Opinions of the United
2005 Decisions States Court of Appeals
for the Third Circuit
12-28-2005
McDaniel v. NJ Dept Corr
Precedential or Non-Precedential: Non-Precedential
Docket No. 05-3052
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"McDaniel v. NJ Dept Corr" (2005). 2005 Decisions. Paper 41.
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BPS-67
NOT PRECEDENTIAL
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE THIRD CIRCUIT
NO. 05-3052
_____________
MICHAEL PAUL MCDANIEL,
Appellant
v.
STATE OF NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT
OF CORRECTIONS; FRANK PEDALINO;
LT. GRAHAM; LYDELL B. SHERRER
____________________
On Appeal From the United States District Court
For the District of New Jersey
(D.C. Civil No. 04-cv-00008)
District Judge: Honorable Mary L. Cooper
____________________
Submitted For Possible Dismissal Under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B)
December 1, 2005
Before: RENDELL, AMBRO and BECKER, Circuit Judges.
(Filed : December 28, 2005)
_______________________
OPINION OF THE COURT
_______________________
PER CURIAM
Michael Paul McDaniel appeals from the order of the United States District Court
for the District of New Jersey dismissing his civil rights action filed pursuant to 42 U.S.C.
§ 1983. McDaniel, a former inmate at Northern State Prison at Newark, New Jersey,
alleged that he was confined in the “STGMU,” to which he refers alternatively as the
“gang unit.” McDaniel stated that the defendants classified him as a gang member and
housed him in the gang unit, thereby placing him in harm’s way, and that he was not
given an opportunity to employ counsel or to show that he is not a gang member. He
asserted that the defendants’ conduct violated his constitutional rights to due process.
McDaniel sought injunctive relief in the form of a hearing at which he would be allowed
to show that he is not a gang member. In addition, he sought transfer out of the gang unit
and into general population, or transfer to another prison. The District Court granted
McDaniel’s application to proceed in forma pauperis under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a) and
dismissed the complaint under section 1915(e)(2). The District Court later issued a
supplemental order assessing the amount of the filing fee to be deducted from McDaniel’s
prison account in installments pursuant to section 1915(b)(2). McDaniel appeals and has
been granted leave to proceed in forma pauperis on appeal. We have jurisdiction under
28 U.S.C. § 1291.
Upon careful review of the record, we discern no error in the dismissal of
McDaniel’s complaint and in assessing the filing fee. First, the District Court concluded
that the complaint was moot regarding McDaniel’s request to be transferred to another
prison, because McDaniel had been transferred to the New Jersey State Prison in Trenton,
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New Jersey. It appears from the record that McDaniel was transferred after filing the
complaint and currently remains incarcerated at the Trenton facility. We agree that this
request for relief is moot. Second, the District Court determined that McDaniel’s
confinement in the STGMU did not deprive him of a protected liberty interest arising
under the due process clause or under a state-created liberty interest. We agree. See
Fraise v. Terhune, 283 F.3d 506, 522-23 (3d Cir. 2002). Finally, we agree with the
District Court that assessment of the fee to be paid in installments is appropriate under the
provisions of 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b). We note that McDaniel’s in forma pauperis
application contains a signed authorization form in contemplation of the fee being
collected pursuant to the statute.
We will dismiss this appeal under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B).
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