Filed: Apr. 24, 2019
Latest Update: Mar. 03, 2020
Summary: Case: 18-30623 Document: 00514928623 Page: 1 Date Filed: 04/24/2019 IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit FILED No. 18-30623 April 24, 2019 Summary Calendar Lyle W. Cayce Clerk JERRY PAUL FRANCIS, Plaintiff-Appellant v. JAMES M. LEBLANC, SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND CORRECTIONS; SHERYL RANATZA, The Committee on Parole and Pardon Board, Chairperson, Defendants-Appellees Appeal from the United States District Court fo
Summary: Case: 18-30623 Document: 00514928623 Page: 1 Date Filed: 04/24/2019 IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit FILED No. 18-30623 April 24, 2019 Summary Calendar Lyle W. Cayce Clerk JERRY PAUL FRANCIS, Plaintiff-Appellant v. JAMES M. LEBLANC, SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND CORRECTIONS; SHERYL RANATZA, The Committee on Parole and Pardon Board, Chairperson, Defendants-Appellees Appeal from the United States District Court for..
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Case: 18-30623 Document: 00514928623 Page: 1 Date Filed: 04/24/2019
IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
United States Court of Appeals
Fifth Circuit
FILED
No. 18-30623 April 24, 2019
Summary Calendar
Lyle W. Cayce
Clerk
JERRY PAUL FRANCIS,
Plaintiff-Appellant
v.
JAMES M. LEBLANC, SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
AND CORRECTIONS; SHERYL RANATZA, The Committee on Parole and
Pardon Board, Chairperson,
Defendants-Appellees
Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Middle District of Louisiana
USDC No. 3:15-CV-411
Before SMITH, WIENER, and WILLETT, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM: *
Jerry Paul Francis, Louisiana prisoner # 86386, appeals from the district
court’s dismissal of his 42 U.S.C. § 1983 complaint as legally frivolous and for
failure to state a claim. The district court dismissed without prejudice to
Francis’s right to reassert his claims in a federal habeas corpus proceeding
after exhausting available state court remedies. On appeal, Francis argues
* 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 R. 47.5, the court has determined that this opinion should not
be published and is not precedent except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH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.
Case: 18-30623 Document: 00514928623 Page: 2 Date Filed: 04/24/2019
No. 18-30623
that (1) the Louisiana Parole and Pardon Board’s denial of parole contravened
Graham v. Florida,
560 U.S. 48 (2010), and Miller v. Alabama,
567 U.S. 460
(2012), and (2) his challenge is cognizable under § 1983.
We review the dismissal de novo. See Geiger v. Jowers,
404 F.3d 371,
373 (5th Cir. 2005). Because the Louisiana Parole and Pardon Board
determined that Francis was eligible for parole and provided him with some
meaningful opportunity to obtain release, he has not shown a violation under
Graham and Miller. See
Graham, 560 U.S. at 75. As his complaint was
frivolous on this ground, it was properly subject to dismissal under 28 U.S.C.
§§ 1915(e)(2)(B)(i) and 1915A(b)(1). See Morris v. McAllester,
702 F.3d 187,
189 (5th Cir. 2012). We therefore do not need to consider the district court’s
alternative basis for dismissal. See Sojourner T. v. Edwards,
974 F.2d 27, 30
(5th Cir. 1992).
Accordingly, the district court’s judgment is AFFIRMED.
2