Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-akd-3_24-cv-00068/USCOURTS-akd-3_24-cv-00068-1/pdf.json

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

---

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ALASKA

KEEN L.A. SMITH, JR.

Plaintiff,

v.

TIMOTHY CRONIN,

Defendant.

Case No. 3:24-cv-00068-SLG

SECOND SCREENING ORDER

On September 5, 2024, self-represented prisoner Keen L.A. Smith, Jr. 

(“Plaintiff”) filed a First Amended Complaint (“FAC”) and a letter addressed to the 

Clerk of Courts.

1 The Court has now screened the FAC in accordance with 28 

U.S.C. §§ 1915(e) and 1915A. Although the scope of review generally is limited to 

the contents of the operative complaint,2the Court also reviewed the enclosed 

letter. However, it is not the Court’s responsibility to review filings, exhibits, or 

additional external information to identify possible claims. Instead, all necessary 

information must be included within the body of the amended complaint itself.3

Regardless, the information contained in the FAC and the letter is insufficient to 

allow this case to pass through the screening process. 

1 Docket 10.

2 See United States v. Corinthian Colleges, 655 F.3d 984, 999 (9th Cir. 2011) (citing

Lee v. L.A., 250 F.3d 668, 688 (9th Cir. 2001); United States v. Ritchie, 342 F.3d 903, 

908 (9th Cir. 2003).

3 See Amina v. WMC Finance Co., 329 F.Supp.3d 1141 (2018).

Case 3:24-cv-00068-SLG Document 11 Filed 01/15/25 Page 1 of 8
Case No. 3:24-cv-00068-SLG, Smith v. State of Alaska, et al.

Second Screening Order

Page 2 of 8

Plaintiff has not pleaded sufficient facts that, if proven, would 

demonstrate that there were criminal charges pressed against him 

that were terminated favorably.

As stated in the Court’s previous screening order, before a plaintiff may 

proceed on claims of malicious prosecution or fabrication of evidence, he must 

show a favorable termination of the underlying criminal case against him.

4

In the 

enclosed letter, Plaintiff claims only that he was charged with “horrible” but 

unspecified crimes and confined against his will. He does not explain when or why 

he was arrested, and who arrested him on what charges. The FAC also claims

Plaintiff was released from custody on or about February 24, 2022, on these 

unspecified charges, but states Plaintiff does not know when the charges giving 

rise to his claims in this case were resolved.

5

In short, the FAC does not contain 

any explanation as what specific charges were brought against Plalintiff nor

provide any additional information regarding the outcome of any criminal 

prosecution that was brought against him. Specifically, it is unclear which, if any,

criminal charges were brought against Plaintff and how those were resolved: by 

the prosecutor, or by the trial court, if Plaintiff was found not guilty after a jury trial, 

or following trial if a conviction was overturned on appeal. 

Similarly, the FAC contains only conclusory allegations that Trooper Cronin 

“made false accusations” against Plaintiff in his reports. But his FAC does not 

4 Docket 9 at 7-10.

5 Docket 10-1. 

Case 3:24-cv-00068-SLG Document 11 Filed 01/15/25 Page 2 of 8
Case No. 3:24-cv-00068-SLG, Smith v. State of Alaska, et al.

Second Screening Order

Page 3 of 8

delineate when those accusations were made, what those accusations were, and 

why they were false. The FAC contains a vague reference to a photo line-up but 

again, fails to present any facts that could support a finding that the line-up violated 

Plaintiff’s federal constitutional rights.

In the letter attached to FAC, Plaintiff did provide a state court case number

and the name of the attorney who represented him in the case, and he claims the 

public defender’s office has a copy of the casefile.6 However, even if the public 

defender’s case file contains the missing information—or even if the case details 

were available on Courtview (which it appears they are not)—it is Plaintiff’s 

responsibility to gather and plead the necessary facts to support his claims. The 

Court does not conduct independent research or investigations on behalf of 

litigants and will not seek out information from any external organizations, such as 

public defender’s offices. Because Plaintiff has not described the criminal charges 

that were brought against him, nor has he explained how those charges were 

terminated favorably to him, nor has he explained how Trooper Cronin made false 

accusations against him that resulted in Plaintiff’s arrest, he may not proceed on 

his claims as pleaded. Therefore, the FAC is DISMISSED for failing to state 

sufficient facts to support a plausible claim upon which relief may be granted. 

