Opinion
20cv2225-MMA-MSB
06-07-2021
JOSHUA CHARLES ACOSTA, CDCR # BI-1477, Plaintiff, v. Y. SERVIN, Psychologist, Calipatria State Prison; DOE 1, Psychologist, Wasco State Prison; DOE 2, Chief Medical Officer, Wasco State Prison; DOE 3, Chief Health Officer, Calipatria State Prison, Defendants.
ORDER DISMISSING CIVIL ACTION PURSUANT TO 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B)(ii) AND § 1915A(b)(1) AND FOR FAILING TO PROSECUTE IN COMPLIANCE WITH COURT ORDER REQUIRING AMENDMENT
HON. MICHAEL M. ANELLO, United States District Judge.
Plaintiff Joshua Charles Acosta, while incarcerated at Calipatria State Prison (“CAL”) in Imperial, California, and proceeding pro se, filed this civil rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 (“Compl.”) in the Central District of California on October 28, 2020. See “Compl., ” Doc. No. 1 at 1. Plaintiff claimed CAL Psychologist Y. Servin, CAL's Chief Mental Health Officer, and an unidentified psychologist and Chief Medical Officer at Wasco State Prison (“WSP”), violated his rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act, his “protections under the Armstrong, Coleman, and Clark remedial plans, ” and the Eighth Amendment by “hous[ing] [him] within the mainline population” at both CAL and WSP despite his autism. Id. at 3‒6.
Plaintiff sought $250,000 in compensatory damages, an injunction requiring Defendants “to identify, assess, and treat people with autism spectrum disorder, ” and Defendants' “termination of employment.” Id. at 7.
I. Procedural History
Plaintiff did not prepay the civil filing fee required by 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a) at the time he filed his Complaint, but instead submitted an Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis (“IFP”) pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a) (Doc. No. 2), as well as an ex parte Motion for Assignment of Counsel. See Doc. No. 3. On November 13, 2020, however, the Honorable Cormac J. Carney determined venue did not lie in the Central District of California, and transferred the action here in the interest of justice pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1406(a). See Doc. No. 5.
On February 24, 2021, this Court granted Plaintiffs Motion to Proceed IFP, but denied his Motion for Assignment of Counsel and dismissed his Complaint for failing to state claim pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B)(ii) and § 1915A(b)(1). See Doc. No. 8. Plaintiff was notified of his pleading deficiencies, and granted 60 days leave in which to file an Amended Complaint that fixed them. Id. at 9‒18. Plaintiff was also warned his failure to amend would result in the dismissal of his case. Id. at 18 (citing Lira v. Herrera, 427 F.3d 1164, 1169 (9th Cir. 2005) (“If a plaintiff does not take advantage of the opportunity to fix his complaint, a district court may convert the dismissal of the complaint into a dismissal of the entire action.”)).
Plaintiffs Amended Complaint was due on or before April 24, 2021. More than a month has elapsed since that time, but to date, Plaintiff has failed to amend, and has not requested an extension of time in which to do so. “The failure of the plaintiff eventually to respond to the court's ultimatum-either by amending the complaint or by indicating to the court that [he] will not do so-is properly met with the sanction of a Rule 41(b) dismissal.” Edwards v. Marin Park, 356 F.3d 1058, 1065 (9th Cir. 2004).
In fact, the Court's February 24, 2021 Order (Doc. No. 8) was returned undeliverable by the U.S. Post Office on March 16, 2021. See Doc. No. 11. Because Plaintiff filed a Notice of Change of Address indicating his transfer to Mule Creek State Prison (“MCSP”) in the interim on March 3, 2021, however, see Doc. No. 9, the Clerk of the Court mailed a separate copy of the Court's February 24, 2021 Order to Plaintiff at MCSP on March 4, 2021. See Doc. No. 9 (“NOTICE of Change of Address by Joshua Charles Acosta (jms) Order 8 mailed to new address (jms). (Entered: 03/04/2021)”). The Court has confirmed that Plaintiff remains incarcerated at MCSP, and notes the March 4, 2021 mailing was not returned by the Post Office as undelivered. See https://inmatelocator.cdcr.ca.gov/ Details .aspx?ID= BI1477 (last visited June 7, 2021); see also United States v. Basher, 629 F.3d 1161, 1165 (9th Cir. 2011) (taking judicial notice of prisoner's address using Bureau of Prisons' inmate locator); In re Bucknum, 951 F.2d 204, 207 (9th Cir. 1991) (“Mail that is properly addressed, stamped and deposited into the mails is presumed to be received by the addressee.”); Franco v. Sessions, 740 Fed.Appx. 869, 872 (9th Cir. 2018) (discussing the delivery of regular and certified mail and the “presum[ption] that postal officers properly discharge their duties.”) (citing Salta v. INS, 314 F.3d 1076, 1079 (9th Cir. 2002).
II. Conclusion and Order
Accordingly, the Court DISMISSES this civil action in its entirety based on Plaintiffs failure to state a claim upon which § 1983 relief can be granted pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B)(ii) and § 1915A(b)(1), and his failure to prosecute as required by Court's February 24, 2021 Order requiring amendment.
The Court further CERTIFIES that an IFP appeal would not be taken in good faith pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(3) and DIRECTS the Clerk to enter a final judgment of dismissal and close the file.
IT IS SO ORDERED.