Conway, Jr. v. Davis, No. 4:2019cv02375 - Document 16 (S.D. Tex. 2020)

Court Description: MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER - Granting 12 MOTION for Summary Judgment with Brief in Support. The habeas corpus petition is DENIED, and this case is DISMISSED with prejudice. Any and all remaining pending motions are DENIED AS MOOT. A certificate of appealability is DENIED. (Signed by Judge Alfred H Bennett) Parties notified.(sanderson, 4)

Download PDF
Conway, Jr. v. Davis Doc. 16 United States District Court Southern District of Texas ENTERED ,1 7+( 81,7(' 67$7(6 ',675,&7 &2857 )25 7+( 6287+(51 ',675,&7 2) 7(;$6 +286721 ',9,6,21 September 30, 2020 David J. Bradley, Clerk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± &RUUHFWLRQDO ,QVWLWXWLRQV 'LYLVLRQ 8QGHU 5XOH G RI WKH )HGHUDO 5XOHV RI &LYLO 3URFHGXUH /XPSNLQ LV DXWRPDWLFDOO\ VXEVWLWXWHG DV D SDUW\ Dockets.Justia.com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¶V FODVVLILFDWLRQ VWDWXV UHGXFHG IURP 6 WR / UHVWULFWHG KLV FRPPLVVDU\ DQG UHFUHDWLRQ SULYLOHJHV IRU GD\V DQG LPSRVHG D GD\ FHOO UHVWULFWLRQ Id. 'NW 1R DW 7KH KHDULQJ RIILFHU DOVR RUGHUHG &RQZD\ WR IRUIHLW GD\V RI SUHYLRXVO\ HDUQHG JRRG WLPH FUHGLW Id. &RQZD\ ILOHG D VWHS JULHYDQFH WR FKDOOHQJH WKH FRQYLFWLRQ EXW GLG QRW ILOH D VWHS JULHYDQFH 'NW 1RV DW ± DW ±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± &RQZD\ VHHNV D QHZ GLVFLSOLQDU\ KHDULQJ ZLWK D IDLU DQG LPSDUWLDO KHDULQJ RIILFHU RU DOWHUQDWLYHO\ DQ RSSRUWXQLW\ WR FRPSOHWH WKH DGPLQLVWUDWLYH DSSHDO SURFHVV ,, 7KH 6XPPDU\ -XGJPHQW 6WDQGDUG 6XPPDU\ MXGJPHQW LV SURSHU ZKHQ WKH UHFRUG VKRZV ³QR JHQXLQH LVVXH DV WR DQ\ PDWHULDO IDFW DQG WKDW WKH PRYLQJ SDUW\ LV HQWLWOHG WR MXGJPHQW DV D PDWWHU RI ODZ ´ )HG 5 &LY 3 D ,Q RUGLQDU\ FLYLO FDVHV D GLVWULFW FRXUW FRQVLGHULQJ D PRWLRQ IRU VXPPDU\ MXGJPHQW PXVW FRQVWUXH GLVSXWHG IDFWV LQ D OLJKW PRVW IDYRUDEOH WR WKH QRQPRYLQJ SDUW\ See Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc. 8 6 ³7KH HYLGHQFH RI WKH QRQ PRYDQW LV WR EH EHOLHYHG DQG DOO MXVWLILDEOH LQIHUHQFHV DUH WR EH GUDZQ LQ KLV IDYRU ´ ³$V D JHQHUDO SULQFLSOH 5XOH RI WKH )HGHUDO 5XOHV RI &LYLO 3URFHGXUH UHODWLQJ WR VXPPDU\ MXGJPHQW DSSOLHV ZLWK HTXDO IRUFH LQ WKH FRQWH[W RI KDEHDV FRUSXV FDVHV ´ Clark v. Johnson ) G WK &LU +RZHYHU D FRXUW RQ VXPPDU\ MXGJPHQW PXVW YLHZ WKH HYLGHQFH WKURXJK ³WKH SULVP RI WKH VXEVWDQWLYH HYLGHQWLDU\ EXUGHQ ´ Anderson 8 6 DW 7KH &RXUW DSSOLHV JHQHUDO VXPPDU\ MXGJPHQW VWDQGDUGV WR WKH H[WHQW WKH\ GR QRW FRQIOLFW ZLWK WKH KDEHDV UXOHV See Smith v. Cockrell ) G WK &LU ³>5XOH @ DSSOLHV RQO\ WR WKH H[WHQW WKDW LW GRHV QRW FRQIOLFW ZLWK WKH KDEHDV UXOHV ´ abrogated on other grounds by Tennard v. Dretke 8 6 &RQZD\ LV UHSUHVHQWLQJ KLPVHOI 6HOI UHSUHVHQWHG KDEHDV SHWLWLRQV DUH FRQVWUXHG OLEHUDOO\ DQG DUH QRW KHOG WR WKH VDPH VWULQJHQW DQG ULJRURXV VWDQGDUGV DV SOHDGLQJV ODZ\HUV ILOH See Martin v. Maxey ) G Q WK &LU Guidroz v. Lynaugh ) G WK &LU Woodall v. Foti ) G WK &LU 8QLW $ -XQH ,,, $QDO\VLV )RU WKH UHDVRQV VHW RXW EHORZ &RQZD\ IDLOV WR VWDWH DQ DFWLRQDEOH EDVLV IRU UHOLHI XQGHU $ 7KH /RVV RI 3ULYLOHJHV DQG 5HGXFWLRQ LQ /LQH &ODVV 6WDWXV $Q LQPDWH¶V ULJKWV LQ WKH SULVRQ GLVFLSOLQDU\ VHWWLQJ DUH JRYHUQHG E\ WKH 'XH 3URFHVV &ODXVH RI WKH )RXUWHHQWK $PHQGPHQW WR WKH 8QLWHG 6WDWHV &RQVWLWXWLRQ See Wolff v. McDonnell 8 6 $OWKRXJK WKH GLVFLSOLQDU\ FRQYLFWLRQ DW LVVXH UHVXOWHG LQ UHVWULFWLRQV RQ FRPPLVVDU\ DQG UHFUHDWLRQ SULYLOHJHV DV ZHOO DV FHOO UHVWULFWLRQ DQG D UHGXFWLRQ LQ FODVVLILFDWLRQ VWDWXV VDQFWLRQV WKDW DUH ³PHUHO\ FKDQJHV LQ WKH FRQGLWLRQV RI >DQ LQPDWH¶V@ FRQILQHPHQW´ GR QRW LPSOLFDWH GXH SURFHVV FRQFHUQV Madison v. Parker ) G WK &LU /LPLWV RQ FRPPLVVDU\ DQG UHFUHDWLRQDO SULYLOHJHV DV ZHOO DV FHOO UHVWULFWLRQ DUH WKH W\SH RI VDQFWLRQV WKDW GR QRW SRVH DQ DW\SLFDO RU VLJQLILFDQW KDUGVKLS EH\RQG WKH RUGLQDU\ LQFLGHQWV RI SULVRQ OLIH See id. 5HGXFWLRQV LQ D SULVRQHU¶V FXVWRGLDO FODVVLILFDWLRQ DQG WKH SRWHQWLDO LPSDFW RQ JRRG WLPH FUHGLW HDUQLQJ DELOLW\ DUH WRR DWWHQXDWHG WR EH SURWHFWHG E\ WKH 'XH 3URFHVV &ODXVH See Malchi v. Thaler ) G WK &LU Luken v. Scott ) G WK &LU Neals v. Norwood ) G WK &LU 7R WKH H[WHQW &RQZD\ FKDOOHQJHV WKH ORVV RI WKHVH 7KH UHVSRQGHQW DUJXHV WKDW &RQZD\¶V FODLPV DUH XQH[KDXVWHG DQG WKHUHIRUH SURFHGXUDOO\ EDUUHG IURP IHGHUDO KDEHDV UHYLHZ 'NW 1R DW ± &RQZD\ FRQFHGHV WKDW KH GLG QRW SURSHUO\ H[KDXVW KLV DGPLQLVWUDWLYH UHPHGLHV EXW DUJXHV WKDW KH ZDV SUHYHQWHG IURP GRLQJ VR 'NW 1RV DW ± DW 1RWZLWKVWDQGLQJ WKH IDLOXUH RI DQ DSSOLFDQW WR H[KDXVW DOO DYDLODEOH UHPHGLHV D FRXUW PD\ GHQ\ DQ DSSOLFDWLRQ IRU D ZULW