Wright v. Warden Noble Correctional Institution
Filing
8
REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS re 2 Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus filed by Curtis Wright. It is RECOMMENDED that this action be DISMISSED - objections due w/in fourteen (14) days. Signed by Magistrate Judge Mark R. Abel on 10/30/2012. (sr1)
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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF OHIO
EASTERN DIVISION
CURTIS WRIGHT,
CASE NO. 2:12-CV-512
JUDGE GRAHAM
MAGISTRATE JUDGE ABEL
Petitioner,
v.
WARDEN, NOBLE CORRECTIONAL
INSTITUTION,
Respondent.
REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION
Petitioner Curtis Wright, a state prisoner, brings this action for a writ of habeas corpus
under 28 U.S.C. § 2254.
This matter is before the Magistrate Judge on the petition,
Respondent’s Return of Writ, and the exhibits of the parties.
This case involves Curtis Wrights conviction after a jury trial in the Harrison County
Court of Common Pleas for burglary. The Seventh District Court of Appeals affirmed his
conviction, and the Ohio Supreme Court dismissed Petitioner’s subsequent appeal. For the
reasons that follow, the Magistrate Judge concludes that all of the claims Petitioner now raises in
this federal habeas corpus petition are waived and the Magistrate Judge therefore
RECOMMENDS that this action be DISMISSED.
Facts and Procedural History:
The Ohio Seventh District Court of Appeals summarized the facts and procedural history
of this case as follows:
Appellant was indicted for burglarizing a neighbor's house while
they were on vacation. At a jury trial, nineteen-year-old Shawn
Ellenbaugh testified that appellant was his mother's live-in
boyfriend. He stated that on the night of the burglary, he and
1
appellant walked to the neighbor's house because appellant wished
to break in. (Tr. 216). He testified that appellant threatened to kill
him if he told anyone. (Tr. 217). When they arrived, appellant tried
to pry open the window but then used a rock to break the window.
Shawn stated that he climbed through the window and unlocked
the door for appellant. (Tr. 217–218). He testified that they went
through the house stealing jewelry and money. (Tr. 221).
According to Shawn, they then walked to his uncle's house where
appellant borrowed a car. He said they drove to Steubenville where
appellant bought crack with the stolen money and was told that the
jewelry was fake. (Tr. 225). They went back to the burglarized
house and stole a big screen television. When it would not fit in the
trunk, they put it in the front seat, and drove back to Steubenville
to sell it. Shawn testified that no one wanted an old model
television, so they left it at a car wash. (Tr. 228). He stated that
they arrived home just before 7:00 a.m. (Tr. 229).
A cousin testified that she arrived at the house where Shawn and
appellant lived at 6:30 a.m. after a night-shift at work. She stated
that she saw the car pull in the drive with appellant in the driver's
seat and Shawn in the passenger seat. (Tr. 254–256).
The owner of the vehicle testified that appellant arrived at his
house at midnight on January 17, 2010 and borrowed his car. (Tr.
165). The next morning he went to the house where appellant lived
to retrieve his car and noticed the trunk latch was broken and the
dashboard was scratched. (Tr. 169–170). In the vehicle, he found a
screwdriver, a broken necklace, and a gift card holder addressed to
the person whose house had been burglarized. (Tr. 171, 173). His
girlfriend confirmed that it was appellant who borrowed their
vehicle. (Tr. 188).
Appellant's girlfriend, who is Shawn's mother, testified that
appellant arrived home at 11:00 p.m. (Tr. 337). She claimed that
she went with appellant to her brother's house to borrow his car,
they went to Wintersville, and they returned home at 1:00 a.m. at
which point they went to bed. (Tr. 339). She testified that appellant
never left the bed that night. (Tr. 341).
Her fourteen-year-old son, Brandon Ellenbaugh, testified for the
defense that his mother and appellant went to his uncle's to borrow
a car and arrived home at midnight or 1:00 a.m. (Tr. 373). Brandon
said that his brother Shawn then asked him if he wanted to take a
ride in their uncle's car but he refused to accompany Shawn. He
testified that he saw Shawn return with the vehicle in the morning.
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According to Brandon, the next day, Shawn brought him to the
house he had burglarized the night before, but Shawn noticed that
someone had cleaned up the glass so they left. (Tr. 376).
