Ralph E. Thomas v. Nunes, Sheriff, Placer County Reader, Captain Hoegger, Chaplain

81 F.3d 170 NOTICE: Ninth Circuit Rule 36-3 provides that dispositions other than opinions or orders designated for publication are not precedential and should not be cited except when relevant under the doctrines of law of the case, res judicata, or collateral estoppel. Ralph E. THOMAS, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. NUNES, Sheriff, Placer County; Reader, Captain; Hoegger, Chaplain, Defendants-Appellees. No. 95-15887. United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. Submitted March 26, 1996. * Decided March 29, 1996. Before: GOODWIN, WIGGINS, and O'SCANNLAIN, Circuit Judges. 1 MEMORANDUM ** 2 Ralph E. Thomas, a former prisoner at the Placer County jail in California, appeals pro se the district court's summary judgment in favor of defendant prison officials in his 42 U.S.C. § 1983 action. Thomas alleged that prison officials violated his First Amendment right to free exercise of religion when they denied him access to a sweat lodge. The district court found that Thomas's suit was barred by res judicata, because Thomas had unsuccessfully litigated an identical claim in a prior state habeas corpus petition. We have jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1291 , and we affirm in part…