Muhammad-Bey v. Haviland

Filing 16

ORDER DENYING PETITION FOR WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS; DENYING CERTIFICATE OF APPEALABILITY. Signed by Judge Thelton E. Henderson on 08/02/2012. (Attachments: # 1 Certificate/Proof of Service)(tmi, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 8/6/2012)

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1 2 3 4 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 5 FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 6 7 JIHAD MUHAMMAD-BEY, 8 Petitioner, 9 United States District Court For the Northern District of California 10 No. C 10-0667 TEH (PR) v. ORDER DENYING PETITION FOR WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS; DENYING CERTIFICATE OF APPEALABILITY JOHN HAVILAND, Warden, 11 Respondent. 12 / 13 14 Petitioner Jihad Muhammad-Bey aka Charles Anderson, a 15 prisoner incarcerated at Solano State Prison in Vacaville, 16 California, has filed a pro se petition for a writ of habeas corpus 17 under 28 U.S.C. § 2254, which, for the reasons that follow, the 18 Court denies. 19 I 20 On April 11, 2006, a jury convicted Petitioner of four 21 counts of second degree robbery. 22 179-181, 184-87. 23 well as the allegation of infliction of great bodily injury. 24 184-87. 25 suffered eleven prior convictions. 26 Transcript (RT) 12. 27 indeterminate sentence of seventy-five years to life on the robbery 28 convictions and a determinate term of twenty-five years on the Ex. 1, Clerk’s Transcript (CT) The jury found the weapon-use allegation true, as CT On April 12, 2006, the trial court found Petitioner had Ex. 2, Vol. 7 Reporter’s On July 31, 2006, the trial court imposed an 1 sentence enhancements. 2 the California Court of Appeal affirmed the judgment. 3 November 14, 2007, the California Supreme Court denied review. 4 7, 8. 5 of habeas corpus in the San Francisco superior court. 6 July 14, 2009, the superior court issued a two-page denial. 7 Petitioner filed timely petitions for a writ of habeas corpus in the 8 California Court of Appeal and the California Supreme Court. 9 10, 12. On August 27, 2007, Ex. 6. On Ex. On February 2, 2009, Petitioner filed a petition for a writ 10 United States District Court For the Northern District of California CT 230-31; 7 RT 11-17. Each court issued a one-sentence denial. Ex. 9. On Ex. 9. Exs. Exs. 11, 13. On February 17, 2010, Petitioner a filed a timely petition 11 for a writ of habeas corpus in this Court. 12 Court issued on Order to Show Cause, finding that Petitioner had 13 stated claims of ineffective assistance of trial and appellate 14 counsel based on failure to investigate and present evidence of his 15 mental impairment and failure to challenge the constitutionality of 16 his prior convictions used to enhance his sentence. 17 answered and Petitioner has filed a traverse.1 On July 1, 2010, the Respondent has 18 19 20 21 1 22 23 24 25 26 27 In his traverse, Petitioner attempts to assert an Equal Protection claim based on discrimination due to his Moorish-American heritage and a Fourth Amendment claim based on a warrantless search of his living quarters in a homeless shelter. Because these claims were raised for the first time in his traverse, Respondent does not address them. “A traverse is not the proper pleading to raise additional claims for relief” on federal habeas review. Cacoperdo v. Demosthenes, 37 F.3d 504, 507 (9th Cir. 1994). In order for the state to be properly notified of additional claims, they should be presented in an amended petition, to which the state can file an answer. Id. Therefore, to the extent that Petitioner raises additional claims in his traverse, the Court denies relief. 28 2 1 II 2 The statement of facts is taken from the briefs Petitioner 3 and Respondent submitted on direct appeal to the California 4 Appellate Court, exs. 3 and 4, and the trial transcript. 5 3, 2005, at approximately 4:00 p.m., San Francisco police officer 6 Mark Gamble, working in an off-duty position as a security guard at 7 the Embarcadero Center in San Francisco, saw Petitioner leaning on a 8 cement wall in the vicinity of ramps leading to and from the parking 9 garage in Embarcadero Number 3. 