On September 30, 2010, the jury found appellant guilty of thirddegree felony burglary in violation of R.C. 2911.12(A)(3). On
October 28, 2010, appellant filed a motion for a new trial based
upon newly discovered evidence. Brandon Ellenbaugh had
delivered a written statement to the police station on October 26,
2010, claiming that it was he and Shawn who burglarized the
house in the early morning hours of January 17, 2010.
At a hearing, Brandon testified that they pushed their uncle's car
out of their drive and drove to the neighbor's house. He described
how they went through the house and what they stole. He said that
Shawn went into an apartment in Cadiz for thirty minutes and
reported that no one wanted to buy the television and the jewelry
was fake. He stated that they left the television at a car wash in
Cadiz. (Tr. 19).
The detective who took Brandon's statement testified that Brandon
told him that he missed appellant at their house and that he wanted
to get him released. Brandon disclosed his belief that he would not
be incarcerated because he was a juvenile. (Tr. 8–9). The detective
believed that the child had been coached or that he fabricated the
story to assist appellant. (Tr. 9).
On December 28, 2010, the court denied the motion for a new trial.
The court opined that Brandon's new story was not credible. The
court noted that both of Brandon's stories lacked detail. The court
pointed out that the jury did not place much weight on Brandon's
original testimony when he testified for the defense and that this
new story was also not credible. Appellant was then sentenced to
five years in prison, and he filed a timely notice of appeal.
State v. Wright, No. 11 HA 2, 2011 WL 5346084, at *1-2 (Ohio App. 7th Dist. Nov. 4, 2011).
Petitioner filed the following assignments of error on appeal:
1.
A TRIAL COURT MUST GRANT A DEFENDANT'S
MOTION FOR A NEW TRIAL WHEN A WITNESS
RECANTS HIS TESTIMONY AND THAT WITNESS
CONFESSES THAT HE COMMITTED THE CRIME.
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2.
MR. WRIGHT'S CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS TO
CONFRONT THE WITNESSES AGAINST HIM WERE
VIOLATED WHEN THE TRIAL COURT PROHIBITED
HIM FROM CROSS–EXAMINING PENNY WILSON AND
BRITTANI RILEY ON MATTERS THAT WOULD HAVE
IMPACTED THEIR CREDIBILITY AND EXPOSED BIAS,
PREJUDICE,
AND
ULTERIOR
MOTIVES
AND
SUPPORTED HIS DEFENSE.
3.
THE TRIAL COURT'S CURATIVE INSTRUCTIONS
WERE INSUFFICIENT TO CURE THE REPEATED,
IMPROPER ALLEGATIONS THAT MR. WRIGHT
ENGAGED IN OTHER BAD ACTS, INCLUDING,
MAKING THREATS AGAINST CERTAIN WITNESSES
AND ENGAGING IN OTHER CRIMINAL CONTACT.
4.
MR. WRIGHT'S CONVICTION IS AGAINST
MANIFEST WEIGHT OF THE EVIDENCE.
THE
See id. at *2-11. On November 4, 2011, the appellate court affirmed the trial court’s judgment.
Id.
On March 21, 2012, the Ohio Supreme Court dismissed Petitioner’s subsequent appeal.
State v. Wright, 131 Ohio St.3d 1484 (2012).
On June 11, 2012, Petitioner filed the instant pro se petition for a writ of habeas corpus
pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254. He alleges that he is in the custody of the Respondent in violation
of the Constitution of the United States based upon the following grounds:
1. A trial court must grant a defendant’s motion for a new trial
when a witness recants his testimony and that witness
confesses that he committed the crime. Crim.R. 33(A)(6).
(Dec. 28, 2010 Judgment Entry; January 13, 2011 Judgment
Entry Order to Transport.).
Supporting Facts: The little brother of the guy, who actually
committed the burglary, testified on stand at hearing for new
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trial. Also wrote statement and drawed (sic) pictures of the
inside of the house they burglarized. He confessed to doing
the burglary with his older brother.
2.
Mr. Wright’s constitutional rights to confront the witnesses
against him were violated when the trial court prohibited him
from cross-examining Penny Wilson and Brittani Riley on
matters that would have impacted their credibility and
exposed bias, prejudice, and ulterior motives and supported
his defense. Sixth and Fourteenth Amendment to the United
States Constitution and Sections 10 and 16, Article I of the
Ohio Constitution. (Jury Trial Tr. 207; Jan. 13, 2011
Judgment Entry Order to Transport.).
