FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P EALS E LEVEN T HC IRC UIT OCT 19 , 2006 THOMAS K. KAH

N CLERK [ DO NO T P UB L I S H] I N THE UN I TE D STATE S C OU RT OF APPE ALS F O R T H E E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT

________________________ N o. 06- 11468 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D . C . D ocketN o. 04 -029 86 -C V -O D E -1 A B D U S - S H A H I D M .S . A L I , P la in tif f - A p p e lla n t, v ersu s F E D E R A L B U R E A U O F P R I S O N S , M R . L I P P I N , D ir e c to ro f F .B .O .P , W A R D E N R . W IL E Y , U . S . P . A t l ant a M R . Q U N 'A N I S , U N I T E D S T A T E S , D e f e n d a n ts - A p p e lle e s , S O U T H E A S T R E G I O N A L D I R E C T O R , D e f e n d a n t.2 ________________________ A pp ea l fr om the U ni t ed S t at es D i stri ctC ou rt f o rth e N o rth e rn D is tr ic t o f G e o r g ia

_________________________ ( O c t ob e r 19, 2006) B efo re A N D E R S O N , B IR C H an dD U B IN A , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M: A p p ellan t A b d u s- S h ah idM .S . A li (“A li ”) ap p ea ls th e d istrict co u rt’s di sm i ss al of hi s c i vi l ac t i on brou gh tpu rs uantt o: (1) the F eder al T ortC l ai m s A ct ( “ F T C A ” ) , 28 U . S . C . §§ 1346 a nd 2671 et s e q. ; ( 2) the R e l i gi ous F r e e dom R e s t or a t i on A c tof

1995 ( “ R F R A ” ) , 42 U . S . C . 2000bb et s e q. ; ( 3) the R e l i gi ous L a n d U s e a n d I n s titu tio n a liz e d P e r s o n s A c t o f 2 0 0 0 ( “R L U A ” ) , 4 2 U .S .C . § 20 00 cc et s e q. ; ( 4) a nd B i v e ns v . Si x U nknow n N

am e d A ge nt

s of Fe d. B ur e au of N a rco t i cs, 40 3 U . S . 38 8, 39 5, 91 S . C t . 19 99 , 20 04 , 29 L . E d. 2d 61 9 (19 71 ). A cc ordi ng t o h i s c om pl ai nt , A l i w as transfe rr ed fr om a f eder al pri son i n A t l ant a, G e or gi at o apr i s on i n I ne z , K e ntuc ky . A l i di s c ove r e d upon hi s a rr i va l i n K e ntuc ky thatse vera l re l i gi ou s and pers on al i t em s w er e m i ss i ng fr om hi s bel on gi ng s. A ft er the F eder al B ureau o f P ri sons (“ B O P ”) re j ec t ed A l i ’ s a dm i ni stra t i ve cl ai m un der th e FTCA , A l i f

i l e d s u i ti n f

e d e r a l c o u rt . Th e d i s tr i c tc o u rtd i s mi s s e dA l i ’ s FTCA c l a i m f orl a c k of

s ubj e c tm a tt e rj ur i s di c t i on be c aus e the U ni t e d S t a t e s di d not3

w a i ve s ove r e i gn i m m uni ty ; the c ourtdi s m i s s e d A l i ’ s non- F T C A c l a i m s f orl a c k of e xhaus t i on of

a dm i ni s tr a t i ve r e m e di e s . O n appe a l , A l i a r gue s tha tthe pr i s on of f i c e r s w ho m i s ha ndl e d hi s be l ongi ngs do notf a l l w i thi n a n e xc e pt i on t o the w ai ver of s ov er ei gn i m m un i ty f or F T C A cl ai m s. A l i al so ar gu es thatthe di stri ct c ourte rr e d i n f

a i l i ng t o c onve rtthe de f e nda nt s ’ m ot i on t o di s m i s s i nt o am ot i on f or s u m m a ryju d g m e n t. We r e v i e w de no vo the grantof a m ot i on t o d i sm i ss for w antof subj ec t m a tte rju r is d ic tio n . Mi lan E xpress , Inc. v. A ve ri t t