3 RT 74. On March Because Petitioner was United States District Court For the Northern District of California 10 alone and appeared nervous and agitated, Officer Gamble decided to 11 further observe him. 12 Petitioner’s location, but when he arrived, Petitioner was gone. 13 RT 76. 14 observed him again near Clay Street, emerging from behind a pillar 15 on the ramp of the garage. 16 ski cap, a red, black and grey nylon jacket, black pants and white 17 shoes. 18 Petitioner, Petitioner immediately walked up to Officer Gamble. 19 RT 77. 20 and animated, and kept putting his hands in and out of his pocket. 21 3 RT 77. 22 from him and Petitioner complied. 23 Gamble that he had been robbed the night before and someone had hit 24 him with a knife. 25 that he was waiting for someone, but Officer Gamble did not see 26 anyone in the vicinity during his encounter with Petitioner. 27 79. 3 RT 75. Officer Gamble circled around to 3 Officer Gamble walked around searching for Petitioner and 3 RT 83. 3 RT 76. Petitioner was wearing a black When Officer Gamble made eye contact with 3 This startled Officer Gamble because Petitioner was nervous Officer Gamble asked Petitioner to stay a few feet away 3 RT 78. 3 RT 77. Petitioner told Officer Petitioner also told Officer Gamble 28 3 3 RT 1 Officer Gamble contacted Officer Kevin Richins, also an 2 officer with the San Francisco Police Department working off-duty as 3 security for the Embarcadero complex. 4 to the officers as Charles Anderson and that he was residing at a 5 homeless shelter on Turk and Leavenworth Streets in San Francisco. 6 3 RT 82. 7 removed from his jacket pocket a large concrete rock with jagged 8 edges, approximately four inches by six inches. 9 Petitioner was not detained further. Officer Richins did a pat-down search of Petitioner and 10 United States District Court For the Northern District of California Petitioner identified himself 3 RT 84. On March 5, 2005, at approximately 8:00 p.m., Ai Jing 11 Huang was working as a parking attendant at a parking garage at 622 12 Washington Street in San Francisco. 3 RT 95. 13 noticed Petitioner walking down the ramp of the parking garage. 14 RT 96, 98. 15 jacket and black jeans. 16 approximately three feet away from Huang, he pulled out a metal rod, 17 about ten inches in length. 18 up, Petitioner hit him twice with the metal rod. 19 Petitioner said, “give me money,” and Huang pulled out approximately 20 $200 from his pocket and gave it to Petitioner. 21 Petitioner asked Huang for more money, Huang said it was all he had, 22 and Petitioner hit him on the right forearm and on his left ribs 23 with the metal rod. 24 his chair. 25 am going to kill you.” 26 help, and Petitioner ran away. 27 Officer David On of the San Francisco Police Department responded. 28 Huang gave him a description of Petitioner. Huang was alone and 3 Petitioner was wearing a black cap, a black and red silk 3 RT 99-100. 3 RT 101. 3 RT 103. 3 RT 103. When Petitioner was When Huang tried to stand 3 RT 102. 3 RT 102. When Huang got up and hit Petitioner with Petitioner said, “I am going to kill you, I 3 RT 104. Huang called out to someone for 3 RT 106. 4 Huang called 911 and Huang later identified 1 Petitioner from a photo line-up. 2 Petitioner at the preliminary hearing and at the trial. 3 108. 4 3 RT 117. He later identified 3 RT 98, On March 6, 2005, at approximately 7:30 p.m., Senait Gebre 5 and Sendeku Kassie were working behind the counter at Zane’s Liquor 6 Store at 246 Second Street in San Francisco when Petitioner entered 7 the store wearing a black and red jacket, black pants and black 8 shoes. 9 retrieved a bottle of water. 4 RT 163-66. Petitioner first went to the cooler and When he went to the counter, he United States District Court For the Northern District of California 10 grabbed Kassie’s cordless phone and put it in his pocket, grabbed 11 Kassie, dragged him from behind the counter and beat him on the head 12 with a piece of metal four or five times, causing Kassie to fall to 13 the ground. 14 me the money.” 15 the money at Petitioner. 