Sherman v. United States

FILED NOT FOR PUBLICATION APR 20 2010 MOLLY C. DWYER, CLERK UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS U .S. C O U R T OF APPE ALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT BRENT STEVEN SHERMAN, SR., No. 07-35540 Plaintiff - Appellant, D.C. No. CV-06-01780-PA v. MEMORANDUM * UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; et al., Defendants - Appellees. Appeal from the United States District Court for the District of Oregon Owen M. Panner, District Judge, Presiding Submitted April 5, 2010 ** Before: RYMER, McKEOWN, and PAEZ, Circuit Judges. Brent Steven Sherman, Sr., a former federal prisoner, appeals pro se from the district court’s judgment dismissing his action alleging constitutional violations * This disposition is not appropriate for publication and is not precedent except as provided by 9th Cir. R. 36-3. ** The panel unanimously concludes this case is suitable for decision without oral argument. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(a)(2). Accordingly, Appellant’s request for oral argument is denied. in connection with the revocation of his parole. We have jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291. We review de novo a dismissal under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2), Huftile v. Miccio-Fonseca, 410 F.3d 1136, 1138 (9th Cir. 2005), and we affirm. The district court properly dismissed the claims against the government defendants under the doctrine of issue preclusion because Sherman seeks to litigate issues identical to ones previously litigated and decided in his federal habeas case, Sherman v. Reilly, No. 07-35337, 2010 WL 55609 (9th Cir. Jan. 7, 2010) (unpublished mem.). See Hawkins v. Risley, 984 F.2d 321, 323-25 (9th Cir. 1993) (per curiam) (concluding that plaintiff was precluded from relitigating claims in civil rights action that were previously litigated and decided in his federal habeas case); Reyn’s Pasta Bella, LLC v. Visa USA, Inc., 442 F.3d 741, 746 (9th Cir. 2006) (listing elements of issue preclusion). The district court properly dismissed the claims against the private defendants because Sherman’s conclusory allegations are insufficient to show that these defendants conspired with the government defendants or acted under color of law. See Simmons v. Sacramento County Superior Court, 318 F.3d 1156, 1161 (9th Cir. 2003) (affirming dismissal of civil rights claim against private defendant where there were only conclusory allegations of conspiracy with government officials); see also Dietrich v. John Ascuaga’s Nugget, 548 F.3d 892, 900 (9th Cir. 2 07-35540 2008) (stating that complaints to the police do not convert private parties into government actors). Appellee Ebersole’s motion for leave to appear is granted. The clerk shall file the answering brief received on November 26, 2007. AFFIRMED. 3 07-35540