E xpress , Inc. , 208 F . 3d 975, 978 ( 11th C i r . 2000) . In det erm i ni ng w hether s ubj ec tm att erj uri sdi ct i on exi st s, a c ou rt is p e rm itte d to in v e s tig a te w id e lya n dh a s au th o r ityto lo o kb e y o n dth e p le a d in g s . L aw r e nc e v . D unbar , 91 9 F . 2d 15 25 , 15 29 (11th C i r. 19 90 ) ( st at i ng thata c ou rt m a yr e v ie w m a tte r s o u ts id e th e p le a d in g s , in c lu d in g te s tim o n ya n da f f id a v its ) . Fi r s t , A l i a r g u e s o n ap p e a l th e d i s tr i c tc o u rte rr e di n d i s mi s s i n g h i s FTCA c l a i m be c aus e the c ourti nt e rpr e t e d the e xc l us i on t o the F T C A f ound unde r28 U . S . C . 2 6 8 0 (c) t o o b ro ad l y. T h e F T C A p ro v i d es a w ai v er o f th e U n i t ed S t at es’ s o v e r e ig n im m u n ityto s u its f o rd a m a g e s a ttr ib u te dto its e m p lo y e e s a c tin g w ith in the s c ope of

the i re m pl oy m e nt , i f

s a i d e m pl oy e e s w oul d be l i abl e t o the c l a i m a nt i nd i vi du al l y und erthe l aw of the s i tus . 28 U . S . C . § 1 34 6(b)(1). C on gres s has p ro m u l g at ed a n u m b er o f ex cep t i o n s t o th i s w ai v er o f so v erei g n i m m u n i ty,4

i nc l udi ng 28 U . S . C . § 2680( c ) , w hi c h e xe m pt s “ [ a ] nyc l a i m a r i s i ng i n r e s pe c tof the a s s e s s m e ntorc ol l e c t i on of a nyt a x orc us t om s duty , orthe de t e nt i on of a ny go od s , m er chandi se , or other property by any offi ce r of c ust om s or e xci se or any other law enf

orce m ent of f i ce r . ” ( em ph as i s a dd ed). T he U ni t ed S t at es S up re m e C ou rthas i nt erpret ed § 2 68 0(c) broadl y t o cov er n o to n l y d am ag es ari si n g fro m th e d et en t i o n o f g o o d s o r m erch an d i se, b u tal so s itu a tio n s in w h ic h d a m a g e s r e s u lt f r o m th e irn e g lig e n t s to r a g e o rh a n d lin g . Kos ak v. U ni ted States , 465 U . S . 848, 854- 59, 104 S . C t . 1519, 1523- 25, 79 L . E d. 2d 860 ( 1984) . T he de f

i ni t i on of “ a nyothe rl a w - e nf

or c e m e ntof

f i c e r , ” w i thi n the m e a ni ng o f § 2 6 8 0 ( c ) h a s b e e n a d d r e s s e d b yth is c ir c u it a n ds is te rc ir c u it c o u rts o f ap p e a l. Sc h la e b itz v. U

ni ted States D ep’t

of Just i ce , 92 4 F . 2d 19 3 (11 th C i r. 19 91 ). In Sc h la e b itz , w e he l d tha tU . S . M a r s ha l s , w ho w e r e a l l e ge dl yne gl i ge nti n r e l e a s i ng a pa r ol e e ’ s l ugga ge t o athi r d pa rty , w e r e “ l a w - e nf or c e m e ntof

f i c e r s ” w i thi n the m e a n in g o f

th e F T C A e x c e p tio n in § 2 6 8 0 ( c ) . 9 2 4 F .2 da t 1 9 5 ; se e a l so U ni ted States v. P otes R am i rez , 2 6 0 F .3 d1 3 1 0 , 1 3 1 5 - 1 6 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 1 ) . A f te rr e v ie w in g th e r e c o r d , w e c o n c lu d e th a t th e d is tr ic t c o u rt d idn o t e rrin f i ndi ng tha tthe of

