Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_14-cv-01609/USCOURTS-caed-1_14-cv-01609-1/pdf.json

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

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

EARL J. ROBBINS,

Plaintiff,

v.

LACKNER, et al.,

Defendants.

Case No. 1:14-cv-01609-DLB PC

ORDER DISMISSING COMPLAINT 

WITH LEAVE TO AMEND

THIRTY-DAY DEADLINE

Plaintiff Earl J. Robbins (“Plaintiff”) is a California state prisoner proceeding pro se and in 

forma pauperis in this action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Plaintiff filed his complaint on 

September 23, 2014, and it was transferred to this Court on October 15, 2014. He names Sierra 

Conservation Center (“SCC”) Warden Heidi M. Lackner, SCC Mailroom Supervisor S. Winn-Reed, 

SCC Mailroom Office Assistant T. Jenkins, Correctional Captain C. Koenig and numerous Does as 

Defendants.1

A. SCREENING REQUIREMENT

The Court is required to screen complaints brought by prisoners seeking relief against a 

governmental entity or officer or employee of a governmental entity. 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(a). The 

Court must dismiss a complaint or portion thereof if the prisoner has raised claims that are legally 

“frivolous or malicious,” that fail to state a claim upon which relief may be granted, or that seek 

 

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Plaintiff consented to the jurisdiction of the United States Magistrate Judge on September 30, 2014.

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monetary relief from a defendant who is immune from such relief. 28 U.S.C. 

§ 1915A(b)(1),(2). “Notwithstanding any filing fee, or any portion thereof, that may have been paid, 

the court shall dismiss the case at any time if the court determines that . . . the action or appeal . . . 

fails to state a claim upon which relief may be granted.” 28 U.S.C.

§ 1915(e)(2)(B)(ii). 

A complaint must contain “a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader 

is entitled to relief . . . .” Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a)(2). Detailed factual allegations are not required, but 

“[t]hreadbare recitals of the elements of a cause of action, supported by mere conclusory statements, 

do not suffice.” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 129 S. Ct. 1937, 1949 (2009) (citing Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 

550 U.S. 544, 555 (2007)). Plaintiff must set forth “sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to 

‘state a claim that is plausible on its face.’” Id. (quoting Twombly, 550 U.S. at 555). While factual 

allegations are accepted as true, legal conclusions are not. Id.

Section 1983 provides a cause of action for the violation of Plaintiff’s constitutional or other 

federal rights by persons acting under color of state law. Nurre v. Whitehead, 580 F.3d 1087, 1092 

(9th Cir 2009); Long v. County of Los Angeles, 442 F.3d 1178, 1185 (9th Cir. 2006); Jones v. 

Williams, 297 F.3d 930, 934 (9th Cir. 2002). Plaintiff’s allegations must link the actions or 

omissions of each named defendant to a violation of his rights; there is no respondeat superior 

liability under section 1983. Iqbal, 556 U.S. at 676-77; Simmons v. Navajo County, Ariz., 609 F.3d 

1011, 1020-21 (9th Cir. 2010); Ewing v. City of Stockton, 588 F.3d 1218, 1235 (9th Cir. 2009); 

Jones, 297 F.3d at 934. Plaintiff must present factual allegations sufficient to state a plausible claim 

for relief. Iqbal, 556 U.S. at 678-79; Moss v. U.S. Secret Service, 572 F.3d 962, 969 (9th Cir. 2009). 

The mere possibility of misconduct falls short of meeting this plausibility standard. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 

at 678; Moss, 572 F.3d at 969. 

B. SUMMARY OF PLAINTIFF’S ALLEGATIONS

Plaintiff is currently incarcerated at SCC in Jamestown, California, where the events at issue 

occurred.

Plaintiff alleges that individuals in the mailroom at SCC are stealing inmate stamps. The 

thefts were reported by numerous inmates, and Defendant Lackner “placed a memorandum stating 

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she was not sure which shift of mailroom staff were ‘taking inmate stamps!’” ECF No. 1, at 3. 

Plaintiff alleges that Defendant Lackner also allows staff to take mail and refuse to send it out.

Defendant Winn-Reed met with Plaintiff and denied any knowledge of mail issues, thereby 

defending staff. Plaintiff “strongly believes” that Defendant Winn-Reed knew who took inmate 

stamps from incoming mail. ECF No. 1, at 3. 

Plaintiff also met with Defendant Koenig, who attempted to intimidate Plaintiff because he 

filed a 602 complaint. Plaintiff states that Defendant Koenig is aware of the mail theft issues and 

denial of incoming mail. 