4 RT 172. 16 between $600 and $1,000. They called the police and Gebre provided 17 them with a description of Petitioner. 18 identified Petitioner from a photo line-up, but she wrote that she 19 was not “100% sure” of her identification. 20 identified Petitioner at the preliminary hearing and the trial as 21 the person who robbed her, but she stated that she was only 50% sure 22 of her identification. 23 person that robbed him from a photo line-up or at the preliminary 24 hearing. 25 4 RT 168-71. 4 RT 172. Petitioner said, “give me the money, give Gebre opened the cash register and threw 4 RT 182. Gebre believed Petitioner took 4 RT 174. Gebre later 4 RT 186. She also Kassie was unable to identify the 5 RT 13-14. On March 9, 2005, at approximately 4:00 p.m., Jose Rimon 26 was working at the parking garage at 600 Harrison Street in San 27 Francisco as a valet and cashier. 28 in a booth located at the bottom of the ramp that led in and out of 5 RT 29. 5 Rimon was working alone 1 the garage. 2 said “give me the money.” 3 and Petitioner removed a steel pipe, about two feet long, from 4 behind his back. 5 head and his body with the pipe. 6 garage in her car shouted to Rimon to jump in her car, which he did. 7 5 RT 35. 8 Petitioner in the booth getting money from the drawer. 9 Rimon remembered that Petitioner wore a black cap and a white tee- 5 RT 30. Petitioner walked down the ramp to Rimon and 5 RT 32-33. Rimon walked out of the booth Petitioner then whacked Rimon on the 5 RT 33. A woman leaving the As they were driving away, Rimon looked back and saw 10 United States District Court For the Northern District of California 5 RT 31. shirt. 11 hearing and at the trial. 5 RT 36. 12 5 RT 35-37. Rimon identified Petitioner at the preliminary 5 RT 38. Eduardo Romero, maintenance foreman of the 600 Harrison 13 Street garage, was approaching his office, which was close to 14 Rimon’s booth, when he heard sounds and saw Rimon bleeding from the 15 head. 16 Romero saw Petitioner taking money from the booth. 17 Romero identified the robber as wearing a black beanie, a white 18 shirt and black pants and he had a small goatee. 19 Romero identified Petitioner in a photo line-up, 6 RT 339, and at 20 the trial, 6 RT 321. 6 RT 315-17. 21 Rimon told him that he was being robbed and 6 RT 317. 6 RT 319-20. On March 11, 2005, Officer Shaughn Ryan of the San 22 Francisco police department and other officers executed an arrest 23 warrant for Petitioner at a shelter at 290 Turk Street in San 24 Francisco. 25 address and arrested him. 26 3 RT 68. They found Petitioner at the Turk Street 3 RT 68-69. III 27 Under the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 28 1996 (“AEDPA”), codified under 28 U.S.C. § 2254, a federal court may 6 1 not grant a writ of habeas corpus on any claim adjudicated on the 2 merits in state court unless the adjudication: 3 decision that was contrary to, or involved an unreasonable 4 application of, clearly established Federal law, as determined by 5 the Supreme Court of the United States; or (2) resulted in a 6 decision that was based on an unreasonable determination of the 7 facts in light of the evidence presented in the State court 8 proceeding.” 9 “(1) resulted in a 28 U.S.C. § 2254(d). “Under the ‘contrary to’ clause, a federal habeas court United States District Court For the Northern District of California 10 may grant the writ if the state court arrives at a conclusion 11 opposite to that reached by [the Supreme] Court on a question of law 12 or if the state court decides a case differently than [the] Court 13 has on a set of materially indistinguishable facts.” 14 (Terry) v. Taylor, 529 U.S. 362, 412–13 (2000). 15 ‘unreasonable application’ clause, a federal habeas court may grant 16 the writ if the state court identifies the correct governing legal 17 principle from [the] Court’s decisions but unreasonably applies that 18 principle to the facts of the prisoner’s case.” Williams “Under the Id. at 413. 19 “[A] federal habeas court may not issue the writ simply 20 because that court concludes in its independent judgment that the 21 relevant state-court decision applied clearly established federal 22 law erroneously or incorrectly. 