FI L ED

U.S. COURT OF APPEAL S

EL EVENTH CI RCUI T

MAY 27, 2010

J OHN L EY

CL ERK [ D O N O T P U B L I S H ]

I N T H E U N I T E D S T A T E S C O U R T O F A P P E A L S

F O R T H E E L E V E N T H C I R C U I T

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

N o

. 0 9

- 1 5 6 3 5

N o n

- A r g u m e n t C a l e n d a r

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

D

. C

. D o c k e t N o

. 0 9

- 0 1 0 3 5

- C V

- C L S

- H G D

B E R N A R D J E M I S O N

,

P l a i n t i f f

- A p p e l l a n t

,

v e r s u s

M I C H A E L M I T C H E L L

,

T A K E K A K E Y E S

,

D e f e n d a n t s

- A p p e l l e e s

.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

A p p e a l f r o m t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s D i s t r i c t C o u r t

f o r t h e N o r t h e r n D i s t r i c t o f A l a b a m a

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

( M a y 2 7

, 2 0 1 0 )

B e f o r e B L A C K

, H U L L a n d A N D E R S O N

, C i r c u i t J u d g e s

.

P E R C U R I A M :P l a i n t i f f B e r n a r d J e m i s o n

, a n A l a b a m a p r i s o n e r p r o c e e d i n g p r o s e

, a p p e a l s

t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t ’ s s u a s p o n t e d i s m i s s a l o f h i s 4 2 U

. S

. C

. § 1 9 8 3 c o m p l a i n t p u r s u a n t

t o 2 8 U

. S

. C

. § 1 9 1 5 A ( b ) ( 1 ) f o r f a i l u r e t o s t a t e a c l a i m

. A f t e r r e v i e w

, w e a f

f i r m t h e

d i s t r i c t c o u r t ’ s d i s m i s s a l a s t o t h e d u e p r o c e s s c l a i m a g a i n s t D e f e n d a n t T a k e k a

K e y e s

. A s t o t h e F i r s t A m e n d m e n t r e t a l i a t i o n c l a i m a g a i n s t D e f e n d a n t M i c h a e l

M i t c h e l l

, w e v a c a t e a n d r e m a n d f o r f u r t h e r p r o c e e d i n g s c o n s i s t e n t w i t h t h i s

o p i n i o n

.

I

. B A C K G R O U N D F A C T S

A

. C o m p l a i n t ’ s A l l e g a t i o n s

J e m i s o n ’ s c o m p l a i n t a l l e g e s t h a t o n A p r i l 7

, 2 0 0 9

, D

- b l o c k d o r m i t o r y w h e r e

J e m i s o n w a s h o u s e d f

l o o d e d

. C o r r e c t i o n a l o f f i c e r M i c h a e l M i t c h e l l

, t h e “ c u b i c a l

o p e r a t o r ” o n d u t y

, s u s p e c t e d J e m i s o n w a s r e s p o n s i b l e

. M i t c h e l l o r d e r e d J e m i s o n

p l a c e d i n a “ s t r i p p e d c e l l ” f o r o n e w e e k w i t h o u t a n y p o s s e s s i o n s o r a w o r k i n g t o i l e t

a n d s i n k

.

I n r e s p o n s e

, o n A p r i l 1 4

, 2 0 0 9

, J e m i s o n f i l e d a l a w s u i t a g a i n s t M i t c h e l l

a l l e g i n g a n E i g h t h A m e n d m e n t c l a i m o f c r u e l a n d u n u s u a l p u n i s h m e n t

. J e m i s o n ’ s

c u r r e n t c o m p l a i n t a l l e g e s M i t c h e l l “ w a s q u i c k l y n o t i f i e d o f p l a i n t i f

f [ ’ ] s c i v i l a c t i o n

a g a i n s t h i m b y s u m m o n s s e r v i c e o f t h i s c o u r t a n d v o w e d t o r e t a l i a t e

. ”

O n A p r i l 2 1

, 2 0 0 9

, a n i n m a t e i n D

- b l o c k d o r m i t o r y c a u s e d a n o t h e r f l o o d

.

