Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_09-cv-02491/USCOURTS-casd-3_09-cv-02491-0/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

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

GIB DONALD MARSH aka

OMAR EL-SHAHID EL HAWARY,

CDCR #G-25328,

Civil No. 09-2491 JAH (CAB)

Plaintiff, ORDER:

(1) GRANTING PLAINTIFF’S

MOTION TO PROCEED IN 

FORMA PAUPERIS, IMPOSING 

NO INITIAL PARTIAL FILING FEE

AND GARNISHING BALANCE

FROM PRISONER’S TRUST

ACCOUNT PURSUANT 

TO 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a) 

[Doc. No. 2]; 

(2) DENYING MOTION FOR

APPOINTMENT OF COUNSEL

PURSUANT TO 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(1)

[Doc. No. 3]

(3) GRANTING MOTION TO

AMEND/CORRECT [Doc. No. 6]; and

(4) SUA SPONTE DISMISSING

COMPLAINT FOR FAILING 

TO STATE A CLAIM 

PURSUANT TO

 28 U.S.C. §§ 1915(e)(2) & 1915A(b)

vs.

JOHN DOE, et al.,

Defendants.

Gib Donald Marsh, also known as Omar El Shahid El Hawary (“Plaintiff”), a state

prisoner currently incarcerated at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility (“RJD”) in San

Diego, California, and proceeding in pro se, has filed a civil rights Complaint pursuant to 42

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U.S.C. § 1983. 

Plaintiff has not prepaid the $350 filing fee mandated by 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a); instead he

has filed a Motion to Proceed In Forma Pauperis (“IFP”) pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a) [Doc.

No. 2], as well as a Motion for Appointment of Counsel pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(1)

[Doc. No. 3], and several miscellaneous motions [Doc. Nos. 4, 5, 6]. 

I.

MOTION TO PROCEED IFP

All parties instituting any civil action, suit or proceeding in a district court of the United

States, except an application for writ of habeas corpus, must pay a filing fee of $350. See 28

U.S.C. § 1914(a). An action may proceed despite a plaintiff’s failure to prepay the entire fee

only if the plaintiff is granted leave to proceed IFP pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a). See

Rodriguez v. Cook, 169 F.3d 1176, 1177 (9th Cir. 1999). However, prisoners granted leave to

proceed IFP remain obligated to pay the entire fee in installments, regardless of whether their

action is ultimately dismissed. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1) & (2); Taylor v. Delatoore, 281 F.3d

844, 847 (9th Cir. 2002).

Section 1915, as amended by the Prison Litigation Reform Act (“PLRA”), further

requires that each prisoner seeking leave to proceed IFP submit a “certified copy of [his] trust

fund account statement (or institutional equivalent) ... for the six-month period immediately

preceding the filing of the complaint.” 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(2). Using these certified trust

account statements, the Court must assess an initial payment of 20% of (a) the average monthly

deposit, or (b) the average monthly balance in the account for the past six months, whichever is

greater, and collect that amount as the prisoner’s initial partial filing fee, unless he has no current

assets with which to pay. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1); 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(4); Taylor, 281 F.3d

at 850. Thereafter, the institution having custody of the prisoner must collect subsequent

payments, assessed at 20% of the preceding month’s income, in any month in which his account

exceeds $10, and forward those payments to the Court until the entire filing fee is paid. See 28

U.S.C. § 1915(b)(2); Taylor, 281 F.3d at 847.

The Court finds that Plaintiff has submitted an affidavit that complies with 28 U.S.C.

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§ 1915(a)(1) [Doc. No. 2] as well as a certified copy of his prison trust account statement

pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(2) and Civil Local Rule 3.2. Plaintiff’s trust account currently

indicates that he has insufficient funds from which to pay an initial partial filing fee. 

Accordingly, the Court hereby GRANTS Plaintiff’s Motion to Proceed IFP [Doc. No.