Supporting Facts: Two of the state’s witness went to my house
and threatened one Case: 2:12-cv-00512-JLG-MRA Doc #: 6
Filed: 09/07/12 Page: 6 of 23 PAGEID #: 148 of my witness.
(sic) When asked to question the state’s witness, the state
claimed their witness would plead the Fifth Amendment.
3.
The trial court’s curative instructions were insufficient to cure
the repeated, improper allegations that Mr. Wright engaged in
other bad acts, including making threats against certain
witnesses and engaging in other criminal contact. Evid.R.
404(A); Evid.R. 802; State v. Demarco, 31 Ohio St.3d 191, 509
N.E.2d 1256. (Jan. 13, 2011 Judgment Entry Order to
Transport.).
Supporting Facts: The prosecutor kept letting his witness bring
up things that had nothing to do with the case in front of the
jury, about my past.
4. Mr. Wright’s conviction is against the manifest weight of the
evidence. Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United
States Constitution; and Section 16, Article I of the Ohio
Constitution. (Jan. 13, 2011 Judgment Entry Order to
Transport.).
Supporting Facts: The detective Jones testified that Shawn was
the only link that puts me, Curtis Wright in the Wallace house
that Shawn and Brandon Ellenbaugh burglarized. It was
Shawn’s word is why I’m locked up. (Doc. 2, pp. 5-9 and Doc.
2-2, p.2).
It is the position of the Respondent that all of Petitioner’s claims are procedurally defaulted.
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Procedural Default:
In recognition of the equal obligation of the state courts to protect the constitutional rights
of criminal defendants, and in order to prevent needless friction between the state and federal
courts, a state criminal defendant with federal constitutional claims is required fairly to present
those claims to the highest court of the state for consideration. 28 U.S.C. § 2254(b), (c). If he
fails to do so, but still has an avenue open to him by which he may present the claims, his
petition is subject to dismissal for failure to exhaust state remedies. Id.; Anderson v. Harless, 459
U.S. 4, 6 (1982) (per curiam; Picard v. Connor, 404 U.S. 270, 275–76 (1971). If, because of a
procedural default, the petitioner can no longer present his claims to a state court, he has also
waived them for purposes of federal habeas review unless he can demonstrate cause for the
procedural default and actual prejudice resulting from the alleged constitutional error. Murray v.
Carrier, 477 U.S. 478, 485 (1986); Engle v. Isaac, 456 U.S. 107, 129 (1982); Wainwright v.
Sykes, 433 U.S. 72, 87 (1977).
In the Sixth Circuit, a four-part analysis must be undertaken when the state argues that a
federal habeas claim is precluded by the petitioner's failure to observe a state procedural rule.
Maupin v. Smith, 785 F.2d 135, 138 (6th Cir. 1986). “First, the court must determine that there is
a state procedural rule that is applicable to the petitioner's claim and that the petitioner failed to
comply with the rule.” Id. Second, the court must determine whether the state courts actually
enforced the state procedural sanction. Id. Third, it must be decided whether the state procedural
forfeiture is an adequate and independent state ground on which the state can rely to foreclose
review of a federal constitutional claim. Id. Finally, if the court has determined that a state
procedural rule was not complied with and that the rule was an adequate and independent state
ground, then the petitioner is required to demonstrate that there was cause for him not to follow
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the procedural rule and that he was actually prejudiced by the alleged constitutional error. Id.
This “cause and prejudice” analysis also applies to failure to raise or preserve issues for review at
the appellate level. Leroy v. Marshall, 757 F.2d 94 (6th Cir.1985).
Claims one, three and four. Petitioner failed to present claims one, three and four to the
Ohio Supreme Court. The sole proposition of law Petitioner raised in his appeal to the Ohio
Supreme Court was that involving the alleged denial of his right to confront witnesses against
him. See Exhibit 16 to Return of Writ. Further, he may now no longer do so, under Ohio’s
doctrine of res judicata. See State v. Cole, 2 Ohio St.3d 112 (1982); State v. Ishmail, 67 Ohio
St.2d 16 (1981); State v. Perry, 10 Ohio St.2d 175 (1967).
