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Bell v. Woods

United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
Jun 18, 2010
382 F. App'x 391 (5th Cir. 2010)

Summary

holding that prisoner "ha[d] not stated a retaliation claim because he . . . alleged only a threat, but no retaliatory adverse act"

Summary of this case from Rogers v. Cochran

Opinion

No. 09-41000 Summary Calendar.

June 18, 2010.

Jesse Lee Bell, Jr., Lovelady, TX, pro se.

Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, No. 9:09-CV-115.

Before DAVIS, SMITH, and DENNIS, Circuit Judges.


Jesse Lee Bell, Jr., Texas prisoner # 614588, appeals the district court's dismissal of his 42 U.S.C. § 1983 complaint as frivolous and for failure to state a claim. Bell argues that the district court erred by dismissing his equal protection claims, as well as his claims relating to prison grievance procedures. He contends that he was threatened with retaliation for using the grievance procedures and that, when he complained of this threat, his grievances were improperly handled. Bell has abandoned the due process, ex post facto, double jeopardy, and Eighth Amendment claims relating to the restrictions placed on his ability to take computer-related vocational classes by failing to brief these issues on appeal. See Yokey v. Collins, 985 F.2d 222, 224-25 (5th Cir. 1993).

The district court dismissed Bell's complaint pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b)(1). Therefore, our review is de novo. See Ruiz v. United States, 160 F.3d 273, 275 (5th Cir. 1998).

Bell argues that his right to equal protection was violated both as a class-of-one and as a member of a class of sexual offenders due to the failure to allow him to participate in computer-related vocational courses based on his having been convicted of a sexual offense. Bell contends that there is no rational basis for this restriction, particularly where his offense did not involve the use of computers.

Bell's allegations that he has been treated differently than other similarly situated sex offenders are conclusional. He does not identify any other prisoners who were sexual offenders and were allowed to enroll in computer courses, nor has he alleged that other prisoners were convicted of the same offense as he was or that they were allowed into the same courses for which he applied. Because Bell's class-of-one allegations are conclusional, the district court did not err in dismissing this claim as frivolous and for failure to state a claim. See Pedraza v. Meyer, 919 F.2d 317, 318 n. 1 (5th Cir. 1990).

Bell's related argument that his right to equal protection as a member of a class of sexual offenders was violated is without merit. Inmates convicted of a sexual offense are not a suspect class, and thus any such classification is only subject to rational basis review. See Wottlin v. Fleming, 136 F.3d 1032, 1036-37 (5th Cir. 1998). This court has previously found that subjecting inmates who are sex offenders to different parole procedures is reasonably related to legitimate penological interests. See Brown v. Dretke, 184 Fed.Appx. 384, 385 (5th Cir. 2006) (unpublished). In this case, there are also rational reasons why the State might restrict sexual offenders from using computers. Such a restriction prevents sexual offenders from attempting to obtain and distribute sexually-explicit material over the Internet and contact potential victims over the internet. Because the restriction is rationally related to a legitimate penological interest, the district court did not err in dismissing the claim.

Bell has not stated a retaliation claim because he has alleged only a threat, but no retaliatory adverse act. See Jones v. Greninger, 188 F.3d 322, 324-25 (5th Cir. 1999); Bender v. Brumley, 1 F.3d 271, 274 n. 4 (5th Cir. 1993). Accordingly, the district court did not err in dismissing this claim.

Similarly, Bell's assertion that his constitutional rights were violated by the failure to process his grievances does not state a claim and is frivolous. There is no constitutionally protected interest in the processing of an inmate's grievances. See Geiger v. Jowers, 404 F.3d 371, 373-74 (5th Cir. 2005). Additionally, Bell could not show any injury from the failure to consider his grievances because the alleged threat he complained of in the grievances did not implicate his constitutional rights. See Bender, 1 F.3d at 274 n. 4.

For the above reasons, the district court's judgment is affirmed.

AFFIRMED.


Summaries of

Bell v. Woods

United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
Jun 18, 2010
382 F. App'x 391 (5th Cir. 2010)

holding that prisoner "ha[d] not stated a retaliation claim because he . . . alleged only a threat, but no retaliatory adverse act"

Summary of this case from Rogers v. Cochran

holding that prisoner "ha[d] not stated a retaliation claim because he . . . alleged only a threat, but no retaliatory adverse act"

Summary of this case from Handsaker v. Tex. Civil Commitment Ctr.

holding that prohibition of sexual offenders from computer use was rationally related to a legitimate government interest

Summary of this case from Tipton v. Mohr

finding that verbal threats are not sufficient to qualify as a retaliatory adverse act, a necessary element for a retaliation claim

Summary of this case from Reyes v. Tom Green Cnty. Jail

finding “rational reasons why the State might restrict sexual offenders from using computers” including preventing “sexual offenders from attempting to obtain and distribute sexually-explicit material over the Internet and contact[ing] potential victims over the internet.”

Summary of this case from Collins v. LeBlanc

finding "rational reasons why the State might restrict sexual offenders from using computers" including preventing "sexual offenders from attempting to obtain and distribute sexually-explicit material over the Internet and contact[ing] potential victims over the internet."

Summary of this case from Milton v. Smith

affirming dismissal of prisoner's claim that defendant did not process his grievance in part because prisoner had failed to demonstrate any injury resulting from the alleged failure

Summary of this case from Stephenson v. Gray Cnty. Sheriff Dep't

dismissing as frivolous inmate's claim that prison officials violated his constitutional rights by their failure to process his grievances

Summary of this case from Prescott v. Pace

dismissing as frivolous inmate's claim that prison officials violated his constitutional rights by their failure to process his grievances

Summary of this case from Summers v. Davis
Case details for

Bell v. Woods

Case Details

Full title:Jesse Lee BELL, Jr., Plaintiff-Appellant v. Julia WOODS; James McMasters…

Court:United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit

Date published: Jun 18, 2010

Citations

382 F. App'x 391 (5th Cir. 2010)

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