# Jackson v. USA

> District Court, W.D. Louisiana · December 6, 2022

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/10195307

## Case

- **Court:** District Court, W.D. Louisiana
- **Decided:** December 6, 2022
- **Opinion:** 100trialcourt
- **Cited by:** 0 later opinions in the Frix Law Library

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## Opinion text

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
WESTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA
LAKE CHARLES DIVISION

RICKY LEE JACKSON : DOCKET NO. 22-cv-02380
REG. # 18917-030 SECTION P

VERSUS : JUDGE JAMES D. CAIN, JR.

USA, ET AL : MAGISTRATE JUDGE KAY

MEMORANDUM ORDER

Before the court is a petition for writ of habeas corpus filed pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2241
by pro se petitioner Ricky Lee Jackson on August 1, 2022. Doc. 1. Jackson is an inmate in the
custody of the Bureau of Prisons (“BOP”) and is currently incarcerated at the Federal Correctional
Center at Oakdale, Louisiana (“FCIO”). This matter has been referred to the undersigned for
review, report, and recommendation in accordance with 28 U.S.C. § 636 and the standing orders
of this Court.
I.
BACKGROUND

Jackson is currently serving a sentenced imposed on August 27, 2019, by the United States
District Court for the Northern District of Florida, in docket number 3:18-CR-68/RV. Doc. 1, p.
1, ¶ 4. He alleges that his current sentence has been miscalculated due to an issue with the Iowa
Parole Board regarding a prior sentence.
II.
LAW & ANALYSIS

A. Screening of Habeas Corpus Petitions
A district court may apply any or all of the rules governing habeas petitions filed under 28
U.S.C. § 2254 to those filed under § 2241. See Rule 1(b), Rules Governing § 2254 Cases in the
United States District Courts. Rule 4 of the Rules Governing § 2254 Cases authorizes preliminary
review of such petitions, and states that they must be summarily dismissed “[i]f it plainly appears
from the petition and any attached exhibits that the petitioner is not entitled to relief.” Id. at Rule
4. To avoid summary dismissal under Rule 4, the petition must contain factual allegations pointing
to a “real possibility of constitutional error.” Id. at Rule 4, advisory committee note (quoting Aubut
v. Maine, 431 F.2d 688, 689 (1st Cir. 1970)). Accordingly, we review the pleadings and exhibits
before us to determine whether any right to relief is indicated, or whether the petition must be
dismissed.
B. Application

A § 2241 petition on behalf of a sentenced prisoner “attacks the manner in which a sentence
is carried out or the prison authorities’ determination of its duration.” Pack v. Yusuff, 218 F.3d 448,
451 (5th Cir. 2000). In order to prevail, a § 2241 petitioner must show that he is “in custody in
violation of the Constitution or laws or treaties of the United States.” 28 U.S.C. § 2241(c)(3).
An initial issue that must be addressed is whether petitioner is required to exhaust
administrative remedies. Generally, a federal prisoner must exhaust his administrative remedies
before seeking habeas relief in federal court under 28 U.S.C. § 2241. Skinner v. Wiley, 355 F.3d
1293, 1295 (11th Cir. 2004), cert. denied, 124 S. Ct. 2112 (2004); Fuller v. Rich, 11 F.3d 61, 62
(5th Cir. 1994); see also Rourke v. Thompson, 11 F.3d 47, 49 (5th Cir. 1993). Exceptions to the
exhaustion requirement apply only in "extraordinary circumstances" and the petitioner bears the
burden of demonstrating the futility of administrative review. Fuller, 11 F.3d at 62; Gardner v.
School Bd. Caddo Parrish, 958 F.2d 108, 112 (5th Cir. 1992).
The BOP, which administers the prison in which petitioner is incarcerated, has a four-step
process for resolving complaints by prisoners. Initially, a prisoner must attempt to informally
resolve the complaint with staff. 28 C.F.R. § 542.13(a). If informal attempts are unsuccessful, the

prisoner must submit a Request for Administrative Remedy to the Warden. 28 C.F.R. § 542.14. If
the prisoner is not satisfied with the Warden's response, he may appeal to the Regional Director.
28 C.F.R. 542.15. If still unsatisfied, the prisoner may appeal to the Office of General Counsel.
Id.
The Attorney General has vested the BOP with authority to determine issues related to the
manner in which sentences are to be carried out, including the calculation of sentence credits. 28
C.F.R. § 0.96. If the BOP miscalculated petitioner's sentence calculation or release date, it has the
authority to correct that error and should be permitted to do so. See Smith v. Thompson, 937 F.2d
217, 219 (5th Cir. 1991) (agency should be given opportunity to correct its own error before

aggrieved party seeks judicial intervention). Further, the fact that petitioner believes his grievances
will be denied does not make the remedy futile. See Adams v. Warden, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS
124404 at *3 (W.D. La. July 5, 2017).
Jackson represents to the Court that he has exhausted his administrative remedies (doc. 1,
p. 2, 7), however, he provides no proof. Jackson should amend to provide proof that he exhausted
available remedies so that the Court may review the BOP’s responses to his requests or show why
he should be excused from this requirement.
Ii.
CONCLUSION
In order for this court to determine whether the petition should survive our initial review,
Jackson must amend his complaint within the next 60 days and provide (1) a copy of his BOP-8,
BOP-9, BOP-10 and BOP-11; and (2) the responses to his BP-8, BOP-9, BOP-10 and BOP-11. If
the administrative remedy response indicates that his claim was not properly exhausted, Jackson
must explain why an exception to the exhaustion requirement applies to his case or provide
documentation showing that the BOP’s conclusion is incorrect. Otherwise, his suit is subject to
dismissal for failure to exhaust.
Accordingly,
THE CLERK IS DIRECTED to mail a copy of this order to Jackson at his last address
on file.
IT IS ORDERED that Jackson amend his complaint within sixty (60) days of the filing
of this order to cure the deficiencies as outlined above.
Failure to comply with this order may result in dismissal of the claims above under Rule 4
of the Rules Governing § 2254 Cases, or under Rule 41(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
See Link v. Wabash R. Co., 82S. Ct. 1386 (1962).
Jackson is further required to notify the court of any change in his address under LR 41.3.
Failure to do so will result in a recommendation that this action be dismissed without prejudice.
THUS DONE AND SIGNED in Chambers this 6" day of December, 2022.
— Nl
UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/10195307. Public record. Not legal advice.
