Brown v. Epps et al
Filing
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ORDER SETTING DEADLINES FOR APPOINTING NEW COUNSEL. Mark Jicka and Graham Carner appointed, subject to submission of Motion for Appointment of Counsel and Application to Proceed in forma Pauperis on or before March 20, 2013. Signed by District Judge Halil S. Ozerden on February 19, 2013 (Rushing, Terryl)
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF MISSISSIPPI
WESTERN DIVISION
JOSEPH PATRICK BROWN
VS.
PETITIONER
CIVIL ACTION NO.: 5:12CV91HSO
CHRISTOPHER EPPS, Commissioner,
Mississippi of Corrections; EARNEST LEE,
Superintendent, Mississippi State Penitentiary
at Parchman, Mississippi
RESPONDENTS
ORDER SETTING DEADLINES FOR APPOINTING NEW COUNSEL
This matter came before the Court sua sponte after a review of the file indicated that two
previous deadlines for filing a motion to appoint counsel have long expired. This matter began as
Case No. 5:97cv97 with the filing of an Application for Stay of Execution and a Motion for
Appointment of Counsel. Judge Bramlette granted both Motions and appointed Max Ruttger and
James Craig as counsel. Because Brown wished to pursue claims that were unexhausted in state
court, and before a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus was filed, the Court vacated its stay of
execution and dismissed the case. On February 29, 2012, James Craig filed an Amended Petition
for Writ of Habeas Corpus. By that time, Judge Bramlette had taken senior status, and the case was
reassigned.
After a review of the Amended Petition, the Court determined that a new case should be
opened for this matter, preserving, however, the original filing date and construing the Petition as
a new pleading. Craig having expressed a desire to continue to represent Brown, the Court’s death
penalty law clerk advised him to file a motion for appointment of counsel with his suggestion for
a second attorney. A second attorney was identified, and counsel began working a proposed budget
to present to the Court. On August 13, 2012, the Court entered an Order setting a deadline of
September 10, 2012, for the submission of the motion for appointment and an application to proceed
in forma pauperis. After that deadline had expired, counsel asked for a two-week extension. That
request was granted by an Order entered on September 20, 2012, extending the deadline for the
motion for appointment and the application to proceed IFP to October 5, 2012. That deadline also
passed, and counsel advised that they continued to work on the budget. Since mid-October,
however, counsel has neither submitted a motion for appointment, submitted a budget, or asked for
an extension of time.
The Court is of the opinion that new counsel should be appointed to this matter so that it
continues to progress on the Court’s docket. To that end, it has contacted Mark Jicka, an attorney
on the Court’s Capital Habeas CJA Panel, and asked him to take the appointment. Jicka has agreed
and has suggested that Graham Carner, another attorney on the Court’s Panel, be appointed as cocounsel. The Court is of the opinion that Jicka and Carner should be appointed to represent Joseph
Patrick Brown in this case, upon submission of the appropriate pleadings.
IT IS, THEREFORE, ORDERED that Petitioner submit his Application to Proceed in forma
pauperis and his Motion for Appointment of Counsel on or before March 20, 2013.
IT IS SO ORDERED, this the 19th day of February, 2013.
s/ Halil Suleyman Ozerden
HALIL SULEYMAN OZERDEN
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
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