Source: http://ca10.washburnlaw.edu/cases/2001/03/00-1403.htm
Timestamp: 2019-04-22 18:04:41+00:00

Document:
Cyrus D.A. Braswell, a federal inmate appearing pro se, appeals a district court order dismissing the civil rights complaint he brought against several prison officials pursuant to Bivens v. Six Unknown Named Agents of Federal Bureau of Narcotics, 403 U.S. 388 (1971). Exercising jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291, we conclude that the appeal is legally frivolous and dismiss pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b)(1).
Braswell's pro se complaint alleged the following seven causes of action: (1) prison official Dwayne Roberson violated Braswell's Fifth Amendment due process rights by using a racial slur; (2) Roberson violated Braswell's Fourth Amendment right to privacy by placing him on the "non-promotion" list for not unsealing his military record to verify whether he completed high school; (3) prison official Chuck Porco violated Braswell's Fifth Amendment due process rights by placing him on "refusal status" for refusing to pay a court-ordered fine; (4) unnamed prison officials violated Braswell's Fifth Amendment due process rights by removing money without permission from his inmate account; (5) prison officials Jennifer Grundy and Lee Green violated Braswell's First Amendment rights to freedom of expression and association by respectively charging and convicting Braswell of the disciplinary offense of running a business after he entered into a contingency fee agreement to represent another inmate in court; (6) Warden R.E. Holt violated Braswell's right of access to the courts by implementing a more restrictive inmate telephone schedule; and (7) Warden Holt violated Braswell's Fifth Amendment due process rights by failing generally to provide adequate training to prison personnel. Braswell's complaint sought injunctive relief and monetary damages exceeding $45,000,000.
The district court screened Braswell's pleading as required by 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(a) and dismissed the complaint in its entirety. With the exception of the fourth cause of action, which was dismissed without prejudice because Braswell failed to exhaust his administrative remedies as required by 42 U.S.C. § 1997e(a), the district court held that each of Braswell's claims was legally frivolous under 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b)(1). As stated by the district court, a legally frivolous claim is one in which the plaintiff asserts the violation of a legal interest that clearly does not exist or in which he asserts facts that do not support an arguable claim. See Neitzke v. Williams, 490 U.S. 319, 325 (1989).
We have reviewed Braswell's complaint and appellate brief, the district court's order of dismissal, and the entire record on appeal and we DISMISS this appeal as frivolous. Because we agree with the district court that Braswell's complaint was frivolous, he has incurred two strikes as a result of this litigation pursuant to the Prison Litigation Reform Act, 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g).(2) We further note that Braswell incurred two additional strikes while litigating in the Ninth Circuit. See Braswell v. Pugh, No. 99-35020, 2000 WL 84404 (9th Cir. Jan. 25, 2000); Braswell v. Cummings, No. 98-36059, 1999 WL 637921 (9th Cir. Aug. 17, 1999). Accordingly, Braswell is no longer entitled to proceed in forma pauperis in any federal lawsuit, other than habeas petitions, which do not involve "imminent danger of serious physical injury." White v. Colorado, 157 F.3d 1226, 1232 (10th Cir. 1998) (quoting 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g)). Braswell is reminded that he remains obligated to continue making partial payments of the appellate filing fee pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b). The mandate shall issue forthwith.
1. Braswell correctly notes on appeal that the district court relied on Eighth Amendment cases in dismissing his Fifth Amendment "racial slur" claim, but this does not change the fact that, as with his remaining Fifth Amendment claims, Braswell has not implicated a life, liberty or property interest.

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