLAINTIFF'S REQUEST FOR

PHOTOCOPIES AND

CORRESPONDENCE

The complaint in this action asserts a First Amendment claim regarding the confiscation

of some of plaintiff's incoming and outgoing mail pertaining to, e.g., the Black August

Memorial, the New Afrikan Collective Think Tank, and the New Afrikan Institute of

Criminology 101. Apparently, prison officials are of the opinion that the mail pertains to the

BGF prison gang, of which plaintiff is a member, while plaintiff contends the mail concerns his

political and cultural beliefs. 

Plaintiff, an inmate in the security housing unit at Pelican Bay, filed a "Request For An

[sic] Court Order" on April 28, 2008 (docket # 13) in which he sought an order compelling

prison officials to make photocopies of other inmates' documents for him and to permit him to

correspond "unimpeded" with several other inmates regarding his § 1983 claim in this action.

In light of the nature of the claim in the complaint and the alleged reason for the confiscation of

the mail, the court is unwilling to grant the relief requested in the motion without further

development of the issues. Accordingly, the court sets the following briefing schedule: 

Case 3:07-cv-03824-SI Document 14 Filed 05/07/08 Page 1 of 2
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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1. No later than June 13, 2008, plaintiff must file and serve a declaration and/or

supplemental brief not to exceed ten pages total providing more information about his requests.

First, he should specify the documents he wants photocopied and why those documents might

be relevant to this action. It is not enough for him to say that the documents are attachments to

declarations or that they are other inmates' property: he has to identify the particular documents

so the court can determine whether they need to be copied. (As it now stands, the court does not

see why documents in the possession of other inmates would be relevant to plaintiff's claim that

his own mail was confiscated.) Second, plaintiff must explain why he needs a court order for

"unimpeded" correspondence with other inmates in light of his Exhibit C, which shows prison

staff's approval of his requests for correspondence in compliance with prison rules. 

2. Defendants must file and serve an opposition to plaintiff's motion no later than

July 11, 2008. 

3. Plaintiff must file and serve his reply brief, if any, no later than August 8, 2008.

The ruling on plaintiff's motion may affect plaintiff's ability to oppose a motion for

summary judgment from defendants. Therefore, the court vacates the dispositive motion

schedule set out in its April 16, 2008 order, and will set a new briefing schedule for dispositive

motions after the court rules on plaintiff's pending motion.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: May 7, 2008 _______________________

 SUSAN ILLSTON

United States District Judge

Case 3:07-cv-03824-SI Document 14 Filed 05/07/08 Page 2 of 2