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    Muhammad v. Berry, 10th Cir. (2006)

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    This order from the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit affirms the district court's dismissal of a prisoner's civil rights lawsuit for failure to exhaust administrative remedies as required by the Prison Litigation Reform Act. The court found that although the prisoner filed several grievances related to his claims, he did not properly follow the prison's grievance procedures or correct deficiencies in his grievances when notified. Specifically, he failed to attach required documentation of previous requests to staff and did not provide evidence of attempting to cure the deficiencies.

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    Public Domain
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    Muhammad v. Berry, 10th Cir. (2006)

    Uploaded by

    Scribd Government Docs
    17 views5 pages
    This order from the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit affirms the district court's dismissal of a prisoner's civil rights lawsuit for failure to exhaust administrative remedies as required by the Prison Litigation Reform Act. The court found that although the prisoner filed several grievances related to his claims, he did not properly follow the prison's grievance procedures or correct deficiencies in his grievances when notified. Specifically, he failed to attach required documentation of previous requests to staff and did not provide evidence of attempting to cure the deficiencies.

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    Filed: 2006-10-04 Precedential Status: Precedential Docket: 06-7021

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    This order from the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit affirms the district court's dismissal of a prisoner's civil rights lawsuit for failure to exhaust administrative remedies as required by the Prison Litigation Reform Act. The court found that although the prisoner filed several grievances related to his claims, he did not properly follow the prison's grievance procedures or correct deficiencies in his grievances when notified. Specifically, he failed to attach required documentation of previous requests to staff and did not provide evidence of attempting to cure the deficiencies.

    Copyright:

    Public Domain
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf
    17 views5 pages

    Muhammad v. Berry, 10th Cir. (2006)

    Uploaded by

    Scribd Government Docs
    This order from the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit affirms the district court's dismissal of a prisoner's civil rights lawsuit for failure to exhaust administrative remedies as required by the Prison Litigation Reform Act. The court found that although the prisoner filed several grievances related to his claims, he did not properly follow the prison's grievance procedures or correct deficiencies in his grievances when notified. Specifically, he failed to attach required documentation of previous requests to staff and did not provide evidence of attempting to cure the deficiencies.

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    F I L E D

    United States Court of Appeals


    Tenth Circuit
    UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
    TENTH CIRCUIT

    October 4, 2006
    Elisabeth A. Shumaker
    Clerk of Court

    A B D U LLA H L. R . M U H A M M A D ,
    Plaintiff-A ppellant,
    v.

    No. 06-7021

    ROBERT BERRY, Unit M anager;


    JOH N TH OM AS; M ATT KNIGH T;
    M IKE PRUITT, Unit M anager;
    B ILL W H ITE, Sargent; M IK E
    M ULLIN, W arden; and BOBBY
    B O O N E , D eputy D irector, D O C ,

    ( D .C . N o . C I V - 0 4 - 4 6 7 - F H S )
    (E. D . O klahoma)

    D efendants-A ppellees.

    ORDER AND JUDGM ENT*

    B e f o r e H E N R Y , B R I S C O E , a n d O B R I E N , C i r c u it J u d g e s .

    A f te r e x a m i n i n g t h e b r i e f s a n d a p p e l l a te r e c o rd , t h i s p a n e l h a s
    determined unanimously that oral argument would not materially assist in
    t h e d e t e r m in a t i o n o f t h i s a p p e a l . S e e F e d . R . A p p . P . 3 4 ( a ) ( 2 ) ; 1 0 t h C ir . R .

    T h i s o r d e r a n d ju d g m e n t i s n o t b i n d i n g p r e c e d e n t, e x c e p t u n d e r t h e
    d o c t r in e s o f l a w o f t h e c a s e , r e s j u d i c a t a , a n d c o l la t e r a l e s t o p p e l . T h e c o u r t
    g e n e ra ll y d i s f a v o rs t h e c it a ti o n o f o r d e r s a n d ju d g m e n ts ; n e v e rt h e le s s , a n
    o r d e r a n d j u d g m e n t m a y b e c i te d u n d e r t h e t e r m s a n d c o n d i ti o n s o f 1 0 t h C i r.
    R . 36.3.