Ohio's res judicata rule is adequate and independent under the third part of the Maupin
test. To be “independent,” the procedural rule at issue, as well as the state court's reliance
thereon, must rely in no part on federal law. See Coleman v. Thompson, 501 U.S. 722, 732–33,
(1991). To be “adequate,” the state procedural rule must be firmly established and regularly
followed by the state courts. Ford v. Georgia, 498 U.S. 411 (1991). “[O]nly a ‘firmly established
and regularly followed state practice’ may be interposed by a State to prevent subsequent review
by this Court of a federal constitutional claim.” Id. at 423 (quoting James v. Kentucky, 466 U.S.
341, 348–351 (1984)); see also Barr v. City of Columbia, 378 U.S. 146, 149 (1964); NAACP v.
Alabama ex rel. Flowers, 377 U.S. 288, 297 (1964); see also Jamison v. Collins, 100 F.Supp.2d
521, 561 (S.D. Ohio 1998).
The Sixth Circuit has consistently held that Ohio's doctrine of res judicata, i.e., the Perry
rule, is an adequate ground for denying federal habeas relief. Lundgren v. Mitchell, 440 F.3d
754, 765 (6th Cir. 2006); Coleman v. Mitchell, 268 F.3d 417, 427–29 (6th Cir. 2001); Seymour v.
Walker, 224 F.3d 542, 555 (6th Cir. 2000); Byrd v. Collins, 209 F.3d 486, 521–22 (6th Cir.
7
2000); Norris v. Schotten, 146 F.3d 314, 332 (6th Cir. 1998). Ohio courts have consistently
refused, in reliance on the doctrine of res judicata, to review the merits of claims because they
are procedurally barred. See State v. Cole, 2 Ohio St.3d at 112; State v. Ishmail, 67 Ohio St.2d at
16. Additionally, the doctrine of res judicata serves the state's interest in finality and in ensuring
that claims are adjudicated at the earliest possible opportunity. With respect to the independence
prong, the Court concludes that res judicata does not rely on or otherwise implicate federal law.
Accordingly, this Court is satisfied from its own review of relevant case law that the Perry rule is
an adequate and independent ground for denying relief.
Claim two. In claim two, Petitioner asserts he was denied the right to confront witnesses
against him because the trial court prohibited him from cross-examining Penny Wilson and
Brittani Riley. The state appellate court explicitly reviewed this claim for plain error only,
however, due to Petitioner’s failure to object at trial:
On the second morning of trial, a bench conference was held where
the court stated that it had a copy of a police report filed the
evening before alleging that Bridget Ellenbaugh (appellant's
girlfriend's daughter) received threatening comments from her aunt
(Penny Wilson) and her cousin (Brittani Riley), two witnesses who
would be testifying for the state. (Tr. 204). The report was retained
as a court exhibit for purposes of appeal. According to the exhibit,
appellant called the police to report that Bridget told him that
Penny and Brittani were threatening her about her testimony to be
presented the next day. The police obtained a statement from
Bridget, who reported that her aunt and cousin asked her if
appellant was threatening her and asked her to sign a paper stating
the appellant was threatening her. At one point, while Penny was
in the car, Brittani told Bridget that her kids could be taken away
from her if she did not recant her statement, at which point Penny
instructed Brittani to get in the car. Brittani then asked Bridget if
she could call her later.
The state asked that the trial court prohibit the defense from raising
these allegations during the witnesses' testimony, stating that the
claim had not yet been investigated and the witnesses could end up
pleading the Fifth Amendment. (Tr. 205). The defense argued that
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the allegations were relevant to the veracity of Penny and Britanni.
(Tr. 205–206).
The court ruled that the probative value of the allegations was
outweighed by the prejudicial effect since no investigation had yet
taken place, noting that a trial could be interrupted merely by a
defendant filing a report during trial. (Tr. 207). The court later
examined Bridget to ensure that she had not been threatened into
testifying and that she would testify truthfully. (Tr. 207, 386).
Bridget then testified that her cousin, Brittani, did not sleep over
on the night of the burglary. (Tr. 392).
Brittani Riley, however, testified that, because she had to work
until 6:00 a.m. that Saturday morning and had to return to work at
2:00 p.m., she slept over at the house where appellant lived
because it was closer to work than her own home. (Tr. 254). She
arrived at 6:30 a.m. and about twenty minutes later, she saw a
vehicle pull in with appellant in the driver's seat and Shawn
Ellenbaugh in the passenger seat. (Tr. 256). She noticed that the
trunk was open and that they could not shut it. (Tr. 256–257).
