Billy O'Neal v. County of San Francisco

FILED NOT FOR PUBLICATION JUN 08 2011 MOLLY C. DWYER, CLERK UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS U .S. C O U R T OF APPE ALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT BILLY RAY O’NEAL, No. 09-16569 Plaintiff - Appellant, D.C. No. 4:08-cv-04669-SBA v. MEMORANDUM * COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO; et al., Defendants - Appellees. Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of California Saundra B. Armstrong, District Judge, Presiding Submitted May 24, 2011 ** Before: PREGERSON, THOMAS, and PAEZ, Circuit Judges. Billy Ray O’Neal, a California state prisoner, appeals pro se from the district court’s order dismissing without prejudice his 42 U.S.C. § 1983 action alleging excessive force. We review for an abuse of discretion a district court’s dismissal under its local rules. Ghazali v. Moran, 46 F.3d 52, 53 (9th Cir. 1995) (per * 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). curiam). We reverse and remand. Under the circumstances set forth in O’Neal’s briefs and the district court record, dismissal of the action was an abuse of discretion. O’Neal’s motion to file a supplemental opening brief, filed on March 8, 2011, is granted. REVERSED and REMANDED. 2 09-16569