    3 4 . 1 ( G ) . T h e c a s e is , th e re f o re , o r d e r e d s u b m itte d w ith o u t o r a l a r g u m e n t.
    P e t i t i o n e r A b d u l l a h L a m a r R a s h id M u h a m m a d , a p r i s o n e r i n c u s t o d y
    o f th e S t a te o f O k l a h o m a p r o c e e d i n g p r o s e , a p p e a l s t h e d is m i s s a l o f h is 4 2
    U . S . C . 1 9 8 3 c iv i l r i g h t s a c ti o n . W e e x e r c is e ju r i s d i c ti o n p u r s u a n t t o 2 8
    U . S . C . 1 2 9 1 a n d a f f ir m .
    M r . M u h a m m a d f il e d s u i t w i t h a f e l l o w p r i s o n e r , M i c h a e l H o r t o n , o n
    O c to b e r 2 6 , 2 0 0 4 , a ll e g in g : 1 ) d e f e n d a n ts v i o l a te d th e ir E i g h t h A m e n d m e n t
    r i g h t s b y s u b j e c ti n g t h e m t o c r u e l a n d u n u s u a l p u n i s h m e n t, d e m o n s t r a ti n g
    deliberate indifference to their safety needs, and endangering their lives by
    h o u s i n g t h e m w i t h o t h e r i n m a te s w h o w e r e a ll e g e d ly m e m b e r s o f th e
    U n i v e r s a l A r ya n B r o t h e r h o o d ( U A B ) a n d t h e I n d i a n B r o t h e r h o o d ( I B H ) ;
    2) defendants violated their First, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Eighth
    A m e n d m e n t r i g h t s b y p l a c in g t h e m i n d i s c ip l i n a r y s e g r e g a ti o n ; a n d 3 )
    d e f e n d a n ts v i o l a te d th e ir F i r s t , F o u r t h , E i g h t h , a n d F o u r t e e n th A m e n d m e n t
    rights by retaliating against plaintiffs. The defendants filed a M otion to
    D i s m i s s / M o t i o n f o r S u m m a r y J u d g m e n t, w h i c h th e c o u rt t r e a te d a s a m o t i o n
    f o r s u m m a ry ju d g m e n t s in c e it c o n s id e r e d m a tte r s o u ts id e th e c o u r t r e c o r d .
    T h e d is t r i c t c o u r t g r a n te d th e d e f e n d a n ts m o t i o n a n d d is m i s s e d th e c a s e f o r
    f a il u r e to e x h a u s t a d m i n i s t r a ti v e r e m e d i e s p u r s u a n t t o t h e P r i s o n L i t i g a ti o n
    R e f o r m A c t. O n ly M r. M u h a m m a d a p p e a ls .
    W e r e v ie w d e n o v o a d is m i s s a l f o r f a il u r e to e x h a u s t a d m i n i s t r a ti v e
    -2-

    r e m e d i e s . J e r n i g a n v . S t u c h e ll , 3 0 4 F . 3 d 1 0 3 0 , 1 0 3 2 ( 1 0 t h C i r . 2 0 0 2 )
    ( c it a t i o n o m i t t e d ) . T h e P r is o n L i t i g a t io n R e f o r m A c t ( P L R A ) p r o v i d e s :
    N o a c ti o n s h a ll b e b r o u g h t w i t h r e s p e c t t o p r i s o n c o n d it i o n s u n d e r s e c ti o n
    1 9 8 3 o f th i s t i t l e , o r a n y o t h e r F e d e r a l l a w , b y a p r i s o n e r c o n f in e d in a n y
    j a il , p r i s o n , o r o t h e r c o r r e c ti o n a l f a c i l i t y u n t i l s u c h a d m i n i s t r a ti v e r e m e d i e s
    a s a r e a v a i l a b le a re e x h a u s t e d . 4 2 U .S . C . 1 9 9 7 e ( a ) . A n i n m a te w h o
    b e g in s t h e g r i e v a n c e p r o c e s s b u t d o e s n o t c o m p l e te it i s b a r r e d f r o m
    pursuing a 1983 claim under PLRA for failure to exhaust his
    a d m i n i s t r a ti v e r e m e d i e s . J e r n i g a n , 3 0 4 F . 3 d a t 1 0 3 2 . S i m i l a r l y, a p r i s o n e r
    does not exhaust his administrative remedies w hen he fails to properly
    c o m p l e te th e g r i e v a n c e p r o c e s s o r c o r r e c t d e f ic ie n c ie s i n h i s g r i e v a n c e s . I d .
    W e h a v e r e v i e w e d t h e c o m p l e te r e c o r d o n a p p e a l a n d M r .
    M u h a m m a d s f i li n g s w i th t h i s c o u r t a n d c o n c l u d e t h a t th e d i s tr ic t c o u r t
    p r o p e r l y d i s m i s s e d M r . M u h a m m a d s c la im f o r f a ilu r e to e x h a u s t . A l t h o u g h
    M r . M u h a m m a d f il e d s e v e ra l w r i t t e n c o m p l a in t s r e la ti n g t o h i s c la im s , h e
    f a il e d to p r o p e r l y f o ll o w t h e p r i s o n s g r i e v a n c e p r o c e d u re a n d to c o r r e c t
    d e f ic ie n c ie s i n h i s g r i e v a n c e s , e v e n w h e n n o ti f ie d b y p r i s o n s t a f f a n d g iv e n
    an opportunity to cure.
    The inmate grievance process requires an inmate to attem pt to
    i n f o r m a ll y r e s o l v e a n is s u e b e f o r e f il i n g a w r i t t e n c o m p l a in t . I f in f o r m a l
    r e s o l u t i o n i s u n s u c c e s s f u l, a n in m a te m a y f il e a R e q u e s t t o S t a f f ( R T S )
    -3-

