Lyons v. Fisher et al

Filing 55

MEMORANDUM OPINION re 54 Final Judgment Dismissing Case. Signed by District Judge Sharion Aycock on 8/4/17. (rel)

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF MISSISSIPPI
ABERDEEN DIVISION
DAVID EARL LYONS

PETITIONER

v.

No. 1:16CV143-SA-DAS

MARSHALL FISHER, ET AL.

RESPONDENTS

MEMORANDUM OPINION
This matter comes before the court on the pro se petition of David Earl Lyons for a writ of
habeas corpus under 28 U.S.C. § 2254. The State has moved to dismiss the petition for failure to
exhaust state court remedies. The petitioner has responded to the motion, and the matter is ripe for
resolution. For the reasons set forth below, the State’s motion will be granted, and the instant petition
for a writ of habeas corpus will be dismissed without prejudice for failure to exhaust state remedies.
Exhaustion
Under 28 U.S.C. § 2254(b)(1), a prisoner seeking habeas corpus relief must first exhaust state
remedies. Section 2254 provides, in relevant part:
(b)(1) An application for a writ of habeas corpus on behalf of a person in custody
pursuant to the judgment of a State court shall not be granted unless it appears that –
(A) the applicant has exhausted the state remedies available in the courts of
the State; or
(B) (i) there is an absence of available State corrective process; or
(ii) circumstances exist that render such process ineffective to protect the
rights of the appellant
...
(c) An applicant shall not be deemed to have exhausted the remedies available in the
courts of the State, within the meaning of this section, if he has the right under the law
of the State to raise, by any available procedure, the question presented.
AA fundamental prerequisite to federal habeas relief under 28 U.S.C. ' 2254 is the exhaustion
of all claims in state court under ' 2254(b)(1) prior to requesting federal collateral relief.@ Sterling v.
Scott, 57 F.3d 451, 453 (5th Cir. 1995) (citing Rose v. Lundy, 455 U.S. 509 (1982)). A finding of

exhaustion requires the petitioner to have Afairly presented the substance of his claims to the state
courts.@ Sones v. Hargett, 61 F.3d 410, 414-15 (5th Cir. 1995) (citing Vela v. Estelle, 708 F.2d 954, 958
(5th Cir. 1983)). Further, exhaustion Arequires that normally a state prisoner=s entire federal habeas
petition must be dismissed unless the prisoner=s state remedies have been exhausted as to all claims
raised in the federal petition.@ Graham v. Johnson, 94 F.3d 958, 968 (5th Cir. 1996) (citing Rose, 455
U.S. at 518-19). The exhaustion doctrine serves the salutary purpose of Agiving the state courts the
first opportunity to review the federal constitutional issues and to correct any errors made by the trial
courts, [and thus] >serves to minimize friction between our federal and state systems of justice.=@
Satterwhite v. Lynaugh, 886 F.2d 90, 92 (5th Cir. 1989) (quoting Rose, at 518) (citations omitted).
David Earl Lyons is in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections and is
housed at the Mississippi State Penitentiary in Parchman, Mississippi. Lyons was convicted of
D.U.I. – 3rd Offense in the Circuit Court of Monroe County, Mississippi and sentenced to serve a
term of five years, as a habitual offender, in the custody of the Mississippi Department of
Corrections. Lyons appealed his conviction and sentence to the Mississippi Supreme Court,
which assigned the case to the Mississippi Court of Appeals. On July 26, 2016, the court of
appeals affirmed Lyons’ conviction and sentence. Lyons v. State, 196 So.3d 1131 (Miss. Ct.
App. 2016)(Cause No. 2014-KA-00861-COA). Lyons did not seek rehearing, which prevented
him from seeking certiorari review in the Mississippi Supreme Court. On August 16, 2016, the
court of appeals’ mandate issued. On November 9, 2015, prior to the conclusion of his direct
appeal, Lyons filed an application for permission to proceed with a motion for post-conviction
collateral relief in Mississippi Supreme Court Cause No. 2015-M-01678. On April 6, 2016, the
Mississippi Supreme Court dismissed Lyons’ application without prejudice as premature, noting
that Lyons’ direct appeal was still pending at the time. At present, Lyons has not filed a proper
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application for permission to proceed with a motion for post-conviction collateral relief in the
Mississippi Supreme Court following the conclusion of his direct appeal.
Thus, Mr. Lyons still has the remedy of state post-conviction collateral relief which he may
pursue in state court. As such, the instant petition for a writ of habeas corpus must be dismissed for
failure to exhaust state remedies. The court cautions the petitioner that the one-year federal habeas
corpus limitations period has been running during the pendency of this federal petition, and the
petitioner needs to move with diligence to ensure that he exhausts state remedies prior to the
expiration of the federal habeas corpus deadline. A final judgment consistent with this memorandum
opinion will issue today.
SO ORDERED, this, the 4th day of August, 2017.

/s/ Sharion Aycock
U. S. DISTRICT JUDGE

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