936 F2d 580 Turner v. Price III S

936 F.2d 580

Unpublished Disposition

NOTICE: Ninth Circuit Rule 36-3 provides that dispositions other than opinions or orders designated for publication are not precedential and should not be cited except when relevant under the doctrines of law of the case, res judicata, or collateral estoppel.

Terry Michael TURNER, Plaintiff-Appellant,
v.
Warren PRICE, III, Atty. General, John Campbell, Jr., Glenn
S. Grayson, Edwin Shimoda, Eric Penarosa, and
State of Hawaii, Defendants-Appellees.

No. 90-15666.

United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit.

Submitted June 11, 1991.*
Decided June 21, 1991.

Before BEEZER, NOONAN and FERNANDEZ, Circuit Judges.

1

MEMORANDUM**

2

Terry Michael Turner appeals pro se the district court's dismissal of his 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1983 civil rights action as frivolous. We affirm.

BACKRGOUND

3

While imprisoned in a Hawaii state prison facility, Turner was attacked by fellow inmates on July 13, 1987 and injured. Turner brought an action against various prison officials and the State of Hawaii in Turner v. Shimoda et al., CV-87-740-HMF, in which he sought damages for injuries arising out of that attack.

4

Defendants in this case presented documents in Shimoda,1 stating that the attack occurred in the prison recreational area. Turner, however, asserts the attack occurred in "module three maximum security." Therefore, he argues that defendants committed a fraud on the court and deprived him of protection from physical abuse.

JURISDICTION AND STANDARDS OF REVIEW

5

We have jurisdiction pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Sec. 3742. We review de novo whether Turner's complaint is frivolous. United States v. McConney, 728 F.2d 1195, 1204-05 (9th Cir.), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 824, 105 S.Ct. 101, 83 L.Ed.2d 46 (1984). A complaint is frivolous if it "lacks an arguable basis either in law or in fact." Neitzke v. Williams, 490 U.S. 319, 325, 109 S.Ct. 1827, 1831, 104 L.Ed.2d 338 (1989).

DISCUSSION

6

Construed liberally, Turner's complaint seems to allege that defendants fraudulently misstated the place of the attack, and that misstatement caused him to be deprived of status as an inmate deserving of special protection. First, there was no fraud. When defendants filed their motion for summary judgment in Shimoda, they stated they were willing to accept Turner's version of events as correct. Thus, the judgment against him in that case was not based on the affidavit to the contrary.

7

Second, the complaint fails to allege how the purported fraud could have deprived Turner of anything, except, of course, the same relief he was demanding in the Shimoda case. Turner has appealed that case, and another panel of this court has that appeal under consideration. Principles of res judicata militate against readjudicating that matter on this appeal. See generally Federated Dept. Stores, Inc. v. Moitie, 452 U.S. 394, 398-99, 101 S.Ct. 2424, 2428, 69 L.Ed.2d 103 (1981).

8

Third, regarding defendant Penarosa, a civil rights action will not lie against a person for making a false statement in an affidavit to a court. Burns v. County of King, 883 F.2d 819, 821-23 (9th Cir.1989). Defendants Price, Grayson and Campbell are immune from liability for advocacy functions performed in defense of civil rights litigation, which includes filing pleadings as part of the defense. See Murphy v. Morris, 849 F.2d 1101, 1105 (8th Cir.1988); Barrett v. United States, 798 F.2d 565, 572-73 (2d Cir.1986).

9

AFFIRMED.

*

The panel finds this case appropriate for submission without oral argument pursuant to 9th Cir.R. 34-4 and Fed.R.App.P. 34(a)

**

This disposition is not appropriate for publication and may not be cited to or by the courts of this circuit except as provided by 9th Cir.R. 36-3

1

Shimoda was also sued in this case, but was later dismissed by Turner. The State of Hawaii appears in the caption of this case, but Turner's amended complaint makes no allegations against it