IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT

 

No. 98-41234

 

CHESTER WILLIAM INGRAM, JR.,

Plaintiff-Appellant,

v.

STATE OF TEXAS; TEXAS BOARD OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE; TEXAS

DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE-INSTITUTIONAL DIVISION

COMPANY DEPARTMENTS; UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MEDICAL

BRANCH; MANAGED HEALTH CARE SYSTEM; WAYNE SCOTT,

DIRECTOR, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE,

INSTITUTIONAL DIVISION; GARY L. JOHNSON, DIRECTOR,

TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE, INSTITUTIONAL

DIVISION; JOSEPH KEITH PRICE, Senior Warden, Coffield

Unit; MICHAEL A. UPSHAW, Assistant Warden, Coffield

Unit; KEVIN MOORE, Assistant Warden, Coffield Unit;

HILTON C. BRYANT, Classification Chief, Coffield Unit; 

BILL LAYTON, Infirmary Administrator Coffield Unit; 

TIMOTHY S. BOSTIC, Captain, Coffield Unit; GARY L.

GRIGGS, Captain, Coffield Unit; BERNIE L. BUSH,

Captain, Coffield Unit; KEVIN JANUARY, Captain,

Coffield Unit; DANNY L. CHURCHMAN, Lieutenant, Coffield

Unit; KENNETH THOMPSON, Lieutenant, Coffield Unit;

PHILLIP CRUTCHER, Lieutenant, Coffield Unit; LEIGH A.

BROOKS, Lieutenant, Coffield Unit; TONIA L. BROWN,

Lieutenant, Coffield Unit; J.C. GANN, JR., Lieutenant,

Coffield Unit; KENNETH WILBANKS, Sergeant, Coffield

Unit; DAVID L. CARTER, Sergeant, Coffield Unit; STEVEN

WILLIAMS, Sergeant, Coffield Unit; MITCHELL DUBOSE,

Sergeant, Coffield Unit; REBECCA LANIER, Sergeant,

Coffield Unit; RONALD JOHNSON, Sergeant, Coffield Unit;

MARK G. LAYTON, Sergeant, Coffield Unit; BELINDA MAPLE,

Sergeant, Coffield Unit; MICHAEL L. CHIVERS,

Correctional Officer III, Coffield Unit; CECELIA H.

SWEENEY, Correctional Officer III, Coffield Unit;

BENJAMIN L. SMITH, Correctional Officer III, Coffield

Unit; CHARLES R. ADAMS, JR., Correctional Officer III,

Coffield Unit; ELLIS W. WATSON, Correctional Officer

III, Coffield Unit; CHARLES BRISTOW, Correctional

Officer III, Coffield Unit; SCOTT L. HOLLEY,

Correctional Officer III, Coffield Unit; DAVID S.

KASSOW, Correctional Officer III, Coffield Unit;

ANTHONY CARLILE, Correctional Officer III, Coffield

Unit; KENNETH W. COOK, Correctional Officer III,

Coffield Unit; KENNETH BREWER, Correctional Officer
 

*

Pursuant to 5th Cir. R. 47.5, the court has determined that this opinion

should not be published and is not precedent except under the limited

circumstances set forth in 5ht Cir. R.47.5.4.

2

III, Coffield Unit; MICKEY L. DEAN, Correctional

Officer III, Coffield Unit; CHAD E. KELLEY,

Correctional Officer III, Coffield Unit; GENE D.

NAQUIN, Correctional Officer III, Coffield Unit; JOHN

H. HOLMES, Correctional Officer III, Coffield Unit;

JASON A BOMER, Correctional Officer III, Coffield Unit;

VICKIE BELVIN, Correctional Officer III, Coffield Unit;

WILLIAM R. GREEN, Correctional Officer III, Coffield

Unit; J.A. MATTHEWS, Correctional Officer III, Coffield

Unit; EDWARD MILLER, Correctional Officer III, Coffield

Unit; DAVID FAUGHT, Correctional Officer III, Coffield

Unit; TIMOTHY TODD, Correctional Officer III, Coffield

Unit; SHANE FARMER, Correctional Officer III, Coffield

Unit; MICAH N. GROS, Correctional Officer III, Coffield

Unit; BILLY G. HART, Correctional Officer III, Coffield

Unit; UNIDENTIFIED CRAWFORD, MD; THOMAS C. FORD, MD; 

SRINIVAS REDDY, MD; CAROLINE FOUNTAIN, RN; KAROL WADE

BAY, Psych Counselor; RALPH D. ROUSE, JR.; JESSICA

GINSBURG; DEVAL PATRICK; OWEN MURRAY, MD; JAMES V.

MEYER, MD; UNKNOWN DIXON, Physician Assistant; JAMES A.

SMITH, RN; DAVID DEFOOR, RN; PATRICIA MONTOYA; ARTHUR

PEABODY; HORACE DAWSON; MICHAEL K. NEHRING; NORRIS

KNOX; CHARLOTTE D. WARE; GERALD TILLISON, JR.; FRANK

HOKE; GREGORY MOORE; JERRY PETERSON; RANDY BARRETT; KAY

SHEELY; RANDOLPH MCVEY; J.B. WARREN; JAMES SHAW; KEITH

PRICE; NAOMI MILTON; UNIDENTIFIED MORROW,

Defendants-Appellees.

_______________________________

Appeal from the United States District Court

for the Eastern District of Texas

(6:97-CV-719)

_______________________________

January 4, 2000

Before JOLLY, EMILIO M. GARZA and BENAVIDES, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM:*

Appellant Chester William Ingram, Jr. (“Ingram”) appeals

from the district court’s dismissal of his claims under the

Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), 42 U.S.C. § 12132 et
3

seq., and for cruel and unusual punishment, retaliation and

denial of religious freedom pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Ingram

also complains of the district court’s assessment of filing fees

as impairing the obligation of contracts in violation of article

10, clause 1 of the United States Constitution (“the contract

clause”).

Neither Ingram’s allegation of insufficient time to eat, nor

his complaint about being denied permission to keep a laptop

computer and printer in his cell, state a claim under the ADA for

denial of a service by a public entity because of a disability. 

We therefore affirm the district court’s dismissal of the ADA

claims.

Furthermore, a review of the record reveals no reversible

error in the dismissal of the § 1983 claims. Ingram has not

alleged facts sufficiently severe to state claims for cruel and

unusual punishment, retaliation or denial of religious freedom.

Finally, the contract clause applies only to the states; it 

does not apply to the federal government. See, e.g., City of New

Brunswick v. Borough of Milltown, 686 F.2d 120, 126 n.5 (3d Cir.

1982). Therefore, Ingram’s claim in this regard is frivolous. 

We therefore affirm the district court on this claim as well.

AFFIRMED