Brittani then testified that later that evening, she asked Shawn why
they came in so late. He told her that appellant would kill him if he
told anyone but eventually started crying and told her about the
burglary. (Tr. 263). . . . She told her mother, Penny Wilson, in
hopes that her mother could help because she was formerly a
police officer. Her mother testified that when she spoke with
Shawn, he was crying and shaking. She asked him to do the right
thing, and he agreed to confess to the police. (Tr. 285).
Appellant argues that by refusing to allow questioning of these two
witnesses about the allegation that they tried to intimidate Bridget
Ellenbaugh into changing her testimony,FN1 he was denied the
right to meaningful cross-examination. He urges that if the jury
heard about the police report, it would not only have damaged the
credibility of these two witnesses but it also would have reinforced
that they were biased against him.
FN1. Appellant does not argue that Bridget's testimony was
actually influenced; rather, the argument is focused on the
character of Penny and Brittani.
Initially, we note that an appellate court need not determine the
propriety of an order granting or denying a motion in limine, which
is merely a preliminary ruling, unless the claimed error is
preserved by an objection, proffer, or ruling on the record at the
9
proper point during the trial. State v. Maurer (1984), 15 Ohio St.3d
239, 259–260 (the failure to preserve a preliminary ruling
constitutes waiver). Although the matter was discussed and ruled
upon on the record mid-trial, this was specifically presented as and
labeled in limine ruling on the state's request to exclude evidence.
(Tr. 207). After the in limine bench conference, Shawn testified
about the details of the burglary he helped commit. Then, Brittani
and Penny testified. Nowhere during the testimony of Penny or
Britanni was the in limine ruling sought to be changed into a final
ruling.
One of rationales behind the rule is that the court should make its
final ruling in context. State v. Hancock, 108 Ohio St.3d 57, 2006–
Ohio–160, ¶ 59 (objecting party must challenge evidence during
trial when issue is presented in full context); State v. Grubb (1986),
28 Ohio St.3d 199, 201–202 (it is the potential treatment of an
issue to be later resolved when it arises in the context of the trial
where the trial court may change its mind based upon
circumstances that are developed). Here, this would refer to the
direct testimony of these witnesses being presented in order to
determine the whole context of the contested items said to have
bearing on their credibility. See State v. Menton, 7th Dist. No.
07MA70, 2009–Ohio–4604, ¶ 58 (raised before nurse's testimony
but not during).
In any event, the court's ruling was not erroneous. Appellant does
not cite Evidentiary Rules here. However, he argues the evidence
could have shown bias and could have exposed that the witnesses
were not credible. Evid.R. 403, 608 and 616 appear most relevant.
Evid.R. 608(B) provides that specific instances of the conduct of a
witness, for the purposes of attacking the witness' character for
truthfulness may in the discretion of the court, if clearly probative
of untruthfulness, be inquired into on cross-examination of the
witness concerning the witness's character for untruthfulness.
Pursuant to Evid.R. 616(A), “Bias, prejudice, interest, or any
motive to misrepresent may be shown to impeach the witness
either by examination of the witness or by extrinsic evidence.”
Appellant states that the allegations would have helped establish
his belief that the family was biased against him because they
wanted him out of Pam Wilson's life. However, he did not ask
either Penny or Bridget about this theory of his. Defense counsel
did begin asking Penny whether she disliked appellant but then
discontinued this line of questioning without attempting to elicit
10
evidence on his theory. (Tr. 288). He could have questioned them
on this topic but did not.
We also note that appellant's brief does not provide specifics or
explain how exactly credibility or bias would be established. The
only reason we know about the contents of the report was from
ordering the exhibit from the trial court, not from the contents of
appellant's brief, which only mentioned a general allegation of
threatening by Penny and Brittani.
Notably, nothing in the report influences Penny's character for
truthfulness. In fact, it states that Penny was concerned that Bridget
was being untruthful and expressed worry that appellant was
coercing her niece's testimony. And, Penny was in the car when
Brittani allegedly made the unfortunate statement about the
possibility that Bridget's children could be taken away.