A plaintiff's failure to cure a complaint's deficiencies constitutes “a strong 

indication that the [plaintiff has] no additional facts to plead” and “any attempt to 

6

Id.

Case 3:24-cv-00068-SLG Document 11 Filed 01/15/25 Page 3 of 8
Case No. 3:24-cv-00068-SLG, Smith v. State of Alaska, et al.

Second Screening Order

Page 4 of 8

amend would be futile[.]”7 Indeed, the Court's “discretion to deny leave to amend 

is particularly broad where[, as here,] the plaintiff has previously amended the 

complaint.”8 However, in the interests of fundamental fairness, Plaintiff is granted 

one additional chance to file a second amended complaint to try to fix the 

deficiencies identified in this order. An amended complaint should not include 

letters as attachments.9Instead, the necessary information must be included within 

the body of the amended complaint itself. Plaintiff may attach to an amended 

complaint relevant court records and/or police reports that he specifically

references in the amended complaint that he believes support his claims. 

FILING AN AMENDED COMPLAINT

Plaintiff is accorded 60 days from the date of this order to file a Second 

Amended Complaint. An amended complaint replaces the prior complaint in its 

entirety.10 An amended complaint must contain a “short and plain statement of the 

claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief.”11 The Court will not consider 

additional arguments contained in any letter Plaintiff attaches to an amended 

7 Zucco Partners, LLC v. Digimarc Corp., 552 F.3d 981, 1007 (9th Cir. 2009) (citation 

and internal quotation marks omitted). See also Salameh v. Tarsadia Hotel, 726 F.3d 

1124, 1133 (9th Cir. 2013) (district court properly denied leave to amend when “the 

district court gave Plaintiffs specific instructions on how to amend the complaint, and 

Plaintiffs did not comply.”).

8 San Francisco Herring Ass'n v. Dep't of the Interior, 946 F.3d 564, 582 (9th Cir. 2019) 

(quoting Allen v. City of Beverly Hills, 911 F.2d 367, 373 (9th Cir. 1990)).

9 Amina v. WMC Finance Co., 329 F.Supp.3d 1141 (2018).

10 See Fed. R. Civ. P. 15; Local Civil Rule 15.1.

11 Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a)(2). 

Case 3:24-cv-00068-SLG Document 11 Filed 01/15/25 Page 4 of 8
Case No. 3:24-cv-00068-SLG, Smith v. State of Alaska, et al.

Second Screening Order

Page 5 of 8

complaint, as that is not proper procedure to amend a complaint.12 Any claim not 

included in the amended complaint will be considered waived. Additionally, an 

amended complaint need not and should not contain legal research or analysis; 

and a plaintiff need not file exhibits or evidence to attempt to prove his case at the 

pleading stage, although, as noted above, Plaintiff may attach relevant state court 

charging documents, dismissal orders, and police reports.

13

The amended complaint must contain separately numbered, clearly 

identified claims. If handwritten, it must be legible. Each claim should identify the 

specific injury that the plaintiff is alleging has occurred, when that injury occurred, 

where that injury was caused, and who the plaintiff is alleging caused that specific 

injury. In addition, the allegations of the amended complaint must be set forth in 

sequentially numbered short paragraphs, and no paragraph number being 

repeated anywhere in the complaint.14 Rule 10(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil 

Procedure requires that “[a] party must state its claims or defenses as numbered 

paragraphs, each limited as far as practicable to a single set of circumstances.” 

