Fisher (Barger) v. Sacramento County Superior Court
Filing
18
ORDER DIRECTING CLERK'S OFFICE TO ASSIGN A DISTRICT JUDGE TO THIS MATTER, CASE ASSIGNED TO CHIEF JUDGE LAWRENCE J. O'NEILL; NEW CASE NUMBER IS 1:17-cv-00650-LJO-MJS-(HC). FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATION TO DISMISS SUCCESSIVE PETITION FOR WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS 13 PURSUANT TO 28 U.S.C. § 2244(b) signed by Magistrate Judge Michael J. Seng on 5/11/2017. Referred to Judge Lawrence J. O'Neill; Objections to F&R due by 6/15/2017. (Lundstrom, T)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
11
EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
12
13
GARY FRANCIS FISHER1,
Petitioner,
14
v.
15
16
SACRAMENTO COUNTY SUPERIOR
COURTS,
17
Respondent.
Case No. 1:17-cv-00650-MJS (HC)
ORDER DIRECTING CLERK’S OFFICE TO
ASSIGN A DISTRICT JUDGE TO THIS
MATTER
FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATION TO
DISMISS SUCCESSIVE PETITION FOR WRIT
OF HABEAS CORPUS PURSUANT TO 28
U.S.C. § 2244(b)
18
(ECF No. 13)
19
20
THIRTY (30) DAY OBJECTION DEADLINE
21
22
23
24
25
26
Petitioner is a state prisoner proceeding pro se. He initiated this action on March
28, 2017 in the Sacramento Division of the United States District Court for the Eastern
District of California. (ECF No. 1.) His initial petition was stricken and he was given leave
to amend. (ECF No. 9.) Plaintiff filed a first amended petition (ECF No. 13), which
27
28
1
Also known as Gary Dale Barger and Sonny Barger II.
1
challenges his conviction in Case No. BF134705A in the Superior Court of California,
2
County of Kern. Accordingly, on May 9, 2017, the matter was transferred to the Fresno
3
Division. (ECF No. 16.)
4
Petitioner challenges a January 6, 2012 plea to assault with a deadly weapon with
5
various enhancements. (ECF No. 13.) A review of the Court’s dockets and files shows
6
Petitioner has previously sought habeas relief with respect to this conviction. In Case No.
7
1:14-cv-00946-LJO-MJS (HC), Petitioner challenged the same underlying conviction. On
8
November 26, 2014, the petition was dismissed as untimely.2 See Barger v. Rackley,
9
No. 1:14-cv-00946-LJO-MJS, 2014 WL 4976084 (E.D. Cal. Sept. 29, 2014).
10
I.
Discussion
11
A court must dismiss a second or successive petition that raises the same
12
grounds as a prior petition. 28 U.S.C. § 2244(b)(1). A court must also dismiss a second
13
or successive petition raising a new ground unless the petitioner can show that 1) the
14
claim rests on a new constitutional right, made retroactive by the United States Supreme
15
Court or 2) the factual basis of the claim was not previously discoverable through due
16
diligence, and these new facts establish by clear and convincing evidence that but for
17
the constitutional error, no reasonable factfinder would have found the applicant guilty of
18
the underlying offense. 28 U.S.C. § 2244(b)(2)(A)-(B). However, it is not the district court
19
that decides whether a second or successive petition meets these requirements; the
20
Petitioner must first file a motion with the appropriate court of appeals to be authorized to
21
file a second or successive petition with the district court.
22
Section 2244 (b)(3)(A) provides: “Before a second or successive application
23
permitted by this section is filed in the district court, the applicant shall move in the
24
appropriate court of appeals for an order authorizing the district court to consider the
25
application.” In other words, Petitioner must obtain leave from the Ninth Circuit before he
26
27
28
2
Dismissal of a habeas petition for failure to comply with the AEDPA statute of limitations renders
subsequent petitions challenging the same conviction successive. McNabb v. Yates, 576 F.3d 1028, 1030
(9th Cir. 2009).
2
1
can file a second or successive petition in the district court. See Felker v. Turpin, 518
2
U.S. 651, 656-657 (1996). This Court must dismiss any second or successive petition
3
unless the Court of Appeals has given Petitioner leave to file the petition because a
4
district court lacks subject matter jurisdiction over a second or successive petition.
5
Greenawalt v. Stewart, 105 F.3d 1268, 1277 (9th Cir. 1997).
6
Because the current petition was filed after April 24, 1996, the provisions of the
7
Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 apply to Petitioner's current
8
petition. Lindh v. Murphy, 521 U.S. 320, 327 (1997). Petitioner makes no showing that
9
he has obtained prior leave from the Ninth Circuit to file his successive petition attacking
10
the conviction. That being so, this Court has no jurisdiction to consider Petitioner's
11
renewed application for relief under Section 2254 and must dismiss the petition. See
12
Greenawalt, 105 F.3d at 1277. If Petitioner desires to proceed in bringing this petition for
13
writ of habeas corpus, he must file for leave to do so with the Ninth Circuit. See 28
14
U.S.C. § 2244(b)(3).
15
II.
Conclusion and Recommendation
16
The Clerk of Court is HEREBY DIRECTED to assign a District Judge to this
17
matter. Furthermore, it is HEREBY RECOMMENDED that the petition for writ of habeas
18
corpus be DISMISSED as successive.
19
The findings and recommendation are submitted to the assigned United States
20
District Court Judge, pursuant to the provisions of 28 U.S.C. section 636 (b)(1)(B) and
21
Rule 304 of the Local Rules of Practice for the United States District Court, Eastern
22
District of California. Within thirty (30) days after being served with a copy, Petitioner
23
may file written objections with the Court. Such a document should be captioned
24
“Objections to Magistrate Judge’s Findings and Recommendation.” The Court will then
25
review the Magistrate Judge's ruling pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636 (b)(1)(C). Petitioner is
26
advised that failure to file objections within the specified time may result in the waiver of
27
28
3
1
rights on appeal. Wilkerson v. Wheeler, 772 F.3d 834, 839 (9th Cir. 2014) (citing Baxter
2
v. Sullivan, 923 F.2d 1391, 1394 (9th Cir. 1991)).
3
4
5
IT IS SO ORDERED.
Dated:
May 11, 2017
/s/
6
Michael J. Seng
UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
4
Disclaimer: Justia Dockets & Filings provides public litigation records from the federal appellate and district courts. These filings and docket sheets should not be considered findings of fact or liability, nor do they necessarily reflect the view of Justia.
Why Is My Information Online?