Samar Akins v. Sysco Lincoln Inc.

United States Court of Appeals For the Eighth Circuit ___________________________ No. 25-2359 ___________________________ Samar Akins lllllllllllllllllllllPlaintiff - Appellant v. Sysco Lincoln Inc. lllllllllllllllllllllDefendant - Appellee ____________ Appeal from United States District Court for the District of Nebraska - Lincoln ____________ Submitted: March 3, 2026 Filed: March 6, 2026 [Unpublished] ____________ Before LOKEN, SMITH, and GRASZ, Circuit Judges. ____________ PER CURIAM.

Samar Akins appeals following the district court’s1 adverse grant of summary judgment in his removed employment discrimination and retaliation action against The Honorable Susan M. Bazis, United States District Judge for the District of Nebraska.

Sysco Lincoln Inc. Upon careful review, we initially conclude the district court did not abuse its discretion in denying Akins’s requests for appointed counsel, see Ward v. Smith, 721 F.3d 940, 942 (8th Cir. 2013) (per curiam); his recusal motion, see Akins v. Knight, 863 F.3d 1084, 1086 (8th Cir. 2017) (per curiam); and his motion for sanctions, see Thompson v. Cockrell, 154 F.4th 971, 979 (8th Cir. 2025).

We further conclude that summary judgment was proper. See Torgerson v. City of Rochester, 643 F.3d 1031, 1042 (8th Cir. 2011) (en banc) (standard of review). Specifically, Akins failed to present evidence meeting his burden to establish that Sysco’s proffered reason for its failure to hire him was pretext for discrimination and retaliation. See Arraleh v. Cnty. of Ramsey, 461 F.3d 967, 975-77 (8th Cir. 2006); Gibson v. Am. Greetings Corp., 670 F.3d 844, 856 (8th Cir. 2012).

Accordingly, we affirm the judgment of the district court. See 8th Cir. R. 47B. ______________________________

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