RI KDEHDV FRUSXV RQ WKH PHULWV 8 6 & E SULYLOHJHV DQG WKH UHGXFWLRQ LQ KLV OLQH FODVV VWDWXV²ZKLFK GR QRW LPSDFW WKH IDFW RU GXUDWLRQ RI KLV FRQILQHPHQW²KLV SHWLWLRQ GRHV QRW UDLVH DQ DFWLRQDEOH FODLP % 7KH /RVV RI *RRG 7LPH &UHGLWV &RQZD\¶V GLVFLSOLQDU\ FDVH DOVR UHVXOWHG LQ WKH ORVV RI GD\V RI JRRG WLPH FUHGLW 7KH UHVSRQGHQW DUJXHV WKDW &RQZD\ LV LQHOLJLEOH IRU PDQGDWRU\ VXSHUYLVLRQ EHFDXVH KH LV VHUYLQJ D OLIH VHQWHQFH DQG WKHUHIRUH GRHV QRW KDYH D FRQVWLWXWLRQDOO\ SURWHFWHG LQWHUHVW LQ KLV ORVW JRRG WLPH FUHGLW 'NW 1R DW ,Q UHVSRQVH &RQZD\ DUJXHV WKDW KH LV HOLJLEOH IRU PDQGDWRU\ VXSHUYLVLRQ XQGHU WKH ODZ LQ HIIHFW LQ ZKHQ KH FRPPLWWHG KLV XQGHUO\LQJ RIIHQVH RI FDSLWDO PXUGHU 'NW 1R DW ± 7KH ORVV RI JRRG WLPH FUHGLW LPSOLFDWHV D OLEHUW\ LQWHUHVW $ 7H[DV SULVRQHU LV HQWLWOHG WR GXH SURFHVV LQ WKH SULVRQ GLVFLSOLQDU\ FRQWH[W ZKHQ WKH GLVFLSOLQDU\ SXQLVKPHQW LQFOXGHV D ORVV RI JRRG WLPH FUHGLW LI WKH SULVRQHU LV HOLJLEOH IRU UHOHDVH RQ PDQGDWRU\ VXSHUYLVLRQ See Malchi ) G DW ± ,W LV ZHOO VHWWOHG WKDW LQPDWHV VHUYLQJ D OLIH VHQWHQFH DUH QRW HOLJLEOH IRU PDQGDWRU\ VXSHUYLVLRQ DV LW LV ³PDWKHPDWLFDOO\ LPSRVVLEOH WR GHWHUPLQH D PDQGDWRU\ VXSHUYLVLRQ UHOHDVH GDWH RQ D OLIH VHQWHQFH EHFDXVH WKH FDOHQGDU WLPH VHUYHG SOXV DQ\ DFFUXHG JRRG FRQGXFW WLPH ZLOO QHYHU DGG XS WR OLIH ´ Arnold v. Cockrell ) G WK &LU TXRWLQJ Ex parte Franks 6 : G 7H[ &ULP $SS 7KLV &RXUW LV ERXQG E\ WKH KROGLQJ RI Arnold ZKLFK UHOLHG RQ WKH Franks FRXUW¶V GHWHUPLQDWLRQ RI PDQGDWRU\ VXSHUYLVLRQ HOLJLELOLW\ )HGHUDO KDEHDV FRXUWV GR QRW VLW WR UHYLHZ D VWDWH FRXUW¶V LQWHUSUHWDWLRQ RI D VWDWH VWDWXWH See Arnold ) G DW 7KH )LIWK &LUFXLW UHSHDWHGO\ KDV UHMHFWHG FODLPV IURP OLIH VHQWHQFHG 7H[DV LQPDWHV ZKR OLNH &RQZD\ EDVH WKHLU FODLPV RQ SUHYLRXVO\ DSSOLFDEOH VWDWXWHV See, e.g., Kalluvilayil v. Tex. Bd. of Pardons and Paroles ) $SS¶[ WK &LU ³>D@OWKRXJK WKH ODZ LQ HIIHFW >LQ @ DW WKH WLPH RI >WKH SODLQWLII¶V@ RIIHQVH SURYLGHG IRU UHOHDVH WR PDQGDWRU\ VXSHUYLVLRQ ´ D 7H[DV LQPDWH VHUYLQJ D OLIH VHQWHQFH LV QRW HOLJLEOH IRU UHOHDVH XQGHU WKH PDQGDWRU\ VXSHUYLVLRQ VWDWXWH Stewart v. Crain ) $SS¶[ WK &LU D OLIH VHQWHQFHG LQPDWH LV QRW HOLJLEOH IRU UHOHDVH WR PDQGDWRU\ VXSHUYLVLRQ XQGHU WKH 7H[DV PDQGDWRU\ VXSHUYLVLRQ VWDWXWH %HFDXVH &RQZD\ LV LQHOLJLEOH IRU PDQGDWRU\ VXSHUYLVLRQ KLV