2M i t c h e l l p l a c e d t h e b l a m e o n J e m i s o n a n d t o o k d i s c i p l i n a r y a c t i o n

, c h a r g i n g

J e m i s o n w i t h “ c r e a t i n g a s e c u r i t y [

, ] s a f e t y

, o r h e a l t h h a z a r d

. ”

O n M a y 1 0

, 2 0 0 9

, c o r r e c t i o n a l o f f i c e r T a k e k a K e y e s p r e s i d e d o v e r t h e

h e a r i n g o n M i t c h e l l ’ s d i s c i p l i n a r y c h a r g e

. K e y e s h e a r d t e s t i m o n y f r o m M i t c h e l l

a n d J e m i s o n a n d t w o o f J e m i s o n ’ s w i t n e s s e s

, w h o w e r e a l s o i n m a t e s i n D

- b l o c k

d o r m i t o r y

. J e m i s o n a n d h i s t w o w i t n e s s e s t e s t i f i e d t h a t a n o t h e r i n m a t e

, n o t

J e m i s o n

, w a s r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t h e f l o o d

. K e y e s d i d n o t p e r m i t J e m i s o n ’ s t h i r d

w i t n e s s t o t e s t i f

y

. K e y e s c r e d i t e d M i t c h e l l ’ s t e s t i m o n y o v e r t h e i n m a t e s ’ t e s t i m o n y

a n d f o u n d J e m i s o n g u i l t y

. J e m i s o n w a s p l a c e d i n “ p u n i t i v e s e g r e g a t i o n ” f o r 2 1

d a y s

.

B

. D i s t r i c t C o u r t P r o c e e d i n g s

J e m i s o n f

i l e d t h i s p r o s e § 1 9 8 3 c o m p l a i n t

, a l l e g i n g t h a t M i t c h e l l f i l e d a

f a l s e d i s c i p l i n a r y r e p o r t i n r e t a l i a t i o n f o r h i s e a r l i e r l a w s u i t a n d t h a t K e y e s

“ c o n c u r r [ e d ] ” w i t h M i t c h e l l

, t h u s v i o l a t i n g h i s F i r s t a n d F o u r t e e n t h A m e n d m e n t

r i g h t s

. J e m i s o n s o u g h t i n j u n c t i v e r e l i e f a n d d a m a g e s

.

I n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h 2 8 U

. S

. C

. § 1 9 1 5 A

, a m a g i s t r a t e j u d g e c o n d u c t e d a s u a

s p o n t e p r e l i m i n a r y s c r e e n i n g a n d i s s u e d a r e p o r t ( “ R & R ” ) r e c o m m e n d i n g t h e

d i s m i s s a l o f J e m i s o n ’ s § 1 9 8 3 c o m p l a i n t f o r f a i l u r e t o s t a t e a c l a i m

, p u r s u a n t t o

§ 1 9 1 5 A ( b ) ( 1 )

. T h e R & R c o n c l u d e d t h a t J e m i s o n ’ s c o m p l a i n t f a i l e d t o m a k e a

3“ p l a u s i b l e s h o w i n g ” t h a t M i t c h e l l w a s a w a r e o f J e m i s o n ’ s l a w s u i t b e f o r e h e f i l e d

t h e d i s c i p l i n a r y c h a r g e a g a i n s t J e m i s o n o r a l l e g e o t h e r f a c t s f r o m w h i c h a

r e t a l i a t o r y m o t i v e c o u l d b e i n f e r r e d

. T h e R & R n o t e d t h a t t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t r e c o r d s

s h o w e d t h a t M i t c h e l l h a d n o t b e e n s e r v e d w i t h t h e s u m m o n s a n d c o m p l a i n t f o r

J e m i s o n ’ s p r i o r l a w s u i t b e f o r e M i t c h e l l f

i l e d t h e d i s c i p l i n a r y c h a r g e

.

T h e R & R a l s o c o n c l u d e d t h a t

, t o t h e e x t e n t J e m i s o n ’ s p r o s e c o m p l a i n t

a s s e r t e d a d u e p r o c e s s c l a i m a g a i n s t K e y e s f o r r e f u s i n g t o p e r m i t J e m i s o n ’ s t h i r d

w i t n e s s t o t e s t i f

y a t t h e d i s c i p l i n a r y h e a r i n g

, t h i s c l a i m s h o u l d b e d i s m i s s e d

. T h e

R & R e x p l a i n e d t h a t J e m i s o n d i d n o t h a v e a n u n l i m i t e d r i g h t t o c a l l w i t n e s s e s a n d

h i s c o m p l a i n t d i d n o t a l l e g e t h e n a t u r e o f t h e m i s s i n g w i t n e s s ’ s t e s t i m o n y

.