23 objectively unreasonable.” 24 (2003) (internal quotation marks and citation omitted). 25 in conducting its analysis, the federal court must presume the 26 correctness of the state court’s factual findings, and the 27 petitioner bears the burden of rebutting that presumption by clear 28 and convincing evidence. Rather, that application must be Lockyer v. Andrade, 538 U.S. 63, 75-76 28 U.S.C. § 2254(e)(1). 7 Moreover, 1 The standard of review under AEDPA is somewhat different 2 where the state court gives no reasoned explanation of its decision 3 on a petitioner's federal claim. 4 record is the only means of deciding whether the state court's 5 decision was objectively reasonable. 6 F.3d 1190, 1197-98 (9th Cir. 2006); 7 848, 853 (9th Cir. 2003). 8 federal court should conduct an “independent review of the record” 9 to determine whether the state court’s decision was an objectively In such a case, a review of the Plascencia v. Alameida, 467 Himes v. Thompson, 336 F.3d When confronted with such a decision, a United States District Court For the Northern District of California 10 unreasonable application of clearly established federal law. 11 Plascencia, 467 F.3d at 1198; Himes, 336 F.3d at 853. 12 Here, the only reasoned decision was issued by the 13 California appellate court on direct appeal, which addressed the 14 only claim Petitioner raised, whether his encounter with Officers 15 Gamble and Richins constituted an improper search or seizure. 16 state habeas courts, which were presented with the ineffective 17 assistance of counsel claims that Petitioner raises here, did not 18 issue a reasoned decision on them. 19 an independent review of the record to determine whether the state 20 courts’ rejection of Petitioner’s claims was an objectively 21 unreasonable application of clearly established federal law. 22 23 The Therefore, this Court conducts IV A claim of ineffective assistance of counsel is cognizable 24 as a claim of denial of the Sixth Amendment right to counsel, which 25 guarantees not only assistance, but effective assistance of counsel. 26 Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 686 (1984). 27 for judging any claim of ineffectiveness must be whether counsel's 28 conduct so undermined the proper functioning of the adversarial 8 The benchmark 1 process that the trial cannot be relied upon as having produced a 2 just result. 3 Id. In order to prevail on an ineffectiveness of counsel 4 claim, a petitioner must establish two things. 5 petitioner must establish that counsel's performance was deficient, 6 i.e., that it fell below an "objective standard of reasonableness" 7 under prevailing professional norms. 8 petitioner must establish that he or she was prejudiced by counsel's 9 deficient performance. United States District Court For the Northern District of California 10 First, the Id. at 687-88. Second, the Id. at 694. To show that trial counsel's performance was deficient, a 11 petitioner must show that counsel made errors so serious that 12 counsel was not functioning as the "counsel" guaranteed by the Sixth 13 Amendment. 14 counsel could have done, but rather whether the choices made by 15 defense counsel were reasonable. 16 1170, 1173 (9th Cir. 1998). 17 performance must be highly deferential, and a court must indulge a 18 strong presumption that counsel's conduct falls within the wide 19 range of reasonable professional assistance. 20 at 689. 21 Id. at 687. The relevant inquiry is not what defense Babbitt v. Calderon, 151 F.3d Judicial scrutiny of counsel's Strickland, 466 U.S. To establish prejudice, the petitioner must show that 22 counsel's errors were so serious as to deprive the petitioner of a 23 fair trial, a trial whose result is reliable. 24 at 688. 25 the petitioner need not show that the deficient conduct more likely 26 than not altered the outcome of the case; however, a simple showing 27 that the defense was impaired is also not sufficient. 28 The petitioner must show that there is a reasonable probability Strickland, 466 U.S. The test for prejudice is not outcome-determinative, i.e., 9 Id. at 693. 