Court Opinion

ID: 9918835
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-01-16 18:02:15.297348+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:06:10.606799
License: Public Domain

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
                              FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

MARCUS O. TAITE-EL-BEY-TEY-                      )
WASHITOW TURNER,                                 )
                                                 )
                Plaintiff,                       )
                                                 )
        v.                                       )       Civil Action No. 23-03542 (UNA)
                                                 )
                                                 )
ALABAMA GOVERNOR                                 )
KAY IVEY et al.,                                 )
                                                 )
                 Defendants.                     )

                                    MEMORANDUM OPINION

        Plaintiff, an Alabama state prisoner, has filed a pro se complaint, ECF No. 1, and an

application to proceed in forma pauperis, ECF No. 3. The complaint, naming Alabama’s three

branches of government and baldly citing federal statutes, is incomprehensible. Federal courts

lack “power to entertain claims otherwise within their jurisdiction if,” as here, “they are so

attenuated and unsubstantial as to be absolutely devoid of merit.” Hagans v. Lavine, 415 U.S. 528,

536–37 (1974). Furthermore, the Eleventh Amendment generally immunizes states from suits

filed against them in federal court. 1 Consequently, this case will be dismissed by separate order.

                                                         _________/s/______________
                                                         CHRISTOPHER R. COOPER
Date: January 12, 2024                                   United States District Judge

1
   The Eleventh Amendment to the U.S. Constitution provides: “The Judicial power of the United States
shall not be construed to extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against one of the
United States by Citizens of another State, or by Citizens or Subjects of any Foreign State.” U.S. Const.
amend. XI. The Supreme Court “long ago held that the Eleventh Amendment bars a citizen from bringing
suit against the citizen’s own State in federal court, even though the express terms of the Amendment refer
only to suits by citizens of another State.” Welch v. Texas Dept. of Highways and Public Transp., 483 U.S.
468, 472 (1987).