Cooks v. Glasier et al

Filing 7

OPINION, MEMORANDUM AND ORDER: IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that plaintiff's motion to proceed in forma pauperis [Doc. # 2 ] is GRANTED. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the plaintiff shall pay an initial filing fee of $1.00 within thirty (30) days of th e date of this Order. Plaintiff is instructed to make his remittance payable to "Clerk, United States District Court," and to include upon it: (1) his name; (2) his prison registration number; (3) the case number; and (4) that the remittanc e is for an original proceeding. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Clerk shall mail plaintiff a copy of the Court's Prisoner Civil Rights Complaint form. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that plaintiff shall file an amended complaint within thirty (30) days of the date of this order. (Amended/Supplemental Pleadings due by 4/15/2012). Signed by Honorable Henry E. Autrey on 3/16/12. (copy of Prisoner Civil Rights Complaint form mailed along with copy of this order)(TRC)

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
EASTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI
EASTERN DIVISION
GARY ALLAN COOKS,
Plaintiff,
v.
RHONDA GLASIER, et al.,
Defendants.

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No. 4:12CV118 HEA

OPINION, MEMORANDUM AND ORDER
This matter is before the Court upon the motion of Gary Cooks (registration no.
172469), an inmate at the St. Francois County Jail, for leave to commence this action
without payment of the required filing fee. For the reasons stated below, the Court
finds that plaintiff does not have sufficient funds to pay the entire filing fee and will
assess an initial partial filing fee of $1.00. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1). Furthermore,
the Court will order plaintiff to submit an amended complaint.
28 U.S.C. § 1915(g)
Plaintiff, a prisoner, has filed at least three previous cases that were dismissed
as frivolous, malicious, or for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be
granted. Under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g), therefore, the Court may not grant the motion
unless plaintiff “is under imminent danger of serious physical injury.” In his
complaint, plaintiff alleges he is not being given enough food and that he is losing

weight. The Court finds this to be a sufficient allegation of imminent danger such
that plaintiff should be allowed to proceed in forma pauperis.
28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1)
Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1), a prisoner bringing a civil action in forma
pauperis is required to pay the full amount of the filing fee. If the prisoner has
insufficient funds in his or her prison account to pay the entire fee, the Court must
assess and, when funds exist, collect an initial partial filing fee of 20 percent of the
greater of (1) the average monthly deposits in the prisoner’s account, or (2) the
average monthly balance in the prisoner’s account for the prior six-month period.
After payment of the initial partial filing fee, the prisoner is required to make monthly
payments of 20 percent of the preceding month’s income credited to the prisoner’s
account. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(2). The agency having custody of the prisoner will
forward these monthly payments to the Clerk of Court each time the amount in the
prisoner’s account exceeds $10, until the filing fee is fully paid. Id.
Plaintiff has submitted an affidavit and a certified copy of his prison account
statement for the six-month period immediately preceding the submission of his
complaint. A review of plaintiff’s account indicates an average monthly deposit of
$8.33 and a negative monthly balance. Plaintiff has insufficient funds to pay the

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entire filing fee. Accordingly, the Court will assess an initial partial filing fee of
$1.66, which is 20 percent of plaintiff’s average monthly deposit.
28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)
Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B), the Court must dismiss a complaint
filed in forma pauperis if the action is frivolous, malicious, fails to state a claim upon
which relief can be granted, or seeks monetary relief from a defendant who is immune
from such relief. An action is frivolous if it “lacks an arguable basis in either law or
fact.” Neitzke v. Williams, 490 U.S. 319, 328 (1989); Denton v. Hernandez, 504 U.S.
25, 31 (1992). An action is malicious if it is undertaken for the purpose of harassing
the named defendants and not for the purpose of vindicating a cognizable right.
Spencer v. Rhodes, 656 F. Supp. 458, 461-63 (E.D.N.C. 1987), aff’d 826 F.2d 1059
(4th Cir. 1987). A complaint fails to state a claim if it does not plead “enough facts
to state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.” Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly,
550 U.S. 544, 570 (2007).
The Complaint
Plaintiff brings this action under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Defendants are officials
at the St. Francois County Jail. Plaintiff alleges that he has not been given sufficient
food and that he has lost up to twenty-five pounds. Plaintiff further alleges that he
was assaulted by prison staff and denied medical treatment.
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Discussion
The complaint is silent as to whether defendants are being sued in their official
or individual capacities. Where a “complaint is silent about the capacity in which
[plaintiff] is suing defendant, [a district court must] interpret the complaint as
including only official-capacity claims.” Egerdahl v. Hibbing Community College,
72 F.3d 615, 619 (8th Cir. 1995); Nix v. Norman, 879 F.2d 429, 431 (8th Cir. 1989).
Naming a government official in his or her official capacity is the equivalent of
naming the government entity that employs the official. Will v. Michigan Dep’t of
State Police, 491 U.S. 58, 71 (1989). To state a claim against a municipality or a
government official in his or her official capacity, plaintiff must allege that a policy
or custom of the government entity is responsible for the alleged constitutional
violation. Monell v. Dep’t of Social Services, 436 U.S. 658, 690-91 (1978). The
instant complaint does not contain any allegations that a policy or custom of a
government entity was responsible for the alleged violations of plaintiff’s
constitutional rights. As a result, the complaint fails to state a claim upon which
relief can be granted.
“Liability under § 1983 requires a causal link to, and direct responsibility for,
the alleged deprivation of rights.” Madewell v. Roberts, 909 F.2d 1203, 1208 (8th
Cir. 1990); see also Martin v. Sargent, 780 F.2d 1334, 1338 (8th Cir. 1985) (claim not
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cognizable under § 1983 where plaintiff fails to allege that defendant was personally
involved in or directly responsible for the incidents that injured plaintiff); Boyd v.
Knox, 47 F.3d 966, 968 (8th Cir. 1995) (respondeat superior theory inapplicable in
§ 1983 suits). In the instant action, plaintiff does not state who has been denying him
food. As a result, these allegations fail to state a claim upon which relief can be
granted.
Plaintiff’s allegations regarding being assaulted are conclusory and fail to
allege sufficient facts to state a plausible claim for relief.
Because plaintiff is proceeding pro se, the Court will allow plaintiff to file an
amended complaint. Plaintiff shall have thirty days from the date of this Order to file
an amended complaint. Plaintiff is warned that the filing of an amended complaint
replaces the original complaint, and claims that are not realleged are deemed
abandoned. E.g., In re Wireless Telephone Federal Cost Recovery Fees Litigation,
396 F.3d 922, 928 (8th Cir. 2005). If plaintiff fails to file an amended complaint
within thirty days, the Court will dismiss this action without prejudice.
Accordingly,
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that plaintiff’s motion to proceed in forma
pauperis [Doc. #2] is GRANTED.

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IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the plaintiff shall pay an initial filing fee
of $1.00 within thirty (30) days of the date of this Order. Plaintiff is instructed to
make his remittance payable to “Clerk, United States District Court,” and to include
upon it: (1) his name; (2) his prison registration number; (3) the case number; and (4)
that the remittance is for an original proceeding.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Clerk shall mail plaintiff a copy of the
Court’s Prisoner Civil Rights Complaint form.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that plaintiff shall file an amended complaint
within thirty (30) days of the date of this order.
Dated this 16th day of March, 2012.

HENRY EDWARD AUTREY
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

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