Finally, Plaintiff alleges that “C-4 1st watch staff read and process mail sending to mailroom 

to stop.” ECF No. 1, at 3.

For relief, Plaintiff requests that criminal charges be brought against SCC staff and that a 

federal investigation be opened.

C. DISCUSSION

1. Standing

“[T]hose who seek to invoke the jurisdiction of the federal courts must satisfy the threshold 

requirement imposed by Article III of the Constitution by alleging an actual case or controversy.” 

City of Los Angeles v. Lyons, 461 U.S. 95, 101 (1983) (citations omitted); Human Life of 

Washington Inc. v. Brumsickle, 624 F.3d 990, 1000 (9th Cir. 2010); Chandler v. State Farm Mutual 

Auto. Ins. Co., 598 F.2d 1115, 1121-22 (9th Cir. 2010). 

At a bare minimum, standing requires that plaintiff “show that [he] suffered an injury in fact, 

there was a causal connection between the injury and the conduct complained of, and the injury is 

likely to be redressed by a favorable decision.” Davis v. Yageo Corp., 481 F.3d 661, 673 (9th Cir. 

2007) (citing Lujan v. Defenders of Wildlife, 504 U.S. 555, 560-61, 112 S.Ct. 2130, 2136 (1992)).

While Plaintiff complains of theft and mail issues, he does not specifically state that any of 

his items were stolen, or that he has mail issues with his mail.

2. Defendant Jenkins

As explained above, to state a claim under section 1983, Plaintiff must demonstrate that each 

defendant personally participated in the deprivation of his rights. Iqbal, 556 U.S. at 676-77, 129 

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S.Ct. at 1949; Simmons v. Navajo County, Ariz., 609 F.3d 1011, 1020-21 (9th Cir. 2010); Ewing v. 

City of Stockton, 588 F.3d 1218, 1235 (9th Cir. 2009); Jones, 297 F.3d at 934. 

Here, Plaintiff does not include any factual allegations against Defendant Jenkins and he has 

therefore failed to link him to any allegedly unconstitutional conduct. 

3. Theft

The main issue in Plaintiff’s complaint appears to be the alleged theft of inmate stamps. 

However, the Due Process Clause is not violated by the random, unauthorized deprivation of 

property so long as the state provides an adequate post-deprivation remedy. Hudson v. Palmer, 468 

U.S. 517, 533 (1984); Barnett v. Centoni, 31 F.3d 813, 816-17 (9th Cir. 1994). Plaintiff has an 

adequate post-deprivation remedy under California law and therefore, he may not pursue a due 

process claim arising out of the unlawful confiscation of his personal property. Barnett, 31 F.3d at 

816-17 (citing Cal. Gov’t Code §§810-895).

Therefore, even if Plaintiff alleges that his stamps were stolen, he cannot state a claim for 

relief.

4. First Amendment

The exact nature of Plaintiff’s mail claim, if any, is unclear. The Court therefore provides 

the following standards for informational purposes.

Prisoners have “a First Amendment right to send and receive mail.” Witherow v. Paff, 52 

F.3d 264, 265 (9th Cir. 1995). Prison regulations relating to the regulation of incoming mail are 

analyzed under the Turner reasonableness standard set forth in Turner v. Safley, 482 U.S. 78, 89-91 

(1987). Thornburgh v. Abbott, 490 U.S. 401, 413-14 (1989). The regulation is valid if it is 

reasonably related to legitimate penological interests. Turner, 482 U.S. at 89. In determining the 

reasonableness of the regulation, court must consider the following factors: (1) whether there is a 

“valid, rational connection between the regulation and the legitimate government interest put 

forward to justify it,” (2) “whether there are alternative means of exercising the right,” (3) the impact 

that the “accommodation of the asserted constitutional right will have on guards and other inmates,” 

and (4) “the absence of ready alternatives.” Turner, 482 U.S. at 89-90.

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Isolated incidents of mail interference or tampering will not support a claim under section 

1983 for violation of plaintiff’s constitutional rights. See Davis v. Goord, 320 F.3d 346, 351 (2d. 

Cir. 2003); Gardner v. Howard, 109 F.3d 427, 431 (8th Cir. 1997); Smith v. Maschner, 899 F.2d 

940, 944 (10th Cir. 1990). 

