United Nation of Islam Lawsuit Against Ex-Member Dismissed as Seeking Lifelong "Indentured Servitude"

From Woods v. Ross, decided Monday by Judge Daniel Crabtree (D. Kan.):

Pro se plaintiffs Ephraim Woods, Jr., Fatimah Muhammad, Dwight Johnson, and Raasikh Robertson are individual members of a community once known as the United Nation of Islam (UNOI). Plaintiffs each filed a lawsuit against former UNOI members Kendra Ross and her mother, Cheryl Ross, in the District Court of Wyandotte County, Kansas. They alleged claims for (1) breach of contract, and (2) defamation. After removing the cases to federal court, Kendra moved to dismiss the claims against her. The court granted those motions and dismissed her from each case. But because Cheryl didn't appear in any of those actions and didn't sign any filings made in them, the court took no action on plaintiffs' claims against Cheryl.

Cheryl still hasn't appeared in these cases. So, the Clerk of our Court has entered default against her. Now before the court are plaintiffs' Motions for Default Judgment against Cheryl Ross in each of their respective cases. Plaintiffs also have filed Motions for a Hearing.

Even though Cheryl is in default, plaintiffs aren't entitled to a default judgment. That's because each one of the Complaints fails to state a claim against her. So, the court denies plaintiffs' Motions for Default Judgment and their related Motions for a Hearing. And, because no amendment could salvage plaintiffs' claims against Cheryl, the court dismisses these cases with prejudice….

These cases are a spin-off of an earlier case in this court, Ross v. Jenkins, No. 17-2547 (D. Kan.). In that case, Kendra Ross filed a lawsuit against Royall Jenkins and several corporate successors in interest to The United Nation of Islam, Inc. She alleged several violations of state and federal human trafficking laws and labor laws. Defendants failed to appear in that case. The court then held a hearing where Kendra adduced evidence of her claims and damages. After concluding that Kendra's evidence sufficed to establish her claims, the court granted Kendra default judgment and awarded her nearly $8 million in damages.