SCOTT v. RICCI et al, No. 2:2010cv06168 - Document 7 (D.N.J. 2012)

Court Description: OPINION. Signed by Judge Stanley R. Chesler on 2/22/2012. (nr, )

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF NEW JERSEY OPINION MICHELLE RICCI, et al., Respondents. APPEARANCES: Reginald Scott, Pro Se #293736/201006-C New Jersey State Prison P.O. Box 861 Trenton, NJ 08625 CHESLER, District Judge This matter is before the Court on Petitioner s request for a stay and abeyance of his habeas petition, U.S.C. § 2254. For the following reasons, filed pursuant to 28 Petitioner will be ordered to show cause as to why his request should be granted. BACKGROUND Pc tit.ioner, Regina.I.d Scott, of ha.beas coru.s under 28 tLS.C, fi..ls.d this petition for a writ § 2254 on October 29, 2010. case was closed due to an administrative issue concerning his fi..ling fee, but that issue was resol.ved in June of 2011, The N) 0 it CD o U) U) CD U) Di Di U) HU) it U)_ CD U) CD CD U) it CD U) U) - Ci) it Di it CD it it CD it o C) U) it U) o C) it it CD it U) it. 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CD it U) - 0 U) CD U) U) it CD it Hit H CD U: CD it U) U) CD it Di U) C) 0 C) U) it it it it U) H- 0 C) U) it it it C) it U: it Di it D U) C) C) it Di it CD Di U) 0 U) it it H0 U) it Di it CD it it CD U) it HU) it it CD U) it CD CU) U) it Di LU) Di Di U) it CD it HU) L C) it it 0 Di U) U) CD U) it it 0 - H- U). it CD CD U) CD U) U: DC 0 it it CD it CD U) U: it CD it it it it 0 U). CD. U) U) it U) Di U) it CD U) CD Di it. it C) U) CD U) it CD - it. Di it it CD U) it it 0 U) C) C) 0 U) U) H- U) Di it it U) CD it CD it CD U) it - it U) ci C) C) it it it U) HU) Di U) U: it C) it U) CD it H CD it C) C) U) U) H C) it H0 U) it it C) U) it HU) rt it it Di CD U) it CD it U) it Di U) U) Di it it CD C) it U) 0 ava.laore State corrective prccess[ ] or that render such process ¢ineffectjve 2254 (b) (1) S..e also J...ose v, ...J..updy, 2dl32lv.Black.w.fl, he.nied, 532 U.S. 919 134 I..3d 506, (2 001) ... . . 28 U.S.C. 455 U.S. 513 circumstances exist .509, (3d Cir. § 515 (1982); 1997), ce.rt, (finding that Supreme Court precedent and the AEDPA mandate that prior to determining the merits of [a] [petitioner] claims to the petiti.on, [a court] must consider whether is required to present [states] [his or her] unexhausted courts ) The exhaustion requirement is intended to allow state courts the first opportunity to pass upon federal constitutional claims, in furtherance of the policies of comity and federalism. Cranberry v, 516 18. Greer, 481 U.S. 129 (1987); Rose, 455 U.S. See at Exhaustion also has the practical effect of permitting development of a complete factual record in state court, the federal courts in their review. See Rose, 455 U.S. to aid at 519. A petitioner exhausts state remedies by presenting his federal constitutional claims to each level of the state courts empowered to hear those claims, either on direct appeal or in collateial post conviction proceedings, §;.pe.rc 321, 526 U.S. 838, 847 (1999) See, 32 Sullivan y. ( requiring sta.te