Filed: Jun. 19, 2000
Latest Update: Mar. 02, 2020
Summary: IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT No. 99-11412 Conference Calendar CHARMANE SMITH, Plaintiff-Appellant, versus FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTER CARSWELL, Defendant-Appellee. - Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas USDC No. 4:99-CV-327-T - June 16, 2000 Before JOLLY, DAVIS, and DUHÉ, Circuit Judges. PER CURIAM:* Charmane Smith, federal prisoner # 15587-076, appeals the district court’s dismissal of her civil rights action for failure to st
Summary: IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT No. 99-11412 Conference Calendar CHARMANE SMITH, Plaintiff-Appellant, versus FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTER CARSWELL, Defendant-Appellee. - Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas USDC No. 4:99-CV-327-T - June 16, 2000 Before JOLLY, DAVIS, and DUHÉ, Circuit Judges. PER CURIAM:* Charmane Smith, federal prisoner # 15587-076, appeals the district court’s dismissal of her civil rights action for failure to sta..
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IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
No. 99-11412
Conference Calendar
CHARMANE SMITH,
Plaintiff-Appellant,
versus
FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTER CARSWELL,
Defendant-Appellee.
--------------------
Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Northern District of Texas
USDC No. 4:99-CV-327-T
--------------------
June 16, 2000
Before JOLLY, DAVIS, and DUHÉ, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM:*
Charmane Smith, federal prisoner # 15587-076, appeals the
district court’s dismissal of her civil rights action for failure
to state a claim pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(A) and
§ 1915(e)(2)(B)(ii). Smith argues that her civil commitment is
illegal, that the involuntary medication is unnecessary and
dangerous to her health, that the evaluating psychologist was
unethical, negligent, or criminal in his diagnosis, and that the
magistrate judge’s findings had nothing to do with her lawsuit.
According to Smith, she was criminally indicted on several
*
Pursuant to 5TH CIR. R. 47.5, the court has determined
that this opinion should not be published and is not precedent
except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH CIR.
R. 47.5.4.
No. 99-11412
-2-
charges but was determined incompetent to stand trial, was
committed to the custody of the Attorney General for four months
by an order entered on June 18, 1997, and was sent to FMC
Carswell for restoration of competency. She states that on
October 2, 1998, she was civilly committed pursuant to 18 U.S.C.
§ 4246(d). She contends that her lawsuit is for a monetary
judgment and release from prison on the grounds that she was
illegally committed and that the psychologist was guilty of
negligence and malpractice. The focus of her brief is a
challenge to the civil commitment order issued by the district
court in the Western District of Tennessee. She does not
challenge the basis of the district court’s dismissal of this
civil rights action, that she has not named an individual
defendant subject to suit under Bivens v. Six Unknown Named
Agents of Federal Bureau of Narcotics,
403 U.S. 388 (1971) or the
Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA).
Smith filed a separate habeas petition pursuant to 28 U.S.C.
§ 2241 in the Northern District of Texas on May 13, 1999,
challenging the civil commitment order. The district court
dismissed that action because Smith’s direct appeal of the
commitment order was pending in the Western District of
Tennessee. Smith v. Bogan, No. 4:99-CV-384-Y (N.D. Tex. Nov. 16,
1999). Smith is seeking essentially the same relief in this
civil action as she sought in the habeas action. She seeks to
challenge the propriety of the civil commitment order.
The district court did not err in dismissing Smith’s
complaint for failure to state a claim. Black v. Warren, 134
No. 99-11412
-3-
F.3d 732, 733-34 (5th Cir. 1998). Due to Smith’s failure to
address the basis of the district court’s dismissal, her appeal
is without arguable merit and is frivolous. See Howard v. King,
707 F.2d 215, 219-20 (5th Cir. 1983). Because the appeal is
frivolous, it is DISMISSED. See 5TH CIR. R. 42.2. All
outstanding motions are DENIED.
Smith is hereby informed that the dismissal of this appeal
as frivolous counts as a strike for purposes of 28 U.S.C.
§ 1915(g), in addition to the strike for the district court’s
dismissal for failure to state a claim. See Adepegba v. Hammons,
103 F.3d 383, 387 (5th Cir. 1996) (“[D]ismissals as frivolous in
the district courts or the court of appeals count [as strikes]
for the purposes of [§ 1915(g)].”). We caution Smith that once
she accumulates three strikes, she may not proceed IFP in any
civil action or appeal filed while she is incarcerated or
detained in any facility unless she is under imminent danger of
serious physical injury. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g).
APPEAL DISMISSED AS FRIVOLOUS; MOTIONS DENIED.