Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca3-09-04162/USCOURTS-ca3-09-04162-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 530
Nature of Suit: Prisoner Petitions - Habeas Corpus
Cause of Action: 

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CLD-093 NOT PRECEDENTIAL

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE THIRD CIRCUIT

___________

No. 09-4162

___________

JOHN ROBERT DEMOS, JR., Appellant

v.

STATE OF WASHINGTON, AND

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

____________________________________

On Appeal from the District Court

for the District of the Virgin Islands

(D.C. Civ. No. 09-cv-00058)

District Judge: Honorable Raymond L. Finch

____________________________________

Submitted for Possible Summary Action Pursuant to Third Circuit LAR 27.4 and I.O.P.

10.6 and Possible Dismissal Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B)

January 14, 2010

Before: BARRY, FISHER and ROTH, Circuit Judges

(Opinion filed: February 17, 2010)

_________

OPINION

_________

PER CURIAM.

On August 27, 2009, John R. Demos, Jr., an inmate in Washington State, filed in

the District Court for the District of the Virgin Islands a pleading in which he requested,

Case: 09-4162 Document: 003110023264 Page: 1 Date Filed: 02/17/2010
 To the extent that Demos sought some form of habeas relief, and to the extent 1

that a certificate of appealability (“COA”) is necessary for this appeal, a COA is denied.

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among other things, a declaratory ruling that he is being held in violation of Article

36(b)(1) of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. According to Demos, his

incarceration violates the Vienna Convention because he owes allegiance to “foreign

power[s]” – i.e., “the Vatican, and the Rothschild family of France.” Compl. at 2. The

District Court dismissed the matter for lack of jurisdiction. Demos appeals. 

We have appellate jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291. We will summarily affirm

the District Court’s judgment because the appeal presents “no substantial question.” 3d

Cir. IOP Ch. 10.6. Demos made no showing at all to establish that a Virgin Islands

District Court has jurisdiction over his purported request for declaratory relief. 

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Case: 09-4162 Document: 003110023264 Page: 2 Date Filed: 02/17/2010