    form to the appropriate staff member detailing his complaint. If an inmate


    i s d i s s a ti s f ie d w i t h t h e r e s p o n s e to t h e R T S , h e m a y f il e a n In m a te /O f f e n d e r
    G r i e v a n c e R e p o r t F o r m ( g r i e v a n c e ), b u t h e m u s t a tt a c h a c o p y o f th e
    p r e v i o u s ly s u b m i t t e d R T S t o t h e g r ie v a n c e . I f th e i n m a t e n e v e r r e c e i v e s a
    r e s p o n s e to t h e R T S , t h e in m a te m a y f il e a g ri e v a n c e n o ti n g a n d p r o v i d i n g
    e v id e n c e o f th e ig n o r e d R T S . I f a g r i e v a n c e is n o t r e s p o n d e d to o r r e s o l v e d
    t o a n in m a te s s a ti s f a c t i o n , t h e in m a te m a y f il e a n a p p e a l t o t h e
    a d m i n i s t r a t i v e r e v i e w a u t h o r i t y. T h e a d m i n i s t r a t i v e r e v i e w p r o c e s s i s
    e x h a u s t e d o n l y a f t e r th e i n m a t e h a s t a k e n a l l t h e s e s t e p s .
    M r . M u h a m m a d f il e d s e v e ra l g r i e v a n c e s t h a t w e r e r e tu r n e d to h i m f o r
    f a il u r e to a tt a c h a p r e v io u s l y s u b m i t t e d R T S . T h e re tu r n e d g r i e v a n c e s n o t e d
    t h e d e f i c ie n c y a n d d ir e c te d M r . M u h a m m a d to t h e p o li c y o u t l i n i n g
    a p p r o p r i a te g r i e v a n c e p r o c e d u re . M r . M u h a m m a d a rg u e s o n a p p e a l t h a t h e
    c o u l d n o t a t t a c h th e r e q u i r e d m a t e r i a l s b e c a u s e s t a f f i g n o r e d t h e s e R T S
    c o m p l a in t s . H o w e v e r, M r . M u h a m m a d f a i l e d to p r o v i d e a n y e v id e n c e t h a t
    h e e v e r a t t e m p t e d t o c u r e t h i s d e f i c i e n c y a n d r e s u b m i t th e g r i e v a n c e s o r t o
    f o ll o w a p p r o p r i a te p r o c e d u re a n d f i l e a g ri e v a n c e n o ti n g t h a t t h e s u b m i t t e d
    R T S f o r m s c o u l d n o t b e a t t a c h e d b e c a u s e t h e y h a d b e e n i g n o r e d . F i n a l l y,
    M r . M u h a m m a d f a i l e d to p r o v i d e a n y e v id e n c e t h a t h e e v e r a p p e a l e d to t h e
    a p p r o p r i a te a d m i n i s t r a ti v e r e v ie w a u th o r i t y. B e c a u s e M r . M u h a m m a d f a i l e d
    t o p r o p e r ly f o l lo w t h e p r is o n s g r i e v a n c e p r o c e d u r e a s to a n y o f h i s c la i m s ,
    -4-

    h e h a s n o t e x h a u s t e d h i s a d m i n i s tr a t iv e r e m e d i e s a n d t h e d i s tr ic t c o u r t
    p r o p e r l y d is m is s e d th e s u it.
    B a s e d o n th e f o re g o in g , w e A F F I R M th e d is tr ic t c o u r t s o r d e r .

    E n t e r e d f o r th e C o u r t

    M a r y B e c k B r is c o e
    C ir c u it J u d g e

    -5-

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