Although appellant views the statement allegedly made by Bridget
as threatening, it could be construed as a concerned cousin
expressing what could happen for perjuring oneself in order to
remain under a roof with a burglar who is dating your mother even
though they are said to be first cousins. This does not establish a
specific instance of untruthfulness or significantly affect her
credibility. Rather, it is a family member taking one person's side
over another's and an admonition to tell the truth.
Evidence Rule 403(A) requires the court to exclude the evidence
“if its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of
unfair prejudice, of confusion of the issues, or of misleading the
jury.” A criminal defendant's right to confront and cross-examine a
witness is not unlimited, and the trial court retains wide latitude
under the Confrontation Clause to impose reasonable limits on
cross-examination due to concerns regarding issues such as
harassment, prejudice, and confusion of issues. Delaware v. Van
Arsdall (1986), 475 U.S. 673, 679; State v. Green (1993), 66 Ohio
St.3d 141, 147. The limitation of cross-examination lies within the
sound discretion of the trial court, viewed in relation to the
particular facts of the case. State v. Acre (1983), 6 Ohio St.3d 140,
145 (such a decision will not be disturbed in the absence of a clear
showing of an abuse of discretion).
As the state urges, the trial court placed a reasonable limit on
cross-examination. The state points out that the allegations of
intimidation were in a police report that had not yet been
investigated and they are appellant's interpretation of an event
occurring between a defense witness who lived with appellant and
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her concerned aunt and cousin. As the trial court noted, a
defendant could file a report mid-trial to generate new,
uninvestigated evidence to use to impeach a witness. Considering
the particular concerns in this case and incorporating the review
conducted supra, we conclude that the trial court did not clearly
abuse its discretion in granting the state's motion to exclude this
evidence from trial, especially where Bridget did not change her
statement and maintained her stance in favor of appellant's
defense. For all of these reasons, this assignment of error is
overruled.
State v. Wright, 2011 WL 5346084, at *5-7.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit has held that plain error review
does not constitute a waiver of the state's procedural default rules. Seymour v. Walker, 224 F.3d
542, 557 (6th Cir. 2000). As explained by the United States District Court for the Northern
District of Ohio in Adams v. Bradshaw, 484 F.Supp.2d 753, 771 (N.D. Ohio 2007):
Ohio has a contemporaneous objection rule under which an
appellant who fails to object waives later review of the issue unless
plain error can be shown. Williams v. Bagley, 380 F.3d 932, 968
(6th Cir.2004), cert. denied, 544 U.S. 1003, 125 S.Ct. 1939, 161
L.Ed.2d 779 (2005) (citing State v. Smith, 89 Ohio St.3d 323, 332,
731 N.E.2d 645 (2000)). The Sixth Circuit has held that Ohio's
contemporaneous objection rule constitutes an adequate and
independent state ground barring federal review absent a showing
of cause for the waiver and resulting prejudice. Id.; Hinkle v.
Randle, 271 F.3d 239, 244 (6th Cir. 2001); Stojetz v. Ishee, 2006
WL 328155 *12 (S.D. Ohio Feb.10, 2006).
A state court's review of an issue for plain error is considered by
the Sixth Circuit as the enforcement of a procedural default.
Williams, 380 F.3d at 968; Hinkle, 271 F.3d at 244. The federal
court, in determining whether a state court has relied on a
procedural rule to bar review of an issue, examines the latest
reasoned opinion of the state courts and presumes that later courts
enforced the bar instead of rejecting the claim on the merits.
Hinkle, 271 F.3d at 244 (citing Ylst, v. Nunnemaker, 501 U.S. 797,
803, 111 S.Ct. 2590, 115 L.Ed.2d 706 (1991)).
12
Id. This Court likewise concludes that petitioner has waived the right to present claim two in
these habeas corpus proceedings.
Although the state appellate court alternatively dismissed petitioner's claim on the merits,
such alternative ruling does not forgive the waiver or otherwise revive the claim for purposes of
habeas corpus review. Harris v. Reed, 489 U.S. 255, 264 n. 10 (1989) (“a state court need not
fear reaching the merits of a federal claim in an alternative holding”); Bowling v. Parker, 344
F.3d 487, 498 (6th Cir. 2003) (where state court's dismissal of claim on merits constitutes an
alternative holding, federal habeas court will consider the claim procedurally defaulted); Kenney
v. Haviland, No. 1:04 CV 2194, 2006 WL 2792171, at *6 n. 8 (N.D. Ohio Sep.26, 2006) (“The
mere existence of the clear statement rule confirms that an alternative holding on the merits
cannot save a claim where the court clearly and expressly enforces a state procedural bar”).