prisoners [in order to fully exhaust their claims] to file petitions for discre.tionary review when that review part of: the ordinary appellate review procedure in the State ); Larrbert v. 51 ackwell, CO it CU it C) Ft HC)C CD Ft H) N) C) Ft N) CC) CD H CD Ft C) CD CD 0 CO Ft Ft CO HFt N) Ft N) - N) C) C/I Ft C) CD ((C Ft CO H- C) CD Ft 0 CI CD C) CD H C) ci ((C (2) CD C)) H- (U HFt Ft H Ft CD CD C/I N) Ft ((C ((C CO Ft CD 0 Ft HCO HFt HFt ((2 C) ci (1) - (P Ft H- H ((2 Ft C) CD H it Ft CD H C) HCD C) ((C C) ((C CD H Ft CD it ((C H H- CO C) 0 CD Ft HCD CC CD H- CO ((C (1 C) CO Ft CO it H CD CD ¢ C) (U C) CD ((C CD CC) ((C) CD (C) CD H CO Ft Ft H) C) H- ¢ C) C) 0 (C) Ft CO H(CI HCD (0 CD CO Ft CI iC/) (0 CI PC) .02 ¢ Ft (C) CO H Ft H) C) C) ((2 C) HCO H0 CD CO it C/I C/I Ft - (C) ¢CD CD (1 ci Cx) (C) CD ((C ((C CD H Ft CD it CO Ft (U C) Ft C) CD it HFt H((C CD Co HCO CO HCO C) (0 C) CO CD CD CD CD C) C) C) CD HCO CD CD Ft CD H- Ft N) Ft (0 Ft C) Ft C) CD C) CD CU Ft CO 0 Ft CO CD C) CO CO HCO CO Ft CD Ft CO ((C Ft CO CD C) C) CD 0 H H) Ft Ft CO C) CD Ft C) CD Ft Ft CD CD 0 Ft HCo C) H C ci HCO H0 CD CD 0 CD 02 Ft HFt CD Ft H0 CD CO Ft CD CD 02 CO CD C) Ft 0 CD CD C) CD ¢ CD ¢ ((C C/) Ft Ft x)l CO CD it Ft H((C H(C) CO (0 CO Ft * C/) * C) Ft C) Ft C) H((C CO H C) C CD CD C) CD Ft HFt H0 CD C) CO C) CD CO CO Ft H CO Ft CD C) CD C) CD Ft HCD Ft CD C) CD H CO 02 CO Ft CO CD H- CD Ft CO Ft C) CD 0 Ft CD C) CD Hci CO Ft CD CD Ft CO Ft CO CD Ft HCO Ft C) CO CD C) CD Ft CD C) CO Ft CD 02 CO Ft CO Ft CD Ft C) CD C) H) C) CD CO H C) CO CD CD Ft CO H- Ft C) CD Ft C) CO Ft CO CD CD CD CO CO C) H- ¢ Ft C) Ft HH C) CD H Ft C). 0 CD Ft CO C) CO Ft CO Ft (C) it Hit ¢ Ft ((C CD C) CD (0 (U HFt (0 ci CD 0 0 CD Ft CO CD CD ¢ H0 CD C) Ft C) CD H C) CD CO Ft C) Ft CO C) Ft C) Ft CO ((C Ft CO CO Ft Ft H 0 ci CD C) Ft 0 CD CD C) CD H C) CD Ft C) C) CD CO H CO H) Ft C) CD CD CD H CO Ft H CO Ft 0 CD CD C) CO CD Ft Ft Ft Ft C) N) ¢ CD) ¢ * ci C) HC) CO H C) - ¢ C) C) CO Ft C) C/I Ft - Ft Ft ¢ C) Ft Co CD 0 0 Ft CD CO C) * ci C) CD H ((C Ft CO CO Ft HCO Ft HCD C) CO H- Ft CD CD CD CD Ft C) CD it 0 C) H CD CO CD CD Ft CD C) H) H C) CD H- Ft C) CD CD CD CO H H Ft CD H H0 CD it C) CO 1 CD Co CD H- C) CD CD (U C) CO CD CO CO Ft Ft Ft CD H CO ((C 0 C) CD Ft CD CD CO Ft HFt H- CD (U C) C) H 0 CO C) C) Ft CD Ft CD Ft H H- Ft Cx) HCD C) C) C) C) CO CD C) C) CD - CD Ft CD C) CD C) H CD CO CD CD CO Ft H0 CD ) C) CD it CD CD H C) CD Ft C) Ft Ft Ft CD - CO C) (CD CO CO ¢ * CD CD CD) CD Ft H02 0 CD CD 0 H c(C ¢C) CD 02 H CD C) ((2 Ft C/) CD 0 Ft Ft CO (U C) CD it H. CO HCO CD Ft 0 C/) it CO it CD H) CD CO C) H) (U HFt - CD CO CD ((C Ft H0 Ft C) HCO 0 Ft CD (U CD Ft CD C) CD Ft C) CD C) HCD rt H- Ft CD (0 ((2 CO C) Ft ((C C) Ft CD H (P H- C) CD C) C) CD H C) CD CD CO H- 0 ((C CD CD C) C) H C) (C) it CD ((C (2) Ft Ft C) CD Ft Ft CD CD Ft C) HC) C) CD H CO C) Ft C) CD - ((2 ((C ((C Ft C) Ft it C) (2) (D C) CD H(U C) Ft CD CO ¢ ci (U HFt (U CD CD C) HCD CO H CD it C) CD C) CD (U C) (0 CD Co Ft CD ci C) ((2 Ft Ft H- C) H ((2 CD H- C) H CD CD ((C Ft - ((C - N) N) C/I Ft ((C) ¢ ((C C/) ¢ C) CD. CD CD C) (U 0) CD Ft CO H- Ã§ 0) CD H CD HFt HC) Cx) C): Ft Ft Ft CD (0 CO Ft CD H- (Ccl (U C) Ft CO it ((C 0 Ft Ft CO Ft CD H CO Ft U) Ft Ft C) ((C. HH Ft C) - Ft Ft U) CY2 C) C/I C) Ft CD C) CD * Ft ((2 C) (0 CD C) CD ((C Ft Ft Ft Ft CD H it C) C) a C) C) N) N) (C N) H H U U U C) U CT) Cl) a U) C) U) U) 0 U CT) U) U U U HU LU U U) U C) H0 U CT) U it U) H- U LU U U U. a a U U) H I U) HU) CT) U U) H- U C) U) HU U CC U) U (1 U) U - C) CT) U H0 U HU) U U) H C) U U) 0 U CT) U CT) U U U) H- CT) H U LU CT) U) H U) U) 0 U a U) U CT) U U) LU U 0 U) C) N) C) C) CC HU a N) ¢- U) u U) - C) CO CT) C) CT U U U U) N) C) C) U U) Ni a U) ¢ C) N) On N C) ¢U U) C ¢ U) U C) U U U CT) U) CC (C U U) C) H- Ni .a 0. CT) .U HCT) C) U.. U .U) (CT HU a N) - CO U) C) C) U) N) U) U) C). U) N) a on C) U) CO 0 U U U C) U U U U CT) a CT) U 0. U U) 0 HU LU U U) HU) H0 U U a HU U U CT) U 0. U) HU LU U o U U U U HU a U U C) 0 U) 0 HC) U a C) U a U) a H(CT a U HU C) 0 U U) U U U) U U) a a U U) U) U U CT) U U - U U U U U H LU U U) HU) H0 U U U o U 0. U a C) N) N) Un LU U) 0 U a LU U U H0 HU) CT) U) H0 U U U U) H- H U U U 0 U U U U) o U) ON U) U) HU U U U) U U) a U U U U H a 0 U U H- LU U U) HU) a U 0. CT) U U U U CT) U) a U a a 0 U) U) HU) HU LU U U) 0 U HU) U U) H0 U U U H- 0 U) U U) U U) U U) U U 0 U U U U U U U) CT) 0. a U Ã¼ H- a U U Ia fU U 0 IU LU U U U) H- U) H U U) ¢ N) N) U) U U) CO ¢ LU On C) < ia IU IL) LU LU U U) HU) H0 U U a C) 0 U U U) a U U) U H- H- a U U H- U U) H U U) U 0 C) U) U HU U a U U U U) H0 U a U U U) H U U) 0 U U 0 U CT) U HU HU U a U U H- U - U LU U U) HU) H0 U U U U U a a U U C) U) U H- a U U U U H U U U U) U U U U U U) U U U) U HU U) 0 C) 0 U U U) U U U U) a CT) U LU U U a U H HC) U U HU U) U H U U U LU U U C) H LU U C) U U) HU U 0 U) U U) U U C) CT) U HU C) U a HU) U H U U U) 0 U) U U) U C) U) U H- HU U U a U U U) U a U U H U U U U) U U U a a U U U U 0. U U U U) U a 0. 0 U) 0 U U) U HU HU LU n U U) H0 U U) U a U U C) U LU U) H0 U U U) C) U U U U U U U U HU U) U) U) (CT Hi 0. U) C) N) N) C) ON C) U) N) U) U) (C a . HU a H U U U U) a H- ¢ HU U a CT) U U U a U .U HU U) fl C) U C) it Cr) 0 U U a U) 0 U HC) U U a UJ LU U CT) U HU) H C) U HC) U Hit LU U U) U U) a U U U CT) CO C ¢ a C) U U Ã§t C) U U a U) U U) U U U U U) U U U) 0 U) U U CT) H- U) U) Cl. HU U) U HC) U) U U) U U) U) a 0 U) 0.. a U U - U) a U U). U U U) C) U) U LU H- a U) HU U U CT) LU U HU U a U) CT) U U U) H it U C) 0 CT) U a U U) U U U) U U) U U U a U - C) U) U H- a U U CT) > H U U U U) CT) a HU U U HU HU LU U U) U C) a U U U CT) a a a U U U U) U) H. a. LU U 0 C) HU LU U U) HU) HC) U CT) U U U) U) CT) C) 0 U C) U) U a U U C) 0 U U U) U U U U H C) U) CT) U U 0 a CT) C) CT) U c U U) CL) U) U U) N) a rj CL) N) H C) C U) U C) U CT) C) U U) C) U C) -. U) U) U) N) (CT HU a U) - federal court. Staying a habeas petition pending exhaustion of state remedies is a permissible and effective way to avoid barring from federal court a petitioner who timely files a mixed petition. Crews, 360 F.3d at 151. Indeed, the Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit has held that when an outright dismissal could jeopardize the timeliness of a collateral attack, a stay is the only appropriate course of action. Crews, 360 F.3d at 154. The Supreme Court has somewhat limited the stay and-abeyance rule announced in Crews. [S]tay and abeyance should be available only in limited circumstances.... [Sitay and abeyance is only appropriate when the district court determines there was good cause for the petitioner s failure to exhaust his claims first in state court. Moreover, even if a petitioner had good cause for that failure, the district court would abuse its discretion if it were to grant him a stay when his unexhausted claims are plainly meritless. On the other hand, it likely would be an abuse of discretion for a district court to deny a stay and to dismiss a mixed petition if the petitioner had good cause for his failure to exhaust, his unexhausted claims are potentially meritorious, and there is no indication that the petitioner engaged in intentionally dilatory litigation tactics. In such circumstances, the district court should stay, rather than dismiss, the mixed petition.... For the same reason, if a petitioner presents a district court with a mixed petition and the court determines that stay and abeyance is inappropriate, the court should allow the petitioner to delete the unexhausted claims and to proceed with the exhausted claims if dismissal of the entire petition would unreasonably impair the petitioner s right to obtain federal relief. 6 Rhires v. Webe r, 544 2LS, 269, 2.77-78 (20c.5) (citat.ions omitted) Ever wrere stay ad abeyance s aporoprate, te distrrct corts ascretion in structuring toe stay is limted bq te timeliness concerns reflected in the one year statute of limitations. Thus, district courts should place reasonable time limits on a petitioners trip to state court and back 278. See also crews, stayed, 360 F.3.d at 154 . at ( If a hahe...as petition is the petitioner should be given a reasonable interval, normally 30 days, to file his application for st.ate post-conviction relief, and another reasonable interval after the denial of that relief to return to federal court. petitioner fails to meet either time-limit, vacated nunc pro tunc, ) Here, as noted, If a the stay should be (citations omitted) a stay would be appropriate if Petitioner shows good cause as to why the claims were not presented to the state courts, not meritless, and, if he can show good cause, that the claims are The petition does not offer enough information for this Court to make an informed, decision on whether or not the claims have merit, Further, Petitioner has not shown these claims, 2 The me Pb±nes prese nting petitions, However, from the face of the petition, ood cause as to why he did not eshaust this Court finds tha.t Petitioner should Court of Appeals. for the Third Circuit clarified that 1 sta ira abe nclang auso applies to petrtinns ance 1 on.ly unexhausted claims, rather than just mixed j leva v.. 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