A l t e r n a t i v e l y

, t h e R & R f o u n d t h a t J e m i s o n h a d n o t a l l e g e d t h a t h i s d i s c i p l i n a r y

s e g r e g a t i o n w a s a d r a m a t i c d e p a r t u r e f r o m t h e o r d i n a r y c o n d i t i o n s o f

i n c a r c e r a t i o n

. 1

J e m i s o n o b

j e c t e d t o t h e R & R

, a r g u i n g t h a t M i t c h e l l d i d h a v e k n o w l e d g e o f

t h e p r i o r l a w s u i t b e f

o r e h e f i l e d t h e d i s c i p l i n a r y r e p o r t

. J e m i s o n e x p l a i n e d t h a t o n

A p r i l 1 6

, 2 0 0 9

, M i t c h e l l “ q u e s t i o n e d ” h i m a b o u t t h e d e t a i l s o f t h e l a w s u i t

, t h u s

I n the district court, Jemison di d not object to this portion of the R&R. On appe al, 1

J emison did not challeng e this ruling in his initial brief. Thus, we do not addre ss J emison’s due

proce ss claim further , and the district cour t’s dismiss al of that c laim is affirmed. See Timson v.

Sampson, 518 F.3d 870, 874 (11th Cir.) (e x plaining tha t this C ourt does not addr ess issues raise d

for the f irst time in a pro se litiga

nt’s reply brief) , cer

t. denied, 129 S. Ct. 74 (2008); Acc ess

Now, I nc. v. Sw. Airlines Co., 385 F.3d 1324, 1331 ( 11th Cir. 2004) (explaining that this Court

does not addre ss issues not raised in the district court)

.

4p r o v i n g t h a t M i t c h e l l k n e w a b o u t i t b e f o r e h e f i l e d t h e d i s c i p l i n a r y r e p o r t o n A p r i l

2 1

, 2 0 0 9

. J e m i s o n c o m p l a i n e d t h a t t h e m a g i s t r a t e j u d g e s h o u l d h a v e g i v e n h i m t h e

o p p o r t u n i t y t o p r e s e n t o r p r o v e h i s c o n t e n t i o n

, p e r h a p s b y “ s p e c i a l r e p o r t p r o c e s s

, ”

b e f o r e d i s m i s s i n g h i s a c t i o n

. T h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t o v e r r u l e d J e m i s o n ’ s o b j e c t i o n s a n d

a d o p t e d t h e R & R

. T h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t d i s m i s s e d J e m i s o n ’ s c o m p l a i n t f o r f a i l u r e t o

s t a t e a c l a i m a n d d i r e c t e d t h a t f i n a l j u d g m e n t b e e n t e r e d

. B e c a u s e t h e d i s m i s s a l

o r d e r d i d n o t s t a t e t h a t t h e d i s m i s s a l w a s w i t h o u t p r e j u d i c e

, t h e d i s m i s s a l w a s b y

l a w w i t h p r e

j u d i c e

. S e e F e d

. R

. C i v

. P

. 4 1 ( b )

. J e m i s o n f i l e d t h i s a p p e a l

.

I I

. D I S C U S S I O N

A

. S e c t i o n 1 9 1 5 A ( b ) ( 1 ) D i s m i s s a l s

S e c t i o n 1 9 1 5 A r e q u i r e s t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t t o r e v i e w a s s o o n a s p r a c t i c a b l e a

p r i s o n e r ’ s c o m p l a i n t i n a c i v i l a c t i o n a g a i n s t a g o v e r n m e n t e n t i t y o r o f f i c e r

. 2 8

U

. S

. C

. § 1 9 1 5 A ( a )

. U p o n r e v i e w

, t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t m u s t d i s m i s s t h e c o m p l a i n t i f i t

“ i s f r i v o l o u s

, m a l i c i o u s

, o r f a i l s t o s t a t e a c l a i m u p o n w h i c h r e l i e f m a y b e g r a n t e d

. ”

I d

. § 1 9 1 5 A ( b ) ( 1 )

. 2

T h e s t a n d a r d s t h a t a p p l y t o a d i s m i s s a l u n d e r F e d e r a l R u l e o f C i v i l

P r o c e d u r e 1 2 ( b ) ( 6 ) a p p l y t o a d i s m i s s a l u n d e r § 1 9 1 5 A ( b ) ( 1 )

. S e e J o n e s v

. B o c k

,

We review de novo a district c ourt’s sua sponte dismissal of a c omplaint for fa ilure to 2

state a c laim for re lief under § 1915A(b)( 1), taking the alleg ations in the complaint as true.

Boxer X v. Ha

rris, 437 F .3d 1107, 1110 (11th Cir. 2006). I n addition, we construe pro se

pleading s liberally . Tanne nbaum v. United States, 148 F .3d 1262, 1263 (11th Cir.1998).