Although Plaintiff is being given a second opportunity to file an amended 

12 See Fed. R. Civ. P. 15(a); see also Local Civil Rule 15.1

13 Although the Court may also consider documents attached to the complaint, 

documents incorporated by reference in the complaint, or matters of judicial notice, the 

scope of review at the screening generally is limited to the contents of the complaint.

United States v. Ritchie, 342 F.3d 903, 908 (9th Cir. 2003).

14 A complaint must consist of continuously numbered paragraphs from beginning to 

end; do not start each new section with number 1. This allows ease of reference to the 

various allegations in the complaint and permits the defendants to admit or deny each 

specific allegation by paragraph.

Case 3:24-cv-00068-SLG Document 11 Filed 01/15/25 Page 5 of 8
Case No. 3:24-cv-00068-SLG, Smith v. State of Alaska, et al.

Second Screening Order

Page 6 of 8

complaint, he shall not unjustifiably expand the scope of the case by alleging new 

unrelated parties or claims. An amended complaint must not include any claims or 

defendants for which Plaintiff lacks a sufficient legal or factual basis. An amended 

complaint may not include any defendants or claims that have been dismissed with 

prejudice.

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED: 

1. The FAC at Docket 10 is DISMISSED for failing to state a claim upon 

which relief could be granted.

2. Plaintiff is accorded 60 days from the date of this order to file either: 

a. Second Amended Complaint, in which Plaintiff cures the 

deficiencies identified in this order. An amended complaint should 

be on the Court’s form, which is being provided to Plaintiff with this 

order; OR

b. Notice of Voluntary Dismissal, in which Plaintiff elects to close and 

end the case.

3. If Plaintiff does not timely file either a Second Amended Complaint or 

Notice of Voluntary Dismissal on the Court’s form, this case may be dismissed 

under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B) without further notice to Plaintiff.

4. Self-represented litigants are expected to review and comply with the 

Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, the District of Alaska’s Local Civil Rules, and all 

Case 3:24-cv-00068-SLG Document 11 Filed 01/15/25 Page 6 of 8
Case No. 3:24-cv-00068-SLG, Smith v. State of Alaska, et al.

Second Screening Order

Page 7 of 8

Court orders.15 Failure to do so may result in the imposition of sanctions authorized 

by law, including dismissal of the action.

5. Self-represented litigants must be ready to diligently pursue each 

case to completion. Missing a deadline or otherwise failing to pursue a case may 

result in the dismissal of the action.

6. At all times, all parties shall keep the Court informed of any change of 

address or phone number. Such notice shall be titled “Notice of Change of 

Address.” The Notice shall contain only information about the change of address, 

and its effective date.16 The Notice shall not include requests for any other relief. 

A Notice of Change of Address form, PS23, may be obtained from the Clerk of 

Court, if needed. If a plaintiff fails to keep a current address on file with the Court, 

that may result in a dismissal of the case without further notice to Plaintiff.

7. With this order, the Clerk is also directed to send: (1) form PS01, with 

“SECOND AMENDED” written above the title “Prisoner’s Complaint Under the Civil 

Rights Act 42 U.S.C. § 1983”; (2) form PS09, Notice of Voluntary Dismissal; and 

(3) form PS23, Notice of Change of Address.

15

 Federal Rules of Civil Procedure: https://www.uscourts.gov/rules-policies/currentrules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-civil-procedure; Court’s Local Rules: 

https://www.akd.uscourts. gov/court-info/local-rules-and-orders/local-rules.

16 See Local Civil Rule 11.1(b) (requiring a notice of change of address to be filed, as 

“[s]elf-represented parties must keep the court and other parties advised of the party’s 

current address and telephone number.”).

Case 3:24-cv-00068-SLG Document 11 Filed 01/15/25 Page 7 of 8
Case No. 3:24-cv-00068-SLG, Smith v. State of Alaska, et al.

Second Screening Order

Page 8 of 8

DATED this 15th day of 2025. 

/s/ Sharon L. Gleason 

SHARON L. GLEASON

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Case 3:24-cv-00068-SLG Document 11 Filed 01/15/25 Page 8 of 8