2], and assesses no initial partial filing fee at this time. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1) (court shall

assess initial partial filing fee only “when funds exist”); 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(4) (“In no event

shall a prisoner be prohibited from bringing a civil action . . . for the reason that the prisoner has

no assets and no means by which to pay the initial partial filing fee.”); Taylor, 281 F.3d at 850

(finding that 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(4) acts as a “safety-valve” preventing dismissal of a prisoner’s

IFP case based solely on a “failure to pay . . . due to the lack of funds available to him when

payment is ordered.”). However, Plaintiff is required to pay the full $350 filing fee mandated

by 28 U.S.C. §§ 1914(a) and 1915(b)(1), by subjecting any future funds credited to his prison

trust account to the installment payment provisions set forth in 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(2).

II.

MOTION FOR APPOINTMENT OF COUNSEL

Plaintiff has also submitted a Motion for Appointment of Counsel [Doc. No. 3]. “[T]here

is no absolute right to counsel in civil proceedings.” Hedges v. Resolution Trust Corp. (In re

Hedges), 32 F.3d 1360, 1363 (9th Cir. 1994) (citation omitted). Thus, federal courts do not have

the authority “to make coercive appointments of counsel.” Mallard v. United States District

Court, 490 U.S. 296, 310 (1989); see also United States v. $292,888.04 in U.S. Currency, 54

F.3d 564, 569 (9th Cir. 1995). 

However, districts courts have discretion to “request” that an attorney represent indigent

civil litigants upon a showing of exceptional circumstances pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(1).

See Terrell v. Brewer, 935 F.2d 1015, 1017 (9th Cir. 1991); Burns v. County of King, 883 F.2d

819, 823 (9th Cir. 1989). “A finding of exceptional circumstances requires an evaluation of both

the ‘likelihood of success on the merits and the ability of the plaintiff to articulate his claims pro

se in light of the complexity of the legal issues involved.’ Neither of these issues is dispositive

and both must be viewed together before reaching a decision.’” Id. (quoting Wilborn v.

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Escalderon, 789 F.2d 1328, 1331 (9th Cir. 1986)).

 Here, the Court finds that Plaintiff does appear to have an adequate grasp of his case as

well as the legal issues involved. See Terrell, 935 F.2d at 1017. Thus, because Plaintiff has not

satisfied the stringent standards required for an appointment of counsel under 28 U.S.C.

§ 1915(e)(1), Plaintiff’s Motion for Appointment of Counsel must be DENIED. 

III.

VENUE

An initial review of this action reveals that a number of the claims and Defendants should

be dismissed for lack of proper venue. Venue may be raised by a court sua sponte where the

defendant has not yet filed a responsive pleading and the time for doing so has not run. Costlow

v. Weeks, 790 F.2d 1486, 1488 (9th Cir. 1986). “A civil action wherein jurisdiction is not

founded solely on diversity of citizenship may, except as otherwise provided by law, be brought

only in (1) a judicial district where any defendant resides, if all defendants reside in the same

State, (2) a judicial district in which a substantial part of the events or omissions giving rise to

the claim occurred, or a substantial part of property that is the subject of the action is situated,

or (3) a judicial district in which any defendant may be found, if there is no district in which the

action may otherwise be brought.” 28 U.S.C. § 1391(b); Costlow, 790 F.2d at 1488; Decker

Coal Co. v. Commonwealth Edison Co., 805 F.2d 834, 842 (9th Cir. 1986). “The district court

of a district in which is filed a case laying venue in the wrong division or district shall dismiss,

or if it be in the interests of justice, transfer such case to any district in or division in which it

could have been brought.” 28 U.S.C. § 1406(a).

Plaintiff names a number of Defendants who reside at California State Prison located in

Lancaster, California. This prison is within the jurisdictional confines of the Central District of

California, Western Division. See 28 U.S.C. § 84(c)(2) (“The Central District [of California]

comprises 3 divisions.... (2) The Western Division comprises the counties of Los Angeles, San

Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura.”). If he wishes to pursue an action against these

Defendants based on claims that they violated his constitutional rights when he was housed in

Lancaster, he should file a separate action in the Central District of California, Western Division,

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pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 84(c)(2). See 28 U.S.C. § 1391(b); Costlow, 790 F.2d at 1488.

