MARTHA VAZQUEZ, District Judge.
THIS MATTER is before the Court on Petitioner Arturo Anaya's "Motion to U.S. District Judge on Joint Negligence," filed on November 16, 2017. [Doc. 33]. Respondents filed a response on November 17, 2017. [Doc. 34]. Anaya did not file a reply. Having considered the briefing, the relevant portions of the record, and the law, the Court finds that the motion is not well-taken and will be DENIED.
Anaya, proceeding pro se, filed a petition pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254 on April 22, 2016. [Doc. 1]. In his petition and in a number of additional supporting documents, he raised several grounds for relief pertaining to his conviction in state court.
Anaya objected to the PF&RD on October 19, 2017. [Doc. 29]. In his objections, he asserted that the PF&RD failed to address his claim that the "newly discovered evidence" he disclosed—i.e., the allegedly falsified testimony of two witnesses—should "exonerate [him] from all conviction." Id. at 1. He argued that the PF&RD ignored the law he cited on intervening cause. Id. He suggested that Judge Vidmar's finding that his petition contained a mix of exhausted and unexhausted claims was "irrelevant" in light of the "newly discovered evidence." Id. Along with his objections, Anaya submitted a document indicating his election not to withdraw his unexhausted claims. Id. at 3.
On November 6, 2017, the Honorable Robert A. Junell, Senior United States District Judge, issued an order overruling the objections, adopting the PF&RD, denying the petition and both motions for a new trial, and dismissing the case without prejudice. [Doc. 30]. On de novo review, Judge Junell found that Anaya's objections to the PF&RD were meritless. Id. at 10-11. He found that Judge Vidmar had not ignored Anaya's claims regarding the allegedly falsified testimony. Id. at 11. Rather, he found that Anaya had not exhausted them in state court, and it was therefore inappropriate to consider the claims on the merits. Id. Anaya's allegation that the claims involved "newly discovered evidence" did not allay the exhaustion requirement. Id. (citing cases). Judge Junell therefore adopted the finding in the PF&RD that Anaya had alleged a mix of exhausted and unexhausted claims and the recommendation that he be given the opportunity to withdraw the unexhausted claims. Id. at 12. He further found that Anaya had indicated, via a single-page document included with his objections to the PF&RD, his desire not to withdraw his unexhausted claims. Id. (citing [Doc. 29] at 3). Therefore, because Anaya had elected not to withdraw his unexhausted claims, his petition was dismissed in its entirety without prejudice for failure to exhaust. Id. Judge Junell likewise denied Anaya's two motions requesting a new trial. [Docs. 23, 25]. He denied a certificate of appealability [Doc. 31] and entered final judgment [Doc. 32].
Anaya subsequently filed the instant "Motion to the U.S. District Judge on Joint Negligence," which has been docketed as a motion to reconsider. [Doc. 33]. In it, he describes the theory of "joint negligence."
Anaya filed the instant motion ten days after final judgment was entered against him. Therefore, the Court will construe it as a motion for relief from judgment pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 59(e).
Granting a motion to alter or amend is an "extraordinary remedy" to be used "sparingly," in recognition of the interests in finality and the conservation of judicial resources. Torre v. Federated Mut. Ins. Co., 906 F.Supp. 616, 619 (D. Colo. 1995); cf. Allender v. Raytheon Aircraft Co., 439 F.3d 1236, 1242 (10th Cir. 2006) (discussing related standard under Rule 60(b)); Davis v. Kan. Dep't of Corr., 507 F.3d 1246, 1248 (10th Cir. 2007) ("Relief under Rule 60(b) is extraordinary and may only be granted in exceptional circumstances." (internal quotations omitted)).
In the instant motion, Anaya refers to "joint negligence" and suggests that this principle provides "more supporting evidence" for the motions for a new trial that he filed, which he asserts the Court previously said it "would not recommend rulings on." [Doc. 33] at 1. As an initial matter, Anaya is mistaken in his apparent belief that the Court has not already disposed of the motions for a new trial. It is true that, in the PF&RD, Judge Vidmar noted that he would not recommend rulings on the two motions at that time. [Doc. 28] at 1 n.2. However, Judge Junell subsequently ruled on the motions in his order adopting the PF&RD. [Doc. 30] at 12 n.6, 13. He denied the motions, having found that Anaya's petition warranted dismissal without prejudice for failure to exhaust. Id.
Moreover, to the extent that Anaya believes his new "supporting evidence" warrants reconsideration of the order dismissing his petition, he is mistaken. Anaya appears to be asserting an argument related to his self-defense claims. But his petition was denied and his case dismissed without prejudice for failure to exhaust, precluding any merits-based determination of his claims. Even liberally construed, his motion lacks any sound basis in the controlling facts or law of the case. Anaya does not show that he is entitled to the "extraordinary remedy" of post-judgment relief—he does not show a change in law, previously unavailable evidence, or any other error that would persuade the Court that it erred in denying his petition. His claims and motions for a new trial were properly denied, and his case was properly dismissed without prejudice for failure to exhaust.