55 4 9 U

. S

. 1 9 9

, 2 1 4

- 2 1 5

, 1 2 7 S

. C t

. 9 1 0

, 9 2 0

- 2 1 ( 2 0 0 7 ) ; L e a l v

. G a

. D e p ’ t o f C o r r s

. ,

2 5 4 F

. 3 d 1 2 7 6

, 1 2 7 8

- 7 9 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 1 ) ( n o t i n g t h a t t h e l a n g u a g e i n

§ 1 9 1 5 A ( b ) ( 1 ) “ m i r r o r s ” t h e l a n g u a g e u n d e r 2 8 U

. S

. C

. § 1 9 1 5 ( e ) ( 2 ) ( B ) ( i i )

, w h i c h

“ t r a c k s ” t h e l a n g u a g e i n R u l e 1 2 ( b ) ( 6 ) )

. “ T o s u r v i v e a m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s

, a

c o m p l a i n t m u s t c o n t a i n s u f f i c i e n t f a c t u a l m a t t e r

, a c c e p t e d a s t r u e

, t o ‘ s t a t e a c l a i m

t o r e l i e f t h a t i s p l a u s i b l e o n i t s f a c e

. ’ ” A s h c r o f

t v

. I q b a l

,

_ _ U

. S

.

_ _ , 1 2 9 S

. C t

.

1 9 3 7

, 1 9 4 9 ( 2 0 0 9 ) ( q u o t i n g B e l l A t l

. C o r p

. v

. T w o m b l y

, 5 5 0 U

. S

. 5 4 4

, 5 7 0

, 1 2 7 S

.

C t

. 1 9 5 5

, 1 9 7 4 ( 2 0 0 7 ) )

. “ A c l a i m h a s f a c i a l p l a u s i b i l i t y w h e n t h e p l a i n t i f f p l e a d s

f a c t u a l c o n t e n t t h a t a l l o w s t h e c o u r t t o d r a w t h e r e a s o n a b l e i n f e r e n c e t h a t t h e

d e f e n d a n t i s l i a b l e f

o r t h e m i s c o n d u c t a l l e g e d

. ” I d

.

W h e n i t a p p e a r s t h a t a p r o s e p l a i n t i f f ’ s c o m p l a i n t

, i f m o r e c a r e f u l l y d r a f t e d

,

m i g h t s t a t e a c l a i m

, t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t s h o u l d g i v e t h e p r o s e p l a i n t i f f a n o p p o r t u n i t y

t o a m e n d h i s c o m p l a i n t i n s t e a d o f d i s m i s s i n g i t w i t h p r e j u d i c e

. S e e B a n k v

. P i t t

,

9 2 8 F

. 2 d 1 1 0 8

, 1 1 1 2 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 1 9 9 1 )

, o v e r r u l e d i n p a r t b y W a g n e r v

. D a e w o o

H e a v y I n d u s

. A m

. C o r p

. , 3 1 4 F

. 3 d 5 4 1

, 5 4 2 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 2 ) ( e n b a n c )

. D i s m i s s a l 3

w i t h p r e j u d i c e i s p r o p e r

, h o w e v e r

, i f t h e p r o s e p l a i n t i f f h a s i n d i c a t e d t h a t h e d o e s

n o t w i s h t o a m e n d h i s c o m p l a i n t o r i f a m o r e c a r e f u l l y d r a f t e d c o m p l a i n t c o u l d n o t

Although Wag ner ove rruled B ank as to c ounseled litiga nts, it specifically

stated that it 3

did not address pro se litigants. See Wag ner, 314 F .3d at 542 n.1. Thus, the B ank rule rema ins

applicable to pro se litiga nts when their c omplaints are dismissed with prejudice . I d.

6s t a t e a v a l i d c l a i m

. I d

.

B

. R e t a l i a t o r y D i s c i p l i n e C l a i m

“ T h e F i r s t A m e n d m e n t f o r b i d s p r i s o n o f

f i c i a l s f r o m r e t a l i a t i n g a g a i n s t

p r i s o n e r s f

o r e x e r c i s i n g t h e r i g h t o f f r e e s p e e c h

. ” F a r r o w v

. W e s t

, 3 2 0 F

. 3 d 1 2 3 5

,

1 2 4 8 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 3 )

. A n i n m a t e r a i s e s a F i r s t A m e n d m e n t c l a i m o f r e t a l i a t i o n i f

h e s h o w s t h a t t h e p r i s o n o f f i c i a l d i s c i p l i n e d h i m f

o r f i l i n g a g r i e v a n c e o r l a w s u i t

c o n c e r n i n g t h e c o n d i t i o n s o f h i s i m p r i s o n m e n t

. W i l d b e r g e r v

. B r a c k n e l l

, 8 6 9 F

. 2 d

1 4 6 7

, 1 4 6 8 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 1 9 8 9 )

