Court Opinion

ID: 9890595
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-10-13 18:01:13.613537+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:50:02.382340
License: Public Domain

Case: 23-50052        Document: 00516930062             Page: 1      Date Filed: 10/13/2023

             United States Court of Appeals
                  for the Fifth Circuit
                                     ____________
                                                                               United States Court of Appeals
                                                                                        Fifth Circuit
                                      No. 23-50052
                                    Summary Calendar                                  FILED
                                    ____________                               October 13, 2023
                                                                                 Lyle W. Cayce
   United States of America,                                                          Clerk

                                                                      Plaintiff—Appellee,

                                            versus

   Daniel Thomason Smith,

                                              Defendant—Appellant.
                     ______________________________

                     Appeal from the United States District Court
                          for the Western District of Texas
                               USDC No. 6:16-CR-39-1
                     ______________________________

   Before Jones, Higginson, and Ho, Circuit Judges.
   Per Curiam: *
         Daniel Thomason Smith, federal prisoner # 29163-380, moves for
   leave to proceed in forma pauperis (IFP) on appeal from the denial of his 18
   U.S.C. § 3582(c)(1)(A)(i) motion for compassionate release. Smith’s IFP
   motion challenges the district court’s determination that the appeal is not
   taken in good faith. See Baugh v. Taylor, 117 F.3d 197, 202 (5th Cir. 1997).

         _____________________
         *
             This opinion is not designated for publication. See 5th Cir. R. 47.5.
Case: 23-50052      Document: 00516930062           Page: 2    Date Filed: 10/13/2023

                                     No. 23-50052

   Our inquiry into whether the appeal is taken in good faith “is limited to
   whether the appeal involves ‘legal points arguable on their merits (and
   therefore not frivolous).’” Howard v. King, 707 F.2d 215, 220 (5th Cir. 1983)
   (citation omitted).
          Smith does not address, and has therefore waived any challenge to,
   the denial of any of the claims raised in the § 3582(c)(1)(A)(i) motion at issue,
   including his request for compassionate release based upon Covid-19 and his
   alleged health conditions. See Yohey v. Collins, 985 F.2d 222, 225 (5th Cir.
   1993) (holding that pro se appellant must brief arguments to preserve them);
   Brinkmann v. Dallas Cnty. Deputy Sheriff Abner, 813 F.2d 744, 748 (5th Cir.
   1987) (observing that failure to identify any error in district court’s analysis
   is same as if appellant had not appealed). Instead, he raises a series of
   arguments which were not mentioned in his § 3582(c)(1)(A)(i) motion and
   which we will not consider. See United States v. Thompson, 984 F.3d 431, 432
   n.1 (5th Cir. 2021). To the extent that Smith intends to challenge the denials
   of his subsequently filed motions for exception and judicial notice, we lack
   jurisdiction to consider his arguments because he did not separately file
   notices of appeal from the denials of those motions. See Fed. R. App. P.
   3(a)(1).
          As he has not shown that his appeal involves a nonfrivolous issue,
   Smith’s motions to proceed IFP and for appointment of counsel are
   DENIED, and his appeal is DISMISSED in part as frivolous and in part
   for lack of jurisdiction. See Baugh, 117 F.3d at 202 n.24; 5th Cir. R. 42.2;
   Rule 3(a)(1).

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