f i c e r s w ho ha ndl e d A l i ’ s pr ope rtyf a l l w i thi n the e xc e pt i on f ound i n 2 8 U . S . C . § 2 68 0(c) . S ee Sc h la e b itz , 924 F . 2d a t194- 95. A c c or di ngl y , the di stri ctcourtdi d n oterr i n d i sm i ss i ng A l i ’ s F T C A cl ai m for w antof subj ec tm att er5

ju r is d ic tio n u n d e rF e d . R . C iv . P . 1 2 ( b ) ( 1 ) . N e xt , A l i a r gue s on appe a l the di s tr i c tc ourts houl d ha ve turne d the m ot i on t o d i sm i ss i nt o a m ot i on for s um m ary j ud gm entbecause the di stri ctcourt c o n s id e r e d m a te r ia ls th a t th e d e f e n d a n t h a ds u b m itte do u ts id e o f th e c o m p la in t. A l i a r gue s tha tha d he be e n gi ve n not i c e of am ot i on f

ors um m a ryj udgm e nt , he w oul d ha ve s ubm i tt e d a ddi t i ona l a f f i da vi t s orothe re vi de nc e t o c ount e rthe d e f e n d a n ts ’ p o s itio n . We r e v i e w de no vo adi s tr i c tc ourt ’ s di s m i s s a l of apr i s one r ’ s a c t i on f

or f a ilu r e to c o m p lyw ith th e e x h au s tio n r e q u ir e m e n ts o f 4 2 U .S .C . § 1 9 9 7 e ( a ) . Hi gg i nb ot tom v. Carter , 2 2 3 F .3 d1 2 5 9 , 1 2 6 0 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 0 ) . P u r s u a n t to § 1 99 7e(a ), “ N o act i on shal l be brou gh tw i th res pectt o p ri son con di t i on s und er s e c t i on 1983 of

thi s t i t l e , ora nyothe rF e de r a l l a w , byapr i s one rc onf i ne d i n a ny j ai l , pri son, or other c orre ct i on al fa ci l i ty unt i l such adm i ni stra t i ve re m edi es as ar e a va i l abl e a r e e xhaus t e d. ” A c i vi l a c t i on w i th r e s pe c tt o “ pr i s on c ondi t i ons ” m e a ns

“ a nyc i vi l pr oc e e di ng a r i s i ng unde rF e de r a l l a w w i th r e s pe c tt o the c ondi t i ons of c onf i ne m e ntorthe e f

f e c t s of a c t i ons bygove rnm e ntof f i c i a l s on the l i ve s of p e r s o n s c o n f

in e d in p r is o n .” 1 8 U .S .C . § 3 6 2 6 ( g ) ( 2 ) ; Hi ggi nbot tom , 22 3 F . 3d at 1260. W e ha ve e xpl a i ne d tha t“ C ongr e s s now ha s m a nda t e d e xhaus t i on i n s e c t i on6

1 9 9 7 e ( a ) a n d th e r e is n o lo n g e rd is c r e tio n to w a iv e th e e x h au s tio n r e q u ir e m e n t. . . . [E ] xh aust i on i s now a pr e - c ondi t i on t o sui t. . . . ” Alex a n de rv . H a wk , 159 F . 3d 1 3 2 1 , 1 3 2 5 - 2 6 ( 1 1 th C ir . 1 9 9 8 ) ( e m p h a s is a d d e d ) ; see a l so L e a l v . G e o r

g ia D e par tm e nt of C orr e c t i ons , 2 5 4 F .3 d1 2 7 6 , 1 2 7 9 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 1 ) ( s a m e ) . W e ha ve a l s o c onc l ude d tha t“ [ a ] c l a i m tha tf a i l s t o a l l e ge the r e qui s i t e e xhaus t i on of r e m e di e s i s t a nt a m ountt o one tha tf a i l s t o s t a t e ac l a i m upon w hi c h r e l i e f m a ybe grant ed. ” R iv e r a v . A llin , 1 4 4 F .3 d7 1 9 , 7 3 1 ( 1 1 th C ir . 1 9 9 8 ) . H er e, A l i fa i l ed t o p rovi de any i nform at i on thatw ou l d i nd i ca t e he e xh aust ed the adm i ni stra t i ve re m edi es for hi s non -F T C A cl ai m s. T here fore , A l i ’ s c l ai m s are