1 that, but for counsel's unprofessional errors, the result of the 2 proceeding would have been different; a reasonable probability is a 3 probability sufficient to undermine confidence in the 4 outcome. Id. at 694. 5 The Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment 6 guarantees a criminal defendant the effective assistance of counsel 7 on his first appeal as of right. 8 391-405 (1985). 9 counsel are reviewed according to the standard set out in Evitts v. Lucey, 469 U.S. 387, Claims of ineffective assistance of appellate United States District Court For the Northern District of California 10 Strickland. 11 Ryan, 628 F.3d 1102, 1106 (9th Cir. 2010). 12 must show that counsel’s performance was objectively unreasonable, 13 which in the appellate context requires the petitioner to 14 demonstrate that counsel acted unreasonably in failing to discover 15 and brief a merit-worthy issue. 16 628 F.3d at 1106. 17 in this context means that the petitioner must demonstrate a 18 reasonable probability that, but for appellate counsel’s failure to 19 raise the issue, the petitioner would have prevailed in his appeal. 20 Smith, 528 U.S. at 285-86; Moormann, 628 F.3d at 1106. 21 important to note that appellate counsel does not have a 22 constitutional duty to raise every nonfrivolous issue requested by 23 defendant. 24 v. Stewart, 129 F.3d 1027, 1045 (9th Cir. 1997). Smith v. Robbins, 528 U.S. 259, 285 (2000); Moormann v. First, the petitioner Smith, 528 U.S. at 285; Moormann, Second, the petitioner must show prejudice, which It is Jones v. Barnes, 463 U.S. 745, 751-54 (1983); Gerlaugh 25 V. Investigation and Presentation of Mental Health Defense 26 A. Trial Counsel 27 28 Petitioner claims that counsel was ineffective for failing to mount a credible diminished capacity defense due to the effects 10 1 of various psychotropic medications he was taking at the time the 2 crimes were committed. 3 a form for release of medical information to the office of the 4 public defender, that he signed on April 4, 2004. 5 an unsigned, undated, partially completed form from the public 6 defender’s office which lists various medications and a diagnosis, 7 but the lines for the client’s name, address and other identifying 8 information are blank. 9 denied because Petitioner has failed to show the viability of a United States District Court For the Northern District of California 10 In support of this claim, Petitioner submits He also submits Respondent argues that this claim must be diminished capacity defense. 11 A defense attorney has a general duty to make reasonable 12 investigations or to make a reasonable decision that makes 13 particular investigations unnecessary. 14 Cullen v. Pinholster, 131 S. Ct. 1388, 1407 (2011). 15 counsel is not required to pursue every claim or defense, regardless 16 of its merit, viability, or realistic chance for success. 17 v. Mirzayance, 556 U.S. 111, 124 (2009). 18 19 Strickland, 466 U.S. at 691; However, Knowles Diminished capacity, which was once a viable defense in California, was abolished in 1982. 20 California Penal Code § 25, provides, in relevant part: 21 24 (a) the defense of diminished capacity is hereby abolished. In a criminal action . . . evidence concerning an accused person’s intoxication, trauma, mental illness, disease, or defect shall not be admissible to show or negate capacity to form the particular purpose, intent, motive, malice aforethought, knowledge, or other mental state required for the commission of the crime charged. 25 . . . 26 (c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, evidence of diminished capacity or of a mental disorder may be considered by the court only at the time of sentencing or other disposition or commitment. 22 23 27 28 11 1 Therefore, at the time of Petitioner’s trial in 2006, 2 counsel could not have presented a defense that Petitioner was not 3 guilty due to diminished capacity from mental illness or disease. 4 Counsel’s performance cannot be found to be deficient because he 5 failed to put on an unavailable defense. 6 at 124. 