Accordingly, the Magistrate Judge concludes that Petitioner has waived all of the grounds
he now presents for federal habeas corpus relief.
Petitioner may still obtain review of his claims on the merits, if he can establish cause for
his procedural defaults, as well as prejudice from the alleged constitutional violations.
“ ‘[C]ause’ under the cause and prejudice test must be something
external to the petitioner, something that cannot fairly be attributed
to him[;] ... some objective factor external to the defense [that]
impeded ... efforts to comply with the State's procedural rule.”
Coleman v. Thompson, 501 U.S. 722, 753 (1991).
Maples v. Stegall, 340 F.3d 433, 438 (6th Cir. 2003). Petitioner's pro se status or “ignorance of
the law and procedural requirements for filing a[n] ... appeal is insufficient to establish cause to
excuse his procedural default.” See Bonilla v. Hurley, 370 F.3d 494, 498 (6th Cir. 2004)(citation
omitted).
13
Beyond the four-part Maupin analysis, this court is required to consider whether this is
“an extraordinary case, where a constitutional violation has probably resulted in the conviction of
one who is actually innocent.” Murray v. Carrier, 477 U.S. at 491; see also Sawyer v. Whitley,
505 U.S. 333 (1992).
The United States Supreme Court has held that if a habeas
petitioner “presents evidence of innocence so strong that a court
cannot have confidence in the outcome of the trial unless the court
is also satisfied that the trial was free of nonharmless constitutional
error, the petitioner should be allowed to pass through the gateway
and argue the merits of his underlying claims.” Schlup, 513 U.S. at
316, 115 S.Ct. 851. Thus, the threshold inquiry is whether “new
facts raise[ ] sufficient doubt about [the petitioner's] guilt to
undermine confidence in the result of the trial.” Id. at 317, 115
S.Ct. 851. To establish actual innocence, “a petitioner must show
that it is more likely than not that no reasonable juror would have
found petitioner guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.” Id. at 327, 115
S.Ct. 851. The Court has noted that “actual innocence means
factual innocence, not mere legal insufficiency.” Bousley v. United
States, 523 U.S. 614, 623, 118 S.Ct. 1604, 140 L.Ed.2d 828
(1998). “To be credible, such a claim requires petitioner to support
his allegations of constitutional error with new reliable evidence—
whether it be exculpatory scientific evidence, trustworthy
eyewitness accounts, or critical physical evidence—that was not
presented at trial.” Schlup, 513 U.S. at 324, 115 S.Ct. 851. The
Court counseled however, that the actual innocence exception
should “remain rare” and “only be applied in the ‘extraordinary
case.’ ” Id. at 321, 115 S.Ct. 851.
Souter v. Jones, 395 F.3d 577, 590-91 (6th Cir. 2005)(footnote omitted). Petitioner has failed to
meet this standard here.
WHEREUPON, the Magistrate Judge RECOMMENDS that this action be
DISMISSED.
Procedure on Objections:
If any party objects to this Report and Recommendation, that party may, within fourteen
(14) days of the date of this report, file and serve on all parties written objections to those
14
specific proposed findings or recommendations to which objection is made, together with
supporting authority for the objection(s).
A judge of this Court shall make a de novo
determination of those portions of the report or specified proposed findings or recommendations
to which objection is made. Upon proper objections, a judge of this Court may accept, reject, or
modify, in whole or in part, the findings or recommendations made herein, may receive further
evidence or may recommit this matter to the magistrate judge with instructions. 28 U.S.C. §
636(b)(1).
The parties are specifically advised that failure to object to the Report and
Recommendation will result in a waiver of the right to have the district judge review the Report
and Recommendation de novo, and also operates as a waiver of the right to appeal the decision of
the District Court adopting the Report and Recommendation. See Thomas v. Arn, 474 U.S. 140,
(1985); United States v. Walters, 638 F.2d 947 (6th Cir. 1981).
The parties are further advised that, if they intend to file an appeal of any adverse
decision, they may submit arguments in any objections filed, regarding whether a certificate of
appealability should issue.
s/Mark R. Abel
United States Magistrate Judge
15
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