Crayton v. Secretary, Department of Corrections et al (Pinellas County)

Filing 3

ORDER dismissing without prejudice as successive and unauthorized #1 Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus and directing Clerk to forward appropriate form, terminate all pending motions, and close this case. Signed by Judge William F. Jung on 1/7/2022. (CCB)

Case 8:21-cv-02912-WFJ-AEP Document 3 Filed 01/07/22 Page 1 of 2 PageID 28

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
MIDDLE DISTRICT OF FLORIDA
TAMPA DIVISION
FREDDIE CRAYTON,
Petitioner,
-vs-

Case No. 8:21-cv-2912-WFJ-AEP

SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT
OF CORRECTIONS,
Respondent.
________________________________/
ORDER
Mr. Crayton, a former Florida prisoner, filed a petition for the writ of habeas corpus
under 28 U.S.C. § 2254 (“petition”) (Doc. 1). To the extent he challenges his 2003
convictions, the Court lacks jurisdiction to adjudicate the petition because Mr. Crayton
previously sought and was denied federal habeas relief in this Court regarding those
convictions (see Crayton v. Secretary, Dept. of Corrections, Case No. 8:14-cv-2234-CEH-MAP
(M.D.Fla.)), and he has not shown that he has received authorization from the Eleventh
Circuit Court of Appeals to file a successive habeas petition. See 28 U.S.C. § 2244(b)(3)(A);
Gilreath v. State Bd. of Pardons & Paroles, 273 F.3d 932, 933 (11th Cir. 2001). And to the
extent he attempts to appeal a decision from the Florida Second District Court of Appeal
affirming the denial of his 2021 motion for an evidentiary hearing by the state circuit
court, federal courts do not act as appellate courts over state courts. District of Columbia
1

Case 8:21-cv-02912-WFJ-AEP Document 3 Filed 01/07/22 Page 2 of 2 PageID 29

Court of Appeals v. Feldman, 460 U.S. 462, 482–86 (1983); Rooker v. Fidelity Trust Co., 263
U.S. 413 (1923); Staley v. Ledbetter, 837 F.2d 1016, 1017 (11th Cir.1988) (“The federal
courts are not a forum for appealing state court decisions.”).
Accordingly:
1. The petition for the writ of habeas corpus (Doc. 1) is DISMISSED without
prejudice as an unauthorized second or successive petition.
2. The Clerk must send to Mr. Crayton the Eleventh Circuit’s form for second or
successive habeas corpus petitions under 28 U.S.C. § 2244(b), terminate all pending
motions, and close this case.
ORDERED in Tampa, Florida, on January 7, 2022.

Copy to: Freddie Crayton, pro se

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