-Caveat Lector-

Mr. Hicks himself has responded to this court's notice pursuant to Fed. R. App. P. 
34(a). He has also written a letter to Judge Cudahy seeking an x-ray of his head, 
which he contends will reveal that the CIA has implanted "some kind of miniaturized 
mind reading, message receiving, pain causing device" in his head as part of a 
scientific experiment to promote national security.

~~~~~~~~

RUDY HICKS, Plaintiff, and MAMIE HICKS, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. G. L. HENMAN, 
Defendant-Appellee

No. 89-2514

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE SEVENTH CIRCUIT

1991 U.S. App. LEXIS 3542


February 13, 1991, Submitted *

* After preliminary examination of the briefs, the court notified the parties that it 
had tentatively concluded that oral argument would not be helpful to the court in this 
case. The notice provided that any party might file a "Statement as to Need of Oral 
Argument." See Rule 34(a), Fed. R. App. P.; Circuit Rule 34(f). Rudy Hicks, although 
not a party to this appeal, has filed a statement requesting oral argument. Upon 
consideration of that statement, the briefs, and the record, the request for oral 
argument is denied, and the appeal is submitted on the briefs and record.
March 4, 1991

NOTICE:  [*1]

UNPUBLISHED ORDER NOT TO BE CITED PER SEVENTH CIRCUIT RULE 53.

SUBSEQUENT HISTORY: Reported as Table Case at 927 F.2d 607, 1991 U.S. App. LEXIS 7151.

PRIOR HISTORY:

Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, 
East St. Louis Division. No. 87 C 3652; William D. Stiehl, Judge.

JUDGES: Richard A. Posner, Circuit Judge, Joel M. Flaum, Circuit Judge, Michael S. 
Kanne, Circuit Judge.

OPINION: ORDER

Rudy Hicks is an inmate at the United States Penitentiary at Marion, Illinois, 
(Marion). Mamie Hicks is Rudy's mother. Mr. Hicks and Mrs. Hicks filed a pro se 
complaint pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1983 in which they alleged that various officials at 
Marion and at the United States Penitentiary at Lompoc, California, (Lompoc), violated 
Mr. Hicks's constitutional rights by putting poisons in his food, by ignoring his 
serious medical and safety needs, by causing unnamed corrections officers to threaten 
his safety in retaliation for an earlier lawsuit, and by disciplining and transferring 
him from Lompoc on a false disciplinary ticket. The complaint did not allege any 
personal injury to Mrs. Hicks. She, however, claimed that her son had been injured 
physically and mentally to the point of incompetency and sought to proceed on his 
behalf.

The district court [*2]  dismissed Mrs. Hicks as a plaintiff in her own behalf for 
lack of standing since she alleged no personal injury. She remained involved in the 
suit, however, pending a determination of Mr. Hicks's competency. The district court 
ordered that Mr. Hicks be sent to the United States Medical Center for Federal 
Prisoners at Springfield, Missouri, for an evaluation of his competency. Based on the 
report from the medical professionals at Springfield, the district court found that 
Mr. Hicks was physically and mentally capable of pursuing litigation on his own 
behalf. Mr. Hicks then filed a request for a voluntary dismissal pursuant to Fed. R. 
Civ. P. 41(a)(1). In an order of June 9, 1989, the district court concluded that Mr. 
Hicks was competent, and granted his request to dismiss the action. On June 13, 1989, 
the district court entered an order denying Mrs. Hicks's request to be appointed 
guardian ad litem.

Mrs. Hicks timely filed a notice of appeal from this judgment. The notice of appeal 
states that "MAMIE HICKS and RUDY HICKS, plaintiffs-appellants in the above-entitled 
matter, appeals [sic]," but only Mrs. Hicks signed the notice of appeal. Mrs. Hicks 
did not file an appearance form. Mrs.  [*3]  Hicks's signature alone appears on the 
jurisdictional statement and on motions for appointment of counsel and to proceed in 
forma pauperis. Mr. Hicks himself has responded to this court's notice pursuant to 
Fed. R. App. P. 34(a). He has also written a letter to Judge Cudahy seeking an x-ray 
of his head, which he contends will reveal that the CIA has implanted "some kind of 
miniaturized mind reading, message receiving, pain causing device" in his head as part 
of a scientific experiment to promote national security. The response to the Rule 
34(a) notice and letter to Judge Cudahy, however, are insufficient to make Mr. Hicks a 
party to this appeal.

Mrs. Hicks has also filed a brief which only she signed as "Appellant Pro Se on behalf 
of her son RUDY HICKS." Mrs. Hicks argues that (1) the district court abused its 
discretion by failing to appoint counsel to represent her son, or alternatively to 
appoint her as her son's guardian ad litem; and (2) her son was denied his 
constitutional right to have his physical and mental competency determined by an 
impartial and unbiased medical examiner.

Mrs. Hicks is not a lawyer; consequently, she may not represent or appear on behalf of 
her son [*4]  to challenge the district court's refusal to appoint counsel for him or 
to assert his due process rights. See 28 U.S.C. § 1654; Lewis v. Lenc-Smith Mfg., 784 
F.2d 829, 830 (7th Cir. 1986). It is a closer question whether Mrs. Hicks may, on her 
own behalf, challenge the denial of her request that she be appointed guardian for her 
son. We need not address that issue, however, because other than stating in an 
argument heading that the district court abused its discretion in failing to appoint 
her as guardian ad litem for her son, she makes no argument on this point and cites no 
case law. See Fed. R. App. P. 28(a)(4). A mere narrative of events in the Statement of 
the Case is not sufficient to raise the issue on appeal, see Brooks v. Allison Div. of 
General Motors Corp., 874 F.2d 489, 490 (7th Cir. 1989); consequently, it is waived. 
See Rutan v. Republican Party of Illinois, 868 F.2d 943, 946 n.1 (7th Cir. 1989), 
rev'd in part on other grounds, 110 S. Ct. 2729 (1990). We recognize that Mrs. Hicks 
is proceeding pro se, but even a pro se litigant must provide some identifiable 
argument. See McCottrell v. Equal Employment Opportunity Comm'n, 726 F.2d 350,  [*5]  
351 (7th Cir. 1984).

Because Mrs. Hicks is not an attorney, she may only represent her own interests before 
this court. The issues she raises, however, advance her son's interests. Accordingly, 
the notice of appeal, jurisdictional statement, and brief that Mrs. Hicks has filed on 
behalf of her son are stricken, and this appeal is DISMISSED.

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