Dawson v. Rapelje
Filing
8
OPINION AND ORDER granting Petitioner's Motion non-prejudicial dismissal 6 7 , dismissing without prejudice the habeas petition, and denying a certificate of appealability. Signed by District Judge George Caram Steeh (MBea)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
EASTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN
SOUTHERN DIVISION
TIMOTHY ALLEN DAWSON, #710532,
Petitioner,
CASE NO. 2:11-CV-15626
HONORABLE GEORGE CARAM STEEH
v.
LLOYD RAPELJE,
Respondent.
____________________________________/
OPINION AND ORDER GRANTING PETITIONER’S MOTION FOR NONPREJUDICIAL DISMISSAL, DISMISSING WITHOUT PREJUDICE THE HABEAS
PETITION, AND DENYING A CERTIFICATE OF APPEALABILITY
Michigan prisoner Timothy Allen Dawson (“Petitioner”) has filed a petition for a writ
of habeas corpus pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254 asserting that he is being held in violation
of his constitutional rights. Petitioner was convicted of first-degree premeditated murder,
MICH. COMP. LAWS § 750.316(1)(a), following a jury trial in the Kent County Circuit Court
and was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole in 2008. In his
current petition, he raises claims concerning the admission of other acts evidence,
prosecutorial misconduct, the admission of psychological testimony, restrictions on direct
examination of a witness, and his inability to file a supplemental brief or obtain an
evidentiary hearing on state appeal. Respondent has not yet filed an answer to the petition.
This matter is before the Court on Petitioner’s motion to voluntarily dismiss his
petition so that he may return to the state courts and exhaust additional issues concerning
the effectiveness of trial and appellate counsel and prosecutorial misconduct. The Court
previously denied Petitioner’s motion to stay the proceedings and hold this case in
abeyance. Given that Petitioner seeks to exhaust additional issues in the state courts and
that he has sufficient time to do so within the one-year statute of limitations applicable to
federal habeas actions, dismissal of the present petition is appropriate.
Accordingly, the Court GRANTS Petitioner’s motion for non-prejudicial dismissal of
his petition and DISMISSES WITHOUT PREJUDICE the petition for a writ of habeas
corpus. The Court also DENIES a certificate of appealability as reasonable jurists could
not debate the correctness of the Court’s procedural ruling. See 28 U.S.C. § 2253(c); Fed.
R. App. P. 22(b); Slack v. McDaniel, 529 U.S. 473, 484-85 (2000). This case is closed.
Should Petitioner wish to seek federal habeas relief following the exhaustion of state court
remedies, he must file a new habeas petition in federal court within the time remaining on
the one-year period of limitations.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
Dated: May 23, 2012
S/George Caram Steeh
GEORGE CARAM STEEH
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
Copies of this Order were served upon attorneys of record on
May 23, 2012, by electronic and/or ordinary mail and also to
Timothy Dawson at Saginaw Correctional Facility, 9625 Pierce
Road, Freeland, MI 48623.
S/Josephine Chaffee
Deputy Clerk
2
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