Alexander v. Hughes et al, No. 4:2019cv00623 - Document 6 (S.D. Tex. 2019)
Court Description: MEMORANDUM AND OPINION. Email sent to Manager of Three Strikes List. (Signed by Judge Alfred H Bennett) Parties notified.(gclair, 4)
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Alexander v. Hughes et al Doc. 6 United States District Court Southern District of Texas ENTERED IN TH E UN ITED ST ATE S D ISTR IC T C O U R T FOR TH E SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXA S H O U STO N D IV ISIO N April 03, 2019 David J. Bradley, Clerk TOM M Y A LEX AN D ER,SR ., (Reg.//07193-035) Plaintiff, CIVIL A CTION 11-19-0623 LYNN HUGHES,etal., D efendants. M EM O R AN D UM AN D O PIN IO N Tom myAlexander,Sr.,aninmateoftheFederalCorredionalInstitution in Beaumont,sued in February 2019,allegingcivilrightsviolationsresulting from adenialofdueprocess.Alexander, proceeding pro se and in form apauperis,sues Lynn H ughes,U nited States DistrictJudge' ,Thom as M eehan,Jr,,FederalProsecuting A ttorney;Jim m y D .A shley,Private A ttorney at Law ;Bradley W ilty,informant;M ikeBristol,County Attorney;Kevin Blair,DEA Agent,SD/TX;Becky Burks, ChiefProbation Office,SD/TX;Charlie Clem ents,DEA Agent;Charlie M athis,DEA Agent;Jim Hook,H ouston Chronicle;John D oe,Editorofthe Houston Chronicle;John D oe,O wner ofthe Houston Chronicle;and Fran Faucet,Ow nerofFox N ew s. Thethreshold issue iswhetherAlexander'sclaim sshould be dism issed asfrivolous. The CourtconcludesthatAlexander'sclaimslack meritand should bedism issed forthereasonsstated below . 1. Alexander's Allegations OnJuly28,1993,afederalgrandjuryinFortM yers,Floridareturnedaone-countindictment Dockets.Justia.com chargingAlexanderand otherswithconspiracytopossesswith intenttodistributeaquantityofcrack cocaineandcocaine.(CriminalActionNumber2:93-CR-102-FTM-29CM ).OnM arch 18, 1994, theUnited StatesDistrictCourtfortheM iddleDistrictofFlorida, Fol' tM yersDivision sentenced A lexanderto aterm ofim prisonm entof360 m onths, to befollowed byaterm ofsupervisedrelease. A lexanderassertsthatJudgeHughesviolated A lexander'srightsby findingA lexanderguilty of a vonspiracy of which Atexander is the sole offender. A lexander explains that the other conspiratorshavebeenacquitted,therebymakingtheconspiracynulandvoid. A lexanderchallenges the life sentencethatwasgiven to a nonviolentdrug offender.Alexanderassertsthathissentence wasalso illegalconcerningtheissuethatAlexanderreceivedafour(4)pointenhancementfora leadership rotlon aone-m an eonspiraey.Atexanderstatesthatheneve:sold d<ug:to the inform ant BradleyW iltz.Alexanderassertsthatthedefendantsareallguiltyoftaintingthejury,taintingthe evidence,and pursuing an illegalsentence for a one-m an conspiracy. A lexanderasserts thatthe prosecutor was notproperly sworn in to practice and that he falsely claimed thatAlexander possessed firearms. Alexander further asserts that the search warrant was void because the abandoned carthatwassearcheddid notbelong to Alexanderand wasnoton thesearch warrant. Alexanderseekscompensatory damagesof$100,000,000.00. 11. D iscussion A federalcourthastheauthorityto dismissan action in which theplaintiffisproceeding in form a pauperis before service ifthe courtdeterm inesthatthe action is frivolous orm alicious. 28 U.S.C.j1915(e)(2)(B)(i).A complaintisfrivolousifitlacksanarguablebasisinlaw orfact.See Dentonv.Hernandez,504U.S.25,31(1992);Richardsonv.Spurlock,260F.3d495,498(5thCir. 