7 See Mirzayance, 556 U.S. At Petitioner’s sentencing hearing, he informed the trial 8 court that he took psychotropic medication, and that he was seeing a 9 therapist and a psychiatrist. 7 RT 8. Also, at the hearing, United States District Court For the Northern District of California 10 Petitioner told the court that he did not fault his counsel for not 11 obtaining his medical records because “they just weren’t available 12 at the time.” 13 shelter where Petitioner lived to obtain his medical records, but he 14 was told that the records were destroyed after one year. 15 Counsel told the court that he was bringing Petitioner’s mental 16 health issue to the court’s attention “as just circumstance that 17 might cause the Court to show some leniency.” 18 responded, “And I have to say in looking at the record, it’s a 19 pretty significant record, and there are acts of violence, 20 considerable acts of violence. 21 exercise my discretion to strike those priors, I cannot.” 22 7 RT 9. Counsel confirmed that he went to the 7 RT 10. 7 RT 10. The court Based on that, I don’t think I can 7 RT 11. This dialogue illustrates two significant points. First, 23 contrary to Petitioner’s claim, counsel did investigate and try to 24 obtain his mental health records. 25 his sentencing hearing. 26 did not investigate is not supported by the record. 27 28 Petitioner acknowledged this at Therefore, Petitioner’s claim that counsel Second, trial counsel introduced evidence of Petitioner’s mental health at Petitioner’s sentencing hearing, as was proper 12 1 under California Penal Code § 25(c). 2 court considered his mental health issues, but based upon 3 Petitioner’s significant record of past convictions and his violent 4 conduct, the court did not strike any of Petitioner’s prior 5 convictions, which would have reduced his final sentence. 6 Therefore, Petitioner’s claim that counsel did not present mental 7 health evidence to the court is not supported by the record. 8 Because counsel’s performance was not deficient, the Court need not 9 address Strickland’s second prong regarding prejudice. United States District Court For the Northern District of California 10 In sentencing Petitioner, the B. Appellate Counsel 11 Petitioner argues that appellate counsel was ineffective, 12 presumably for not raising this ineffective assistance of counsel 13 claim in his direct appeal. 14 Because trial counsel was not deficient in either investigating 15 Petitioner’s mental health or in presenting evidence about it, a 16 claim of ineffective assistance of trial counsel based this issue on 17 appeal would likely not have succeeded. 18 54 (appellate counsel does not have a constitutional duty to raise 19 every nonfrivolous issue). 20 the trial court’s denial of the motion to suppress the evidence 21 obtained during Petitioner’s encounter with Officers Gamble and 22 Richins. 23 statements about being robbed and being hit with a metal pipe. 24 9. 25 describing his own modus operandi in committing the charged 26 robberies. 27 Petitioner’s name and address, which later facilitated his arrest. 28 Given these incriminating statements, appellate counsel’s decision Exs. 3, 5. See Jones, 463 U.S. at 751- Instead, appellate counsel focused on During that encounter, Petitioner made 2 RT These statements were incriminating because Petitioner was Also, during this encounter, the officers obtained 13 1 to appeal from the trial court’s denial of the motion to suppress 2 was tactically sound. 3 Therefore, based upon an independent review of the record, the 4 Court finds that the state court’s denial of the claim of 5 ineffective assistance of trial and appellate counsel based on 6 Petitioner’s mental health was not an objectively unreasonable 7 application of clearly established federal law. 8 VI. Ineffective Assistance of Trial and Appellate Counsel Regarding Sentencing 9 Petitioner contends his trial counsel was ineffective because United States District Court For the Northern District of California 10 he failed to conduct an adequate investigation into the 11 constitutionality of Petitioner’s 1989 prior