ORVV RI GD\V¶ JRRG WLPH FUHGLW GRHV QRW SUHVHQW D OLEHUW\ RU GXH SURFHVV FRQFHUQ DQG KLV SHWLWLRQ LV ZLWKRXW PHULW ,9 &HUWLILFDWH RI $SSHDODELOLW\ 5XOH RI WKH 5XOHV *RYHUQLQJ 6HFWLRQ &DVHV UHTXLUHV D GLVWULFW FRXUW WR LVVXH RU GHQ\ D FHUWLILFDWH RI DSSHDODELOLW\ ZKHQ HQWHULQJ D ILQDO RUGHU WKDW LV DGYHUVH WR WKH SHWLWLRQHU $ FHUWLILFDWH RI DSSHDODELOLW\ ZLOO QRW LVVXH XQOHVV WKH SHWLWLRQHU PDNHV ³D VXEVWDQWLDO VKRZLQJ RI WKH GHQLDO RI D FRQVWLWXWLRQDO ULJKW ´ 8 6 & F ZKLFK UHTXLUHV D SHWLWLRQHU WR GHPRQVWUDWH ³WKDW UHDVRQDEOH MXULVWV ZRXOG ILQG WKH GLVWULFW FRXUW¶V DVVHVVPHQW RI WKH FRQVWLWXWLRQDO FODLPV GHEDWDEOH RU ZURQJ ´ Tennard v. Dretke 8 6 TXRWLQJ Slack v. McDaniel 8 6 $ SHWLWLRQHU PXVW VKRZ ³WKDW UHDVRQDEOH MXULVWV FRXOG GHEDWH ZKHWKHU RU IRU WKDW PDWWHU DJUHH WKDW WKH SHWLWLRQ VKRXOG KDYH EHHQ UHVROYHG LQ D GLIIHUHQW PDQQHU RU WKDW WKH LVVXHV SUHVHQWHG ZHUH µDGHTXDWH WR GHVHUYH HQFRXUDJHPHQW WR SURFHHG IXUWKHU ¶´ Miller-El v. Cockrell 8 6 TXRWLQJ Slack 8 6 DW :KHQ UHOLHI LV GHQLHG EDVHG RQ SURFHGXUDO JURXQGV WKH SHWLWLRQHU PXVW VKRZ QRW RQO\ WKDW ³MXULVWV RI UHDVRQ ZRXOG ILQG LW GHEDWDEOH ZKHWKHU WKH SHWLWLRQ VWDWHV D YDOLG FODLP RI WKH GHQLDO RI D FRQVWLWXWLRQDO ULJKW ´ EXW DOVR WKDW WKH\ ³ZRXOG ILQG LW GHEDWDEOH ZKHWKHU WKH GLVWULFW FRXUW ZDV FRUUHFW LQ LWV SURFHGXUDO UXOLQJ ´ Slack 8 6 DW 7KLV &RXUW FRQFOXGHV WKDW MXULVWV RI UHDVRQ ZRXOG QRW GHEDWH WKH SURFHGXUDO UXOLQJV LQ WKLV FDVH RU GHEDWH ZKHWKHU &RQZD\ VWDWHG D YDOLG FODLP IRU UHOLHI $ FHUWLILFDWH RI DSSHDODELOLW\ ZLOO QRW LVVXH 9 &RQFOXVLRQ DQG 2UGHU %DVHG RQ WKH IRUHJRLQJ WKH &RXUW 25'(56 DV IROORZV 7KH UHVSRQGHQW¶V PRWLRQ IRU VXPPDU\ MXGJPHQW 'NW 1R LV *5$17(' 7KH KDEHDV FRUSXV SHWLWLRQ LV '(1,(' DQG WKLV FDVH LV ',60,66(' ZLWK SUHMXGLFH $Q\ DQG DOO UHPDLQLQJ SHQGLQJ PRWLRQV DUH '(1,(' $6 0227 $ FHUWLILFDWH RI DSSHDODELOLW\ LV '(1,(' 6,*1(' DW +RXVWRQ 7H[DV RQ September 29, 2020 BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB $/)5(' + %(11(77 $ $/)5 5(' + + % %(11(77 81,7(' 67$7(6 ',675,&7 -8'*( (' 67$7(6 ',6 675,&7 -8'*( (

Some case metadata and case summaries were written with the help of AI, which can produce inaccuracies. You should read the full case before relying on it for legal research purposes.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.