Samar Akins v. Sysco Lincoln Inc.

United States Court of Appeals
For the Eighth Circuit
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No. 25-2359
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Samar Akins
lllllllllllllllllllllPlaintiff - Appellant
v.
Sysco Lincoln Inc.
lllllllllllllllllllllDefendant - Appellee
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Appeal from United States District Court
for the District of Nebraska - Lincoln
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Submitted: March 3, 2026
Filed: March 6, 2026
[Unpublished]
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Before LOKEN, SMITH, and GRASZ, Circuit Judges.
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PER CURIAM.
Samar Akins appeals following the district court’s1 adverse grant of summary
judgment in his removed employment discrimination and retaliation action against
1The Honorable Susan M. Bazis, United States District Judge for the District
of Nebraska.

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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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