United States Court of Appeals
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CIRCUIT
____________
No. 20-5040 September Term, 2020
1:19-cv-02073-UNA
Filed On: October 30, 2020
Benjamin Cunningham,
Appellant
v.
John Does, et al.,
Appellees
ON APPEAL FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
BEFORE: Henderson and Katsas, Circuit Judges, and Sentelle, Senior Circuit
Judge
JUDGMENT
This appeal was considered on the record from the United States District Court
for the District of Columbia and on the briefs and appendices filed by appellant. See
Fed. R. App. P. 34(a)(2); D.C. Cir. Rule 34(j). Upon consideration of the foregoing, and
the exhibits and notices filed by appellant, it is
ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that the district court’s orders filed November 13,
2019, November 27, 2019, and January 2, 2020, be affirmed. Appellant has not
demonstrated that the district court abused its discretion in dismissing the complaint for
failure to comply with Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 8(a), which requires “a short and
plain statement of the grounds for the court’s jurisdiction,” and “a short and plain
statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief.” See Ashcroft v.
Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 677-78 (2009); Ciralsky v. CIA, 355 F.3d 661, 668-69 (D.C. Cir.
2004). Nor has appellant shown any abuse of discretion in the district court’s denial of
his motion to compel and his motion for reconsideration. See Ortiz-Diaz v. U.S. Dep’t of
Housing & Urban Dev., Office of Inspector Gen., 867 F.3d 70, 74 (D.C. Cir. 2017);
Owens v. Republic of Sudan, 864 F.3d 751, 818 (D.C. Cir. 2017).
United States Court of Appeals
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CIRCUIT
____________
No. 20-5040 September Term, 2020
Pursuant to D.C. Circuit Rule 36, this disposition will not be published. The Clerk
is directed to withhold issuance of the mandate herein until seven days after resolution
of any timely petition for rehearing or petition for rehearing en banc. See Fed. R. App.
P. 41(b); D.C. Cir. Rule 41.
Per Curiam
FOR THE COURT:
Mark J. Langer, Clerk
BY: /s/
Daniel J. Reidy
Deputy Clerk
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