. T o e s t a b l i s h a r e t a l i a t i o n c l a i m

, t h e i n m a t e m u s t

s h o w

, i n t e r a l i a

, a c a u s a l c o n n e c t i o n b e t w e e n h i s p r o t e c t e d c o n d u c t a n d t h e p r i s o n

o f f i c i a l ’ s a c t i o n

. F a r r o w

, 3 2 0 F

. 3 d a t 1 2 4 8

- 4 9

.

A c c e p t i n g t h e a l l e g a t i o n s i n t h e c o m p l a i n t a s t r u e

, a f t e r J e m i s o n f

i l e d a

l a w s u i t a g a i n s t M i t c h e l l o n A p r i l 1 4

, 2 0 0 9

, M i t c h e l l f i l e d a f a l s e d i s c i p l i n a r y r e p o r t

o n A p r i l 2 1

, 2 0 0 9 a c c u s i n g J e m i s o n o f f l o o d i n g D

- b l o c k d o r m i t o r y

. F u r t h e r m o r e

,

J e m i s o n ’ s c o m p l a i n t a l l e g e s t h a t w h e n M i t c h e l l l e a r n e d o f t h e l a w s u i t

, h e “ v o w e d

t o r e t a l i a t e

. ”

E v e n a s s u m i n g a r g u e n d o t h a t t h e s e a l l e g a t i o n s a r e i n s u f f i c i e n t t o s t a t e a

f a c i a l l y p l a u s i b l e c l a i m

, J e m i s o n ’ s o b j e c t i o n t o t h e R & R

, c o n s t r u e d l i b e r a l l y

, a s k e d

f o r l e a v e t o a m e n d h i s c o m p l a i n t t o a l l e g e a d d i t i o n a l f a c t s s h o w i n g M i t c h e l l k n e w

o f t h e l a w s u i t b e f

o r e h e f i l e d t h e d i s c i p l i n a r y r e p o r t

. S p e c i f i c a l l y

, J e m i s o n c l a i m e d

7t h a t M i t c h e l l a s k e d h i m a b o u t t h e d e t a i l s o f t h e l a w s u i t o n A p r i l 1 6

, 2 0 1 0

. T h i s 4

p r o p o s e d a l l e g a t i o n p l u s t h e s h o r t

, s e v e n

- d a y t i m e p e r i o d b e t w e e n t h e f i l i n g o f

J e m i s o n ’ s l a w s u i t a n d t h e f i l i n g o f t h e a l l e g e d l y f

a l s e d i s c i p l i n a r y r e p o r t a r e

s u f f i c i e n t t o s u p p o r t a r e a s o n a b l e i n f e r e n c e t h a t t h e l a t t e r m o t i v a t e d t h e f o r m e r

.

G i v e n t h a t a l l o w i n g J e m i s o n t o a m e n d h i s c o m p l a i n t w o u l d n o t h a v e b e e n

f u t i l e

, u n d e r o u r B a n k r u l e

, t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t s h o u l d h a v e a l l o w e d J e m i s o n l e a v e t o

a m e n d h i s c o m p l a i n t r a t h e r t h a n d i s m i s s i n g i t w i t h p r e j u d i c e

. A c c o r d i n g l y

, w e

a f f i r m t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t ’ s d i s m i s s a l o f J e m i s o n ’ s d u e p r o c e s s c l a i m a g a i n s t K e y e s

.

H o w e v e r

, w e v a c a t e t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t ’ s d i s m i s s a l a s t o J e m i s o n ’ s F i r s t A m e n d m e n t

r e t a l i a t i o n c l a i m a g a i n s t M i t c h e l l a n d r e m a n d f o r p r o c e e d i n g s c o n s i s t e n t w i t h t h i s

o p i n i o n

.

A F F I R M E D I N P A R T

, V A C A T E D A N D R E M A N D E D I N P A R T

.

On appe al, J emison contends that eve n if Mitchell had not y et bee n serve d, Mitchell 4

nonetheless kne w of the la wsuit before he filed the disciplinary repor t beca use he told Jemis on

he knew about it. J emison sugg ests that Mitchell may have le arne d of the law suit because prison

officia ls review outg oing ma il. J emison also clar ifies that it was whe n Mitchell asked him about

the lawsuit that Mitchell threa tened to re taliate.

8