UNPUBLISHED
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT
No. 21-1408
In re: KUNTA KENTA REDD,
Petitioner.
On Petition for Writ of Mandamus.
Submitted: June 29, 2021 Decided: July 1, 2021
Before HARRIS, RICHARDSON, and RUSHING, Circuit Judges.
Petition denied by unpublished per curiam opinion.
Kunta Kenta Redd, Petitioner Pro Se.
Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit.
PER CURIAM:
Kunta Kenta Redd petitions for a writ of mandamus, seeking an order from this
court directing an investigation into alleged irregularities in the processing of inmate mail
at the Federal Correctional Institution Ashland. We conclude that Redd is not entitled to
mandamus relief.
Mandamus relief is a drastic remedy and should be used only in extraordinary
circumstances. Cheney v. U.S. Dist. Ct., 542 U.S. 367, 380 (2004); In re Murphy-Brown,
LLC, 907 F.3d 788, 795 (4th Cir. 2018). Further, mandamus relief is available only when
the petitioner has a clear right to the relief sought and “has no other adequate means to
attain the relief [he] desires.” Murphy-Brown, 907 F.3d at 795 (internal quotation marks
and brackets omitted). Mandamus may not be used as a substitute for appeal. In re
Lockheed Martin Corp., 503 F.3d 351, 353 (4th Cir. 2007).
The relief sought by Redd is not available by way of mandamus. Accordingly, we
deny the petition for a writ of mandamus. We dispense with oral argument because the
facts and legal contentions are adequately presented in the materials before this court and
argument would not aid the decisional process.
PETITION DENIED
2
In re: Kunta Redd
Combined Opinion