Helm

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 9 FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 10 11 ANTHONY JAMAL WITT, No. 2:20-cv-2054-EFB P 12 Plaintiff, 13 v. ORDER 14 HELM, et al., 15 Defendants. 16 17 Plaintiff is a former county inmate proceeding without counsel in an action brought under 18 42 U.S.C. § 1983. He has filed an application to proceed in forma pauperis. ECF No. 2. The 19 court will grant his application and screen the complaint. 20 Screening Standards 21 Federal courts must engage in a preliminary screening of cases in which prisoners seek 22 redress from a governmental entity or officer or employee of a governmental entity. 28 U.S.C. 23 § 1915A(a). The court must identify cognizable claims or dismiss the complaint, or any portion 24 of the complaint, if the complaint “is frivolous, malicious, or fails to state a claim upon which 25 relief may be granted,” or “seeks monetary relief from a defendant who is immune from such 26 relief.” Id. § 1915A(b). 27 A pro se plaintiff, like other litigants, must…