“ t a nt a m ount ” t o c l a i m s tha t“ f a i l t o s t a t e ac l a i m upon w hi c h r e l i e f m a ybe g r a n te d ” b e c au s e A li f

a ile d to “a lle g e th e r e q u is ite e x h au s tio n o f r e m e d ie s ” f

o rh is n o n - F T C A c la im s . See R i vera , 144 F . 3d a t731. L a s tly , A li a lle g e d b e lo w a n do n ap p e a l th a t h e w o u ldh a v e e x h au s te dh is a d m in is tr a tiv e r e m e d ie s if p r is o n o f

f ic ia ls h a dn o t m is le dh im in to th in k in g h e o n ly n e e d e d t o f

i l e o n e c l a i m f

o rm i n o r d e rt o p u r s u e b o th h i s FTCA a n dn o n - FTCA cl ai m s. T he di stri ctcourtre cogn i ze d thi s argum entand p roce eded t o fi nd that “[ t]h e s ta te m e n t m a d e to P la in tif f ab o u t f ilin g as ta n d a r d - f

o rm 9 5 s p e c if

ic a lly re lated to h is F T C A claim .” T h e q u es ti o n ar ises o f w h eth erth e d istrict co u rt’s tre atm entof A l i ’ s s t at em ent s w er e m ore a ki n t o the anal ys i s f or a s um m ary7

j ud gm entm ot i on . If

so, w e m ustdeci de w hether the exhaust i on re qu i re m ent s und er the P L R A can b e w ai ved i f apri soner i s m i sl ed i nt o b el i evi ng he has s at i sf i ed a d m in is tr a tiv e p r o c e d u r e s . O n r e vi e w of

am ot i on t o di s m i s s , w e w i l l a c c e pta l l a l l e ga t i ons i n the com pl ai ntas true and construe f ac t s i n a l i gh tm ostfavo rabl e t o the pl ai nt i ff . H ar pe rv . T hom as , 988 F . 2d 101, 103 ( 11th C i r . 1993) . A c om pl a i nts houl d notbe di sm i ss ed pu rs uantt o F eder al R ul e of C i vi l P roce du re 12 (b)( 6) for f ai l ure t o st at e a c la im u n le s s it ap p e a r s b e y o n d ad o u b t th a t th e p la in tif f c a n p r o v e n o s e t o f

f a c ts in s u p p o rt o f

h is c la im w h ic h w o u lde n title h im to r e lie f . C onle yv . G i bs on , 3 5 5 U . S. 4 1 , 4 5 - 4 6 , 7 8 S . C t. 9 9 , 1 0 2 , 2 L . E d . 2 d8 0 ( 1 9 5 7 ) ; M ars h v . B ut le rC ount

y, A la. , 26 8 F . 3d 10 14 , 10 22 (11th C i r. 20 01 ) ( en banc ). A f te rr e v ie w in g th e r e c o r d , w e c o n c lu d e th a t it is u n c le a rw h e th e rA li w a s in f a c t m is le d b yp r is o n o f

f ic ia ls w h ic h m a ye x c u s e th e e x h au s tio n r e qu ir e m e n t. T he r e f or e , w e va c a t e the di s tr i c tc ourt ’ s di s m i s s a l of A l i ’ s non- F T C A c l a i m s a nd re m and thi s c as e f

or the di stri ctcourtt o d ec i de thi s i ss ue i n the fi rs ti nst ance . AF F I R ME D i n p a rt , VA C AT E D i n p a rt , a n dR E MAND E D.