5. Retaliation

“Prisoners have a First Amendment right to file grievances against prison officials and to be 

free from retaliation for doing so.” Watison v. Carter, 668 F.3d 1108, 1114 (9th Cir. 2012) (citing

Brodheim v. Cry, 584 F.3d 1262, 1269 (9th Cir. 2009)). “Within the prison context, a viable claim 

of First Amendment retaliation entails five basic elements: (1) An assertion that a state actor took 

some adverse action against an inmate (2) because of (3) that prisoner’s protected conduct, and that 

such action (4) chilled the inmate’s exercise of his First Amendment rights, and (5) the action did not 

reasonably advance a legitimate correctional goal.” Rhodes v. Robinson, 408 F.3d 559, 567-68 (9th 

Cir. 2005).

Plaintiff alleges that Defendant Koenig “attempted to intimidate” him because he filed an 

inmate appeal. ECF No. 1, at 3. While filing an inmate appeal is protected conduct, Plaintiff’s 

claim of retaliation is too vague to state a claim. Stating that Defendant Koenig “attempted to 

intimidate” him does not sufficiently allege that Defendant Koenig took an adverse action against 

him, that the action chilled the exercise of his First Amendment rights, and that the action did not 

reasonably advance a legitimate correctional goal.

Plaintiff therefore fails to state a retaliation claim.

6. Requested Relief

Finally, Plaintiff requests that criminal charges be brought against SCC staff for thefts of 

United States Postal Stamps. He also requests that the Court open a “full federal investigation” into 

the acts of Defendants Lackner and Koenig for “knowingly and willingly allowing the SCC 

Correctional Staff to steal hundreds of books/sheets of stamps valued at $9.80 each.” ECF No. 1, at 

3.

However, it is well established that private citizens can neither bring a direct criminal action 

against another person, nor can they petition the federal courts to compel the criminal prosecution of 

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another person. See Parsons v. Arizona, 2013 WL 48044744 (D.Ariz. 2013); Martinez v. Ensor, 958 

F.Supp. 515, 518 (D.Colo.1997); see also Maine v. Taylor, 477 U.S. 131, 137 (1986) (“private 

parties ... have no legally cognizable interest in the prosecutorial decisions of the Federal 

Government”). The United States Attorneys have the responsibility to prosecute all offenses against 

the United States within their Districts, except as otherwise provided by law. See 28 U.S.C. § 547. 

Therefore, “[f]ederal courts have no jurisdiction of cases prosecuted in the name of the United States 

unless they are prosecuted by the United States Attorney.” United States v. Bryson, 434 F.Supp. 

986, 988 (W.D.Okla.1977).

Accordingly, Plaintiff cannot seek the criminal prosecution of individuals for violation of 

federal criminal statutes.

D. ORDER

Plaintiff does not state any cognizable claims. The Court will provide Plaintiff with an 

opportunity to file an amended complaint, if he believes, in good faith, he can cure the identified 

deficiencies. Akhtar v. Mesa, 698 F.3d 1202, 1212-13 (9th Cir. 2012); Lopez v. Smith, 203 F.3d 

1122, 1130-31 (9th Cir. 2000); Noll v. Carlson, 809 F.2d 1446, 1448-49 (9th Cir. 1987). If Plaintiff 

amends, he may not change the nature of this suit by adding new, unrelated claims in his amended 

complaint. George v. Smith, 507 F.3d 605, 607 (7th Cir. 2007).

If Plaintiff files an amended complaint, it should be brief, Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a), but under 

section 1983, it must state what each named defendant did that led to the deprivation of Plaintiff’s 

constitutional rights and liability may not be imposed on supervisory personnel under the mere 

theory of respondeat superior, Iqbal, 556 U.S. at 676-77; Starr v. Baca, 652 F.3d 1202, 1205-07 (9th 

Cir. 2011), cert. denied, 132 S.Ct. 2101 (2012). Although accepted as true, the “[f]actual allegations 

must be [sufficient] to raise a right to relief above the speculative level. . .” Twombly, 550 U.S. at 

555 (citations omitted).

Finally, an amended complaint supersedes the original complaint, Lacey v. Maricopa 

County, 693 F.3d 896, 907 (9th Cir. 2012) (en banc), and it must be “complete in itself without 

reference to the prior or superseded pleading,” Local Rule 220. 

///

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Based on the foregoing, it is HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. Plaintiff’s complaint is dismissed with leave to amend; 

2. The Clerk’s Office shall send Plaintiff a complaint form;

3. Within thirty (30) days from the date of service of this order, Plaintiff must 

file an amended complaint curing the deficiencies identified by the Court in this 

order, and 

4. If Plaintiff fails to comply with this order, this action will be dismissed, without 

prejudice, for failure to obey a court order.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: March 11, 2015 /s/ Dennis L. Beck 

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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