Source: http://openjurist.org/358/f3d/1281/robinson-v-v-crosby-d
Timestamp: 2015-08-30 20:23:27
Document Index: 292456925

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 1983', '§ 1983', '§ 1983', '§ 1983', '§ 1983', '§ 1983', '§ 1983', '§ 1983', '§ 1983', '§ 1983', '§ 1983', '§ 2254', '§ 2254']

358 F3d 1281 Robinson v. V Crosby D | OpenJurist
358 F. 3d 1281 - Robinson v. V Crosby D Home
358 F3d 1281 Robinson v. V Crosby D 358 F.3d 1281
Johnny ROBINSON, Plaintiff-Appellant,v.James V. CROSBY, Bradley D. Carter, Joseph Thompson, Unknown Executioners at Florida State Prison, Defendants-Appellees.
No. 04-10490.
Peter James Cannon, Capital Collateral Regional Counsel-Middle, Tampa, FL, for Plaintiff-Appellant.
Kenneth Sloan Nunnelley, Barbara Curtis Davis, Dept of Legal Affairs, Whited & Davis, Daytona Beach, FL, for Defendants-Appellees.
This § 1983 lawsuit is before this Court on Plaintiff Johnny L. Robinson's "Motion for a Temporary Restraining Order, Preliminary Injunction, and/or Stay of Execution Pending Appeal and Pending the Supreme Court's Decision in Nelson v. Campbell and Memorandum in Support Thereof."
Johnny L. Robinson ("Robinson") is a Florida inmate convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. Defendants plan to carry out Robinson's death sentence through the intravenous lethal injection of certain drugs. On February 2, 2004, two days before his scheduled execution, Robinson filed a 42 U.S.C. § 1983 complaint in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida.
Robinson's § 1983 complaint contends that death by lethal injection causes unnecessary pain and suffering and therefore violates his Eighth and Fourteenth Amendment rights to be free from cruel and unusual punishment. Robinson asserts that lethal injection causes those who are executed pain and suffering while they are paralyzed and unable to communicate. Robinson's § 1983 lawsuit seeks not only a temporary restraining order of his execution by lethal injection scheduled for February 4, 2004, at 6:00 p.m., but also an injunction to prevent entirely his execution by lethal injection. By order dated February 3, 2004, at 10:07 a.m., the district court dismissed Robinson's § 1983 complaint for lack of jurisdiction.
Later on February 3, 2004, Robinson filed in this Court (1) a "Notice of Appeal of Order Dismissing Action" and (2) a "Motion for a Temporary Restraining Order, Preliminary Injunction, and/or Stay of Execution Pending Appeal and Pending the Supreme Court's Decision in Nelson v. Campbell and Memorandum in Support Thereof." Robinson has not asked that his appeal be expedited, but rather seeks to enjoin his execution pending appeal. Robinson's Motion alleges that he has shown: (1) a substantial likelihood of success on the merits of his appeal of the district court's order dismissing his § 1983 lawsuit; (2) that the requested action is necessary to prevent irreparable injury; (3) that the threatened injury outweighs the harm the restraining order or injunction would inflict upon the non-movant; and (4) that the requested action would serve the public interest.1
We deny Robinson's Motion because the district court properly dismissed his § 1983 lawsuit and he has not shown a likelihood of success, much less a substantial likelihood of success, in his pending appeal of the district court's dismissal of his § 1983 lawsuit.2 Further, as discussed herein, Robinson's § 1983 lawsuit does not raise the same claim as in Nelson v. Campbell, 347 F.3d 910 (11th Cir.2003), cert. granted, ___ U.S. ___, 124 S.Ct. 835, 157 L.Ed.2d 692 (Dec. 1, 2003). Rather, Robinson's complaint raises claims like those in cases where the Supreme Court has denied stays of execution even after Nelson. See In re Roe, ___ U.S. ___, 124 S.Ct. 1196, 157 L.Ed.2d 1224, 2004 WL 189771 (U.S. Feb. 2, 2004) (stay denied); Vickers v. Johnson, 2004 WL 168080 (U.S. Jan.28, 2004) (stay denied); Zimmerman v. Johnson, ___ U.S. ___, 124 S.Ct. 979, 157 L.Ed.2d 792 (Dec. 15, 2003) (stay denied); see also Beck v. Rowsey, ___ U.S. ___, 124 S.Ct. 980, 157 L.Ed.2d 811 (2004) (Supreme Court vacated stay entered by district court).
I. District Court Properly Dismissed Robinson's § 1983 Lawsuit
The procedural history of this case prior to this § 1983 lawsuit is set out in detail in Robinson v. Moore, 300 F.3d 1320 (11th Cir.2002), and Robinson v. State, 865 So.2d 1259, 2004 WL 170362 (Fla.S.Ct., Jan. 29, 2004). For purposes of this order, it is sufficient to note that Robinson previously filed a federal habeas petition under 28 U.S.C. § 2254, which alleged numerous claims of error. On August 8, 2002, this Court affirmed the district court's denial of Robinson's § 2254 petitio