IV.

SCREENING PURSUANT TO 28 U.S.C. §§ 1915(e)(2) & 1915A(b)

The PLRA also obligates the Court to review complaints filed by all persons proceeding

IFP and by those, like Plaintiff, who are “incarcerated or detained in any facility [and] accused

of, sentenced for, or adjudicated delinquent for, violations of criminal law or the terms or

conditions of parole, probation, pretrial release, or diversionary program,” “as soon as

practicable after docketing.” See 28 U.S.C. §§ 1915(e)(2) and 1915A(b). Under these

provisions of the PLRA, the Court must sua sponte dismiss complaints, or any portions thereof,

which are frivolous, malicious, fail to state a claim, or which seek damages from defendants who

are immune. See 28 U.S.C. §§ 1915(e)(2)(B) and 1915A; Lopez v. Smith, 203 F.3d 1122, 1126-

27 (9th Cir. 2000) (en banc) (§ 1915(e)(2)); Resnick v. Hayes, 213 F.3d 443, 446 (9th Cir. 2000)

(§ 1915A); see also Barren v. Harrington, 152 F.3d 1193, 1194 (9th Cir. 1998) (discussing

§ 1915A). 

“[W]hen determining whether a complaint states a claim, a court must accept as true all

allegations of material fact and must construe those facts in the light most favorable to the

plaintiff.” Resnick, 213 F.3d at 447; Barren, 152 F.3d at 1194 (noting that § 1915(e)(2)

“parallels the language of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6)”). In addition, the Court’s

duty to liberally construe a pro se’s pleadings, see Karim-Panahi v. Los Angeles Police Dept.,

839 F.2d 621, 623 (9th Cir. 1988), is “particularly important in civil rights cases.” Ferdik v.

Bonzelet, 963 F.2d 1258, 1261 (9th Cir. 1992). However, in giving liberal interpretation to a

pro se civil rights complaint, the court may not “supply essential elements of claims that were

not initially pled.” Ivey v. Board of Regents of the University of Alaska, 673 F.2d 266, 268 (9th

Cir. 1982). “Vague and conclusory allegations of official participation in civil rights violations

are not sufficient to withstand a motion to dismiss.” Id.

/ / /

/ / /

/ / /

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A. Eighth Amendment Failure to Protect Claims

In his Complaint, Plaintiff alleges that he attempted to notify prison officials at Centinela

State Prison that he needed to be housed in protective custody due to his past status as a “white

supremacist.” (See Compl. at 17-18.) While Plaintiff was out of prison, he became a Muslim

which he claims would place in him danger with “white inmates.” (Id.) Plaintiff further claims

that Defendants refused to categorize him as an “other” which would have helped to protect him.

(Id.) On December 20, 2008 Plaintiff was “released to the main yard” where he was approached

by an inmate threatening him. Plaintiff sought help from the Facility “A” Muslim Chaplin,

Defendant Hajj Haneef Salaam. (Id. at 21.) Plaintiff claims that Defendant Salaam “tried to

resolve the situation” by speaking to the “Inmate Imams of the Muslims” and the leaders of the

“Skinheads.” (Id.) He further alleges that Defendant Salaam “even went so far as to enquire as

to having the Plaintiff referred back to the classification committee.” (Id.) On December 26,

2008, Plaintiff was attacked by “several skinheads due to Plaintiff’s race of white and being a

Muslim.” (Id.) Plaintiff suffered serious injuries as a result of this attack. (Id. at 23.) 

While Plaintiff has alleged some serious allegations, his Complaint is subject to sua

sponte dismissal pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2) because it fails to adequately state an Eighth

Amendment claim. See Farmer v. Brennan, 511 U.S. 825, 834 (1994). 

The Eighth Amendment’s prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment requires that

prison officials act reasonably in protecting inmates from violence suffered at the hands of other

prisoners. Farmer, 511 U.S. at 833; Berg v. Kincheloe, 794 F.2d 457, 459 (9th Cir. 1986).