2001)(citing Siglar v.Hightower,112 F.3d l91,l93 (5th Cir.1997)). $iA complaintlacksan arguable basisin law ifitisbased on an indisputably m eritlesslegaltheory, such asifthecom plaint allegestheviolation ofalegalinterestwhichclearlydoesnotexist.''D avisv.Scott,157 F.3d 1003, 1005(5thCir.1998)(quotingMccormickv.Stalder,105F.3d 1059,1061(5th Cir.1997)) . UnderHeckv.Humphrey,512U.S.477,486-87(1994),theCourtmustdismissacomplaint broughtpursuantto42U.S.C.j1983,whenthecivilrightsaction,ifsuccessful,wouldnecessarily implytheinvalidity ofaplaintiffseonvictionoxsentence, unlesstheplaintiffdem onstratesthattbe convietion orsentence hasbeen reversed on directappeal, expunged by executive order,declared invalid by a state tribunalauthorized to m ake such a determ ination, or called into question by a federalcourt'sissuanceofawritofhabeascorpusunder28U.S.C.j2254. ln thisinstance,the crux ofAtexander's comptaintisthathew asim properly charged and convicted ofa conspiracy. The com plaintchallengesthe sufficiency ofthe evidence to suppol'tthe verdict. A ruling granting Alexanderthe reliefwhich he seekswould necessarily im plicate the validityofhisconvictioninCauseNo.2:93-CR-102-FTM -29CM ,andinevitablyaffecttheduration ofhisconfinem ent. Under H eck, A lexander m ust dem onstrate that his conviction and sentence have been reversed,invalidated,orexpunged priorto bringing an action underj 1983.Heck,512 U.S.at 486-87. Alexandercannotmake such showing. He hasnotalleged thathisconviction in Cause Number2:93-CR-102-FTM -29CM has been reversed,invalidated orotherwise expunged. Until Alexanderreceivesarulingdeclaringhissentenceinvalid,noactionwillaccrueunderj1983.1d. at488-89;Randellv.Johnson,227F.3d300,30l(5thCir.2000),cert.denie4 532U.S.971(2001) (ilBecausegplaintiffqisseekingdamagespursuanttoj1983forunconstitutionalimprisonmentand hehasnotsatisfied the favorableterm ination requirennentofH eck,he isbarred from any recovery. '').Alexander'sclaimschallenginghisconvictionfo<aggxavatedl'obberya<eStlegaltyfrivolous'' withinthemeaningofsections1915(e)(2)and 1915A(b).Hamiltonv.Lyons,74F.3d 99,102-103 (5thCir.1996)($iA jl983claim which fallsundertherulein Heckislegallyfrivolousunlessthe conviction or sentence atissue has been reversed,expunged, invalidated,orotherwisecalled into question.''). Alexander'sclaimsaredismissedwithprejudicetothem beingreassertedwhen theHeck conditionsaremet.SeeClarkev.Stalder,154F.3d186,191(5thCir.1998), .Johnsonv.M cElveen, l01F.3d423,424(5th Cir.1996). 111. C onclusion Alexander'smotiontoproceedinformapauperis,(DocketEntryNo.4),isGRANTED.The actionfiledbyTommyAlexander,Sr.(Reg.#07193-035)lacksanarguablebasisinlaw.Hisclaims areDISMISSED withprejudiceunder28U.S.C.j 1915(e)(2)(B)(i). The agency having custody ofAlexanderm ustcontinue to deducttw enty percentofeach depositm ade to A lexander'sinm ate trustaccountand forw ard paym entsto the Courton a regular basis,providedtheaccountexceeds$10.00,untilthefiling feeobligation of$350.00 ispaid in full. TheClerk willprovide acopy ofthisorderby regularmail,facsimile transm issiön,ore-mailto: (l) theInmateTrustFund,FCl-BeaumontMedium,FederalCorrectionallnstitution, P.O .Box 26045,Beaum ont,TX 77720, .and (2) the M anager of the Three-strikes List for the Southern Districtof Texasat: Three - strikes@txs.uscoutsagov. SIGNED atHouston,Texas,on /pR q )p!q . . ALFRED H .B ETT UN ITED STA T S DISTRICT JUD G E
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