Kenneth Blake v. MO Dept. of Corrections, et al

Filing

PER CURIAM OPINION FILED - THE COURT: Lavenski R. Smith, Kermit E. Bye and Bobby E. Shepherd (UNPUBLISHED) [4356498] [14-3516]

United States Court of Appeals
For the Eighth Circuit
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No. 14-3516
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Kenneth L. Blake
lllllllllllllllllllll Plaintiff - Appellant
Sidney Lanier; Lloyd Davis; Sultan Lane
lllllllllllllllllllll Plaintiffs
v.
Missouri Department of Corrections; Dwayne Kempker; Mike Kemna; Larry
Denney; Terry Page; Darin Morgan; John Brown; Montgomery; Dana Hughes;
Dan Greene; Russell Hollowell; Karon Gatton; M. Pettigrew; R. Lima; Bradley
Bird; Vincent Negus; A. Francis; Doug Worsham; David Mansingh; Lilly Moore;
Robin Norris; C.O.I. Cooper; John Does; Bradley Burd; Scott Cooper; Amy
Francis; Brian Montgomery; Mandy Pettigrew; Kimberly Ross; James Helton;
Wayne Hurley; Lora Welling; Tobey McMullen; Benjamin Brooke
lllllllllllllllllllll Defendants - Appellees
____________
Appeal from United States District Court
for the Western District of Missouri - St. Joseph
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Submitted: November 24, 2015
Filed: January 15, 2016
[Unpublished]
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Before SMITH, BYE, and SHEPHERD, Circuit Judges.
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Appellate Case: 14-3516

Page: 1

Date Filed: 01/15/2016 Entry ID: 4356498

PER CURIAM.
Missouri inmate Kenneth L. Blake appeals the district court’s1 adverse grant of
summary judgment in this action under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and the Religious Land Use
and Institutionalized Persons Act. Upon careful consideration of Blake’s arguments
for reversal, and de novo review of the record relevant to the claims he raises on
appeal, see Murchison v. Rogers, 779 F.3d 882, 886-87 (8th Cir. 2015) (summary
judgment standard of review); Hess v. Ables, 714 F.3d 1048, 1051 n.2 (8th Cir. 2013)
(abandonment of claims), we find no basis for reversal. We also find no abuse of
discretion in the district court’s denial of appointed counsel, see Phillips v. Jasper
County Jail, 437 F.3d 791,794 (8th Cir. 2006) (there is no constitutional or statutory
right to appointed counsel in civil case; relevant criteria), or in the denial of class
certification, see Chaffin v. Rheem Mfg. Co., 904 F.2d 1269, 1275-76 (8th Cir. 1990).
The judgment of the district court is affirmed.
______________________________

1

The Honorable Fernando J. Gaitan, Jr., United States District Judge for the
Western District of Missouri.
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Appellate Case: 14-3516

Page: 2

Date Filed: 01/15/2016 Entry ID: 4356498