However, to state a failure to protect claim, Plaintiff must allege facts sufficient to show that

Defendants were “deliberately indifferent,” that they were aware of, but nevertheless consciously

disregarded an excessive risk to his health or safety. Farmer, 511 U.S. at 834. If the official

is not alleged to have actual knowledge of a serious risk of harm, but is alleged to be aware of

facts from which the inference could be drawn that a substantial risk of serious harm exists, the

plaintiff must further allege that the official “also dr[ew] the inference.” Id. at 837; Wilson v.

Seiter, 501 U.S. 294, 303 (1991). 

/ / /

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Here, while Plaintiff identifies a serious risk to this safety, he fails to adequately allege

with any specificity how the individual Defendants would have known that there was a serious

risk of harm. The only Defendant Plaintiff alleges by name is the Muslim Chaplain Salaam who

he claims tried to help him but failed. (See Compl. at 21.) These allegations do not show that

Defendant Salaam “consciously disregarded an excessive risk to his health or safety.” Farmer,

511 U.S. at 834.

Accordingly, as currently plead, Plaintiff has failed to show that any Defendant acted with

conscious disregard to a risk to his safety. See Farmer, 511 U.S. at 837; Johnson v. Duffy, 588

F.2d 740, 743 (9th Cir. 1978) (to establish a deprivation of a constitutional right by any

particular individual, the plaintiff must allege that the individual, in acting or failing to act, was

the actual and proximate cause of his injury). Thus, Plaintiff’s Eighth Amendment failure to

protect claims are dismissed for failing to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. 

V.

CONCLUSION AND ORDER

 Good cause appearing therefor, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. Plaintiff’s Motion for Appointment of Counsel pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(1)

[Doc. No. 3] is DENIED.

2. Plaintiff’s “Motion for Leave to Amend Complaint Due to Erroneous Filing of

Plaintiff’s Name” [Doc. No. 6] is GRANTED. The Clerk of Court is directed to correct the

docket to reflect the spelling of Plaintiff’s name as set forth in this motion.

3. Plaintiff’s Motion to Proceed IFP pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a) [Doc. No. 2]

is GRANTED.

4. The Secretary of California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, or his

designee, shall collect from Plaintiff’s prison trust account the $350 balance of the filing fee

owed in this case by collecting monthly payments from the account in an amount equal to twenty

percent (20%) of the preceding month’s income and forward payments to the Clerk of the Court

each time the amount in the account exceeds $10 in accordance with 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(2). 

ALL PAYMENTS SHALL BE CLEARLY IDENTIFIED BY THE NAME AND NUMBER

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ASSIGNED TO THIS ACTION.

5. The Clerk of the Court is directed to serve a copy of this Order on Matthew Cate,

Secretary, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, 1515 S Street, Suite 502,

Sacramento, California 95814.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that:

6. Plaintiff’s Complaint is DISMISSED without prejudice pursuant to 28 U.S.C.

§§ 1915(e)(2)(b) and 1915A(b). However, Plaintiff is GRANTED forty five (45) days leave

from the date this Order is filed in which to file a First Amended Complaint which cures all the

deficiencies of pleading noted above. Plaintiff’s Amended Complaint must be complete in itself

without reference to the superseded pleading. See S.D. CAL. CIVLR 15.1. Defendants not

named and all claims not re-alleged in the Amended Complaint will be considered waived. See

King v. Atiyeh, 814 F.2d 565, 567 (9th Cir. 1987). Further, if Plaintiff’s Amended Complaint

fails to state a claim upon which relief may be granted, it may be dismissed without further

leave to amend and may hereafter be counted as a “strike” under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g). See

McHenry v. Renne, 84 F.3d 1172, 1177-79 (9th Cir. 1996).

7. Plaintiff’s “Motion to Allow Subservice” and “Motion to Allow Litigation” [Doc.

Nos. 4, 5] are DENIED as moot.

DATED: December 29, 2009

JOHN A. HOUSTON

United States District Judge

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