convictions, which were 12 used to enhance his sentence. Petitioner argues that these prior 13 convictions were unconstitutionally obtained because trial counsel 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 in the 1989 case was also ineffective. A petitioner generally may not attack the constitutionality of a prior conviction used to enhance a later sentence. "[O]nce a state conviction is no longer open to direct or collateral attack in its own right because the defendant failed to pursue those remedies while they were available (or because the defendant did so unsuccessfully), the conviction may be regarded as conclusively valid. If that conviction is later used to enhance a criminal sentence, the defendant generally may not challenge the enhanced sentence through a petition under § 2254 on the ground that the prior conviction was unconstitutionally obtained." Lackawanna County Dist. Attorney v. Coss, 532 U.S. 394, 403-04 (2001) (citations omitted). On May 2, 1989, Petitioner received a fifteen year sentence for the 1989 convictions. 14 CT at 139-I & J. Given 1 this, Petitioner was not in custody at the time he was sentenced in 2 2006, and the 1989 convictions are no longer open to collateral 3 challenge in federal court. 4 The rule in California is the same. The California Supreme 5 Court has held, “In a current prosecution for a noncapital offense, 6 the interest of judicial efficiency does not justify a rule of 7 criminal procedure requiring that trial courts entertain motions to 8 strike based upon the constitutional ground of ineffective 9 assistance of counsel.” Garcia v. Superior Court, 14 Cal. 4th 953, United States District Court For the Northern District of California 10 966 (1997). 11 counsel could not have raised a challenge to the his 1989 12 convictions based on ineffective assistance of counsel in that case. 13 Therefore, at the time Petitioner was sentenced, Counsel’s performance cannot be found to be deficient because 14 he failed to make an unmeritorious argument at Petitioner’s 15 sentencing. 16 For the reasons discussed above, appellate counsel was 17 under no obligation to raise a spurious claim of ineffective 18 assistance of counsel based on the unconstitutionality of 19 Petitioner’s 1989 convictions. 20 (winnowing out weak or frivolous issues is the duty of appellate 21 counsel). 22 failing to include in Petitioner’s appeal a claim of ineffective 23 assistance of trial counsel founded on counsel’s performance at 24 Petitioner’s sentencing. 25 See Jones, 463 U.S. at 751-52 Therefore, appellate counsel was not deficient for Based upon an independent review of the record, the Court 26 finds that the state court’s denial of the claim of ineffective 27 assistance of trial and appellate counsel regarding Petitioner’s 28 15 1 sentencing was not an objectively unreasonable application of 2 clearly established federal law. 3 VII For the foregoing reasons, the Petition for a Writ of 4 Habeas Corpus is DENIED. 5 Further, a Certificate of Appealability is DENIED. See 6 Rule 11(a) of the Rules Governing Section 2254 Cases. Petitioner 7 has not made “a substantial showing of the denial of a 8 constitutional right.” 28 U.S.C. § 2253(c)(2). Nor has Petitioner 9 demonstrated that “reasonable jurists would find the district United States District Court For the Northern District of California 10 court’s assessment of the constitutional claims debatable or wrong.” 11 Slack v. McDaniel, 529 U.S. 473, 484 (2000). Petitioner may not 12 appeal the denial of a Certificate of Appealability in this Court 13 but may seek a certificate from the Court of Appeals under Rule 22 14 15 16 of the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure. Rules Governing Section 2254 Cases. The Clerk is directed to enter Judgment in favor of 17 18 19 See Rule 11(a) of the Respondent and against Petitioner, terminate any pending motions as moot and close the file. IT IS SO ORDERED. 20 21 22 DATED 08/02/2012 THELTON E. HENDERSON United States District Judge 23 24 25 26 G:\PRO-SE\TEH\HC.10\Bey-10-0667-HC Deny.wpd 27 28 16

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