KENDALL J. NEWMAN, Magistrate Judge.
Petitioner is a state prisoner, proceeding without counsel, with a petition for writ of habeas corpus pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254. Pending before the court is respondent's motion to dismiss on the grounds that the petition is barred by the statute of limitations and for failing to raise a federal question. (ECF No. 10.) For the reasons stated herein, the undersigned recommends that respondent's motion be granted.
In 2014, petitioner was convicted of voluntary manslaughter (Cal. Penal Code § 192(a)), felon in possession of a firearm (Cal. Penal Code § 2900(a)(1)), possession of a short barreled shotgun (Cal. Penal Code § 33215), and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon (Cal. Penal Code § 245(a)(1)). (Respondent's Lodged Document 1.)
Petitioner was also convicted of two sentencing enhancements pursuant to California Penal Code §§ 12022.5 and 12022.55. (
Section 12022.5 allows a ten year enhancement for use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Section 12022.55 provides,
Cal. Penal Code § 12022.55.
This action proceeds on the original petition filed June 29, 2017.
Cal Penal Code § 1170.1(f).
In support of his claim, petitioner cites two cases:
The Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 ("AEDPA"), which became law on April 24, 1996, imposed for the first time a statute of limitations on petitions for a writ of habeas corpus filed by state prisoners. This statute of limitations provides that,
28 U.S.C. § 2244 (d)(1).
Petitioner was sentenced on November 3, 2014. (Respondent's Lodged Document 1.) Petitioner did not appeal his conviction. Because he did not appeal, petitioner's conviction and sentence became final sixty days later on January 2, 2015.
Title 28 U.S.C. § 2244(d)(2) provides that the time during which a properly filed application for state post-conviction or other collateral review, with respect to the pertinent judgment or claim is pending, shall not count toward any period of limitation. A state court habeas post-conviction process commenced beyond the expiration of the statute of limitations does not toll or revive the limitations period under section 2244(d)(1).
Petitioner filed his first state habeas petition on November 21, 2016. (Respondent's Lodged Document 2.) Because petitioner commenced the state court habeas post-conviction process beyond the expiration of the statute of limitations, he is not entitled to statutory tolling.
A habeas petitioner is entitled to equitable tolling of the one-year statute of limitations only if he shows: (1) that he has been pursuing his rights diligently; and (2) that some extraordinary circumstances stood in his way and prevented timely filing.
Petitioner makes no claim for equitable tolling. However, the undersigned observes that in the petition filed in the Superior Court, petitioner wrote that the petition concerned a "newly discovery of amendment new rule
The undersigned observes that petitioner has had knowledge of the two at-issue sentencing enhancements since the time of his plea. Based on the statement in the petition filed in the Superior Court, it appears that petitioner is claiming that he recently discovered the legal grounds of his claim challenging the enhancements. However, as indicated above, the two main California cases petitioner relies on were decided before his conviction. Petitioner's apparent ignorance of the law does not warrant equitable tolling.
For the reasons discussed above, the undersigned finds that the petition is barred by the statute of limitations. On this ground, respondent's motion to dismiss should be granted.
Respondent argues that the petition should be dismissed because petitioner fails to raise a federal question.
It is well settled that "it is not the province of a federal habeas court to reexamine state-court determinations on state-law questions."
Respondent argues that petitioner raises a state law sentencing claim which is not cognizable in federal habeas. (ECF No. 10 at 4.) Respondent argues that the state courts determined that petitioner was not entitled to resentencing, citing the orders by the Superior Court, California Court of Appeal, and California Supreme Court dismissing petitioner's state habeas petitions. (
The undersigned observes that respondent appears to have conceded to the California Court of Appeal that petitioner's sentence for the two enhancements violated state law. The California Court of Appeal ordered respondent to file a response to petitioner's petition. (ECF No. 1 at 34.) In response, respondent stated that he (respondent) did not contend that petitioner could be found in violation of § 12022.55 without also having violated § 12022.5. (
The California Court of Appeal and California Supreme Court denied petitioner's habeas petitions without comment or citation. (Respondent's Lodged Documents 5, 7.) Based on respondent's apparent concession that the imposition of the sentencing enhancements violated state law, it is likely that the California Court of Appeal and California Supreme Court denied petitioner's state habeas petitions on the grounds that petitioner's plea waived the claim.
As discussed above, petitioner argues that his sentence enhancements for both § 12055.5 and § 12022.5 violate the Double Jeopardy Clause. Respondent does not address petitioner's double jeopardy claim raised in the instant petition. However, petitioner's double jeopardy claim is likely without merit.
Because petitioner's claim is barred by the statute of limitations, the undersigned need not address respondent's argument that petitioner fails to state a federal claim.
In the opposition, petitioner argues that the motion to dismiss should be denied because respondent's motion to dismiss was not timely filed. (ECF No. 12.) For the reasons stated below, the undersigned finds that respondent's motion to dismiss is timely.
On August 15, 2017, the undersigned ordered respondent to file a response to the petition within sixty days. (ECF No. 6.) Sixty days past August 15, 2017 was October 14, 2017. October 14, 2017 fell on a Saturday. Therefore, respondent's response was due Monday, October 16, 2017.
Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY RECOMMENDED that respondent's motion to dismiss (ECF No. 10) be granted on the grounds that the petition is barred by the statute of limitations.
These findings and recommendations are submitted to the United States District Judge assigned to the case, pursuant to the provisions of 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1). Within fourteen days after being served with these findings and recommendations, any party may file written objections with the court and serve a copy on all parties. Such a document should be captioned "Objections to Magistrate Judge's Findings and Recommendations." If petitioner files objections, he shall also address whether a certificate of appealability should issue and, if so, why and as to which issues. A certificate of appealability may issue under 28 U.S.C. § 2253 "only if the applicant has made a substantial showing of the denial of a constitutional right." 28 U.S.C. § 2253(c)(3). Any response to the objections shall be served and filed within fourteen days after service of the objections. The parties are advised that failure to file objections within the specified time may waive the right to appeal the District Court's order.
The California Supreme Court affirmed