Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca8-09-02680/USCOURTS-ca8-09-02680-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 555
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Prison Condition
Cause of Action: 

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United States Court of Appeals

FOR THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT

___________

No. 09-2680

___________

Nicholas Nnaji, *

*

Appellant, *

* Appeal from the United States

v. * District Court for the

* Eastern District of Arkansas.

United States of America, *

* [UNPUBLISHED]

Defendant, *

*

J. Huff, Counselor, FCI - Forrest City; *

J. Duby-Gilley, Manager, FCI - *

Forrest City; M. Danaher, Case *

Manager, FCI - Forrest City; H. *

Thornton, Officer, FCI - Forrest City, *

*

Appellees. *

___________

Submitted: March 29, 2010

Filed: April 2, 2010

___________

Before MELLOY, BOWMAN, and SMITH, Circuit Judges.

___________

PER CURIAM.

Appellate Case: 09-2680 Page: 1 Date Filed: 04/02/2010 Entry ID: 3651016
Federal inmate Nicholas Nnaji appeals the district court’s1

 dismissal of his civil

rights action following an evidentiary hearing. Upon careful review of the record and

Nnaji’s arguments on appeal, see Choate v. Lockhart, 7 F.3d 1370, 1373 & n.1 (8th

Cir. 1993), we find no basis for reversal. Specifically, Nnaji’s consent was not

required for the magistrate judge to conduct proceedings under 28 U.S.C.

§ 636(b)(1)(B), and the district court in this case can be presumed to have conducted

a de novo review of any disputed portions of the magistrate’s findings and

recommendations, see United States v. Lothridge, 324 F.3d 599, 600-01 (8th Cir.

2003). We also conclude that judgment in favor of defendants was proper, see

Sisneros v. Nix, 95 F.3d 749, 752 (8th Cir. 1996) (inmate claiming retaliation is

required to meet substantial burden of proving actual motivating factor for adverse

action was as alleged); Choate, 7 F.3d at 1376 (prison officials are liable only for

personal involvement in constitutional violation), and that no abuse of discretion

occurred with regard to the adequacy of discovery and the denial of Nnaji’s request

for appointment of counsel, see Nord v. Kelly, 520 F.3d 848, 852 (8th Cir. 2008)

(reviewing for abuse of discretion district court’s refusal to allow further discovery

prior to ruling on motion for summary judgment); Phillips v. Jasper County Jail, 437

F.3d 791, 794 (8th Cir. 2006) (standard of review and relevant criteria for decision

regarding appointment of counsel in civil case). 

Accordingly, we affirm. See 8th Cir. R. 47B.

______________________________

1

The Honorable Brian S. Miller, United States District Judge for the Eastern

District of Arkansas, adopting the report and recommendations of the Honorable H.

David Young, United States Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District of Arkansas.

-2-

Appellate Case: 09-2680 Page: 2 Date Filed: 04/02/2010 Entry ID: 3651016