Glenn S. Millsaps, Jr., proceeding pro se, appealed a district court order dismissing his amended complaint filed under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. The lawsuit was brought against Danny Liles, an employee of the Wilson Security Company, and Ron Hillard, a deputy employed by the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office. The case originated in the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina, where the district court had previously dismissed the claims. Millsaps sought to challenge that dismissal, arguing that the defendants' actions violated his civil rights. The core legal dispute centered on whether the defendants could be held liable under federal civil rights statutes for their conduct.
The Fourth Circuit issued an unpublished per curiam opinion affirming the district court's decision. The court reviewed the record and concluded that there was no reversible error in the lower court's dismissal of the amended complaint. The opinion does not elaborate on the specific legal theories or factual findings that led to the dismissal, such as the application of the state action doctrine or qualified immunity, but it confirms that the district court's application of the law to the facts was correct. The court determined that the written materials before it were sufficient to resolve the appeal without the need for oral argument.
The decision affirms the dismissal of the plaintiff's civil rights claims against the private security employee and the county deputy. As an unpublished per curiam opinion, it is not binding precedent in the Fourth Circuit, though it signals that the appellate court found no merit in the plaintiff's arguments as presented. The case remains closed, and the plaintiff is left without a federal remedy for the alleged conduct unless they can identify new grounds for appeal or file a new action that addresses the specific deficiencies identified by the district court.
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