Filed: Apr. 18, 2006
Latest Update: Feb. 21, 2020
Summary: United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit F I L E D IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS April 18, 2006 FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT Charles R. Fulbruge III Clerk No. 05-60817 Summary Calendar EUGENE TURNER WRIGHT, Plaintiff-Appellant, versus RICHARD PENNINGTON, Law Library Director; VALERIE SHOWERS BURCHFIELD, Law Library Staff; KAREN CUMMINS, Acting Law Library Technician, Defendants-Appellees. - Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi USDC No. 4:04-C
Summary: United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit F I L E D IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS April 18, 2006 FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT Charles R. Fulbruge III Clerk No. 05-60817 Summary Calendar EUGENE TURNER WRIGHT, Plaintiff-Appellant, versus RICHARD PENNINGTON, Law Library Director; VALERIE SHOWERS BURCHFIELD, Law Library Staff; KAREN CUMMINS, Acting Law Library Technician, Defendants-Appellees. - Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi USDC No. 4:04-CV..
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United States Court of Appeals
Fifth Circuit
F I L E D
IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS April 18, 2006
FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
Charles R. Fulbruge III
Clerk
No. 05-60817
Summary Calendar
EUGENE TURNER WRIGHT,
Plaintiff-Appellant,
versus
RICHARD PENNINGTON, Law Library Director; VALERIE SHOWERS
BURCHFIELD, Law Library Staff; KAREN CUMMINS, Acting Law Library
Technician,
Defendants-Appellees.
--------------------
Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Northern District of Mississippi
USDC No. 4:04-CV-204
--------------------
Before SMITH, GARZA, and PRADO, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM:*
Eugene Turner Wright, Mississippi prisoner # 05578, has
filed an application for leave to proceed in forma pauperis (IFP)
on appeal, following the district court’s denial of Wright’s FED.
R. CIV. P. 60(b) motion for relief from the judgment dismissing
his 42 U.S.C. § 1983 complaint for failure to state a claim. By
moving to proceed IFP, Wright is challenging the district court’s
certification that IFP should not be granted on appeal because
*
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that this opinion should not be published and is not precedent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. 05-60817
-2-
his appeal is not taken in good faith. See Baugh v. Taylor,
117
F.3d 197, 202 (5th Cir. 1997).
The district court determined that Wright’s complaint, which
alleged the mishandling of Wright’s petition for a writ of
certiorari to the United States Supreme Court, sounded in
negligence and did not state a constitutional claim. In his IFP
motion to this court, as in his Rule 60(b) motion, Wright
contends that the negligent acts of the defendants resulted in a
denial of the right of access to the courts, as well as in the
violation of his rights to due process and equal protection.
Negligent conduct is not actionable under 42 U.S.C. § 1983.
Marsh v. Jones,
53 F.3d 707, 711-12 (5th Cir. 1995).
Wright also argues, as he did in his Rule 60(b) motion, that
the district court erred procedurally in handling his action.
Specifically, Wright contends that the district court should have
provided him an opportunity to amend his complaint, that he was
entitled to a hearing under Spears v. McCotter,
766 F.2d 179 (5th
Cir. 1985), that his complaint should not have been dismissed
prior to service on the defendants, and that his pro se complaint
was not given the benefit of liberal construction. Wright’s
arguments fail to show that the district court abused its
discretion in denying his Rule 60(b) motion. See Seven Elves,
Inc. v. Eskenazi,
635 F.2d 396, 402 (5th Cir. 1981).
Accordingly, we uphold the district court’s order certifying that
the appeal presents no nonfrivolous issues.
Wright’s request for IFP status is denied, and his appeal is
dismissed as frivolous. See
Baugh, 117 F.3d at 202 n.24; 5TH CIR.
No. 05-60817
-3-
R. 42.2. The dismissal of this appeal as frivolous counts as a
strike for purposes of 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g), as does the district
court’s dismissal of Wright’s complaint for failure to state a
claim. See Adepegba v. Hammons,
103 F.3d 383, 387 (5th Cir.
1996). Wright is hereby cautioned that once he accumulates three
strikes, he may not proceed IFP in any civil action or appeal
filed while he is incarcerated or detained in any facility unless
he is under imminent danger of serious physical injury. See 28
U.S.C. § 1915(g).
IFP DENIED; APPEAL DISMISSED AS FRIVOLOUS; SANCTION WARNING
ISSUED.