Case Title: Ex parte John Michael Ward. PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS (In re: John Michael Ward v. State of Alabama)

Citation: 

Docket Number: 1070397

State: alabama

Court: Alabama Supreme Court

Date: 2010-02-19T00:00:00Z

Document:
REL: 02/19/2010 
Notice: T h i s 
o p i n i o n i s s u b j e c t t o f o r m a l 
r e v i s i o n b e f o r e 
p u b l i c a t i o n i n 
t h e 
advance 
s h e e t s o f 
Southern Reporter. 
R e a d e r s a r e 
r e q u e s t e d t o n o t i f y t h e 
Reporter of 
Decisions, 
Alabama 
A p p e l l a t e 
C o u r t s , 300 D e x t e r Avenue, Montgomery, Alabama 36104-3741 
((334) 
2 2 9 - 0 6 4 9 ) , o f 
any t y p o g r a p h i c a l o r o t h e r e r r o r s , i n 
o r d e r t h a t c o r r e c t i o n s may be 
made 
b e f o r e t h e 
o p i n i o n i s 
p r i n t e d i n 
Southern Reporter. 
SUPREME COURT OF ALABAMA 
OCTOBER TERM, 2009-2010 
1070397 
Ex p a r t e John M i c h a e l Ward 
PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI 
TO THE COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS 
( I n r e : John M i c h a e l Ward 
v. 
S t a t e o f 
Alabama) 
(Baldwin C i r c u i t Court, CC-97-7 
99.60; 
Court o f C r i m i n a l Appeals, CR-05-0655) 
LYONS, 
J u s t i c e . 
J o h n M i c h a e l 
Ward 
p e t i t i o n e d t h i s 
C o u r t f o r 
a w r i t o f 
c e r t i o r a r i t o r e v i e w 
w h e t h e r t h e C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s 
1070397 
e r r e d i n a f f i r m i n g t h e B a l d w i n C i r c u i t C o u r t ' s summary 
d e n i a l 
o f h i s R u l e 32, A l a . 
R. C r i m . P., p e t i t i o n f o r p o s t c o n v i c t i o n 
r e l i e f . 
We 
i s s u e d t h e w r i t o f c e r t i o r a r i t o r e v i e w w h e t h e r 
t h e 
d o c t r i n e o f e q u i t a b l e t o l l i n g we a d o p t e d i n 
Ward's 
e a r l i e r 
a p p e a l o f t h e d i s m i s s a l o f h i s R u l e 32 p e t i t i o n i s a p p l i c a b l e 
t o h i m . 
F o r t h e r e a s o n s d i s c u s s e d b e l o w , we h o l d t h a t Ward 
s h o u l d be a l l o w e d t o b e n e f i t 
f r o m t h e d o c t r i n e o f e q u i t a b l e 
t o l l i n g , and we r e v e r s e t h e j u d g m e n t o f t h e C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s and remand t h e c a s e . 
I . F a c t s and P r o c e d u r a l H i s t o r y 
Ward was c o n v i c t e d o f c a p i t a l m u r d e r i n t h e d e a t h o f h i s 
f o u r - m o n t h - o l d s o n and was s e n t e n c e d t o d e a t h i n 1998. 
The 
m u r d e r was made c a p i t a l b e c a u s e t h e v i c t i m was 
l e s s t h a n 14 
y e a r s o f age. 
§ 1 3 A - 5 - 4 0 ( a ) ( 1 5 ) , A l a . 
Code 1975. 
On 
d i r e c t 
a p p e a l , 
t h e 
C o u r t 
o f 
C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s 
a f f i r m e d 
Ward's 
c o n v i c t i o n and h i s s e n t e n c e . 
Ward v . S t a t e , 814 So. 2d 899 
( A l a . 
C r i m . App. 2 0 0 0 ) , 
c e r t . 
d e n i e d , 814 So. 2d 925 ( A l a . 
2 0 0 1 ) , 
c e r t . d e n i e d , 535 U.S. 907 (2002) ("Ward 
I " ) . 
Ward 
f i l e d a R u l e 32 p e t i t i o n f o r p o s t c o n v i c t i o n 
r e l i e f 
on November 2, 2005. 
The t i m e f o r f i l i n g h i s 
R u l e 32 p e t i t i o n 
had 
e x p i r e d on A u g u s t 1, 2003, h o w e v e r , and t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t 
2 
1070397 
s u m m a r i l y 
d i s m i s s e d 
Ward's p e t i t i o n . 
The 
C o u r t o f 
C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s 
a f f i r m e d , 
w i t h o u t 
an 
o p i n i o n , 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
summary d i s m i s s a l o f t h e p e t i t i o n . 
Ward v. S t a t e 
(No. CR-05-
0 6 5 5 ) , 
988 
So. 2d 1078 
( A l a . C r i m . App. 
2006) 
( t a b l e ) 
("Ward 
I I " ) . 
We g r a n t e d c e r t i o r a r i r e v i e w t o a d d r e s s two i s s u e s , 
one 
o f w h i c h was 
" w h e t h e r t h e l i m i t a t i o n s p e r i o d i n R u l e 
3 2 . 2 ( c ) , 
A l a . 
R. 
C r i m . P . ,
[ 1 ] i s j u r i s d i c t i o n a l , 
a n d , 
i f n o t , w h e t h e r 
t h i s C o u r t s h o u l d a d o p t t h e d o c t r i n e o f e q u i t a b l e 
t o l l i n g . " 
Ex 
p a r t e Ward, 
[Ms. 1051818, J u n e 1 
, 2007] 
So. 
3d 
, 
( A l a . 2007) ("Ward 
I I I " ) . 
We 
h e l d 
t h a t t h e t i m e 
l i m i t a t i o n 
i m p o s e d 
i n 
R u l e 
3 2 . 2 ( c ) 
i s 
n o t 
j u r i s d i c t i o n a l 
and 
t h a t 
" e q u i t a b l e t o l l i n g i s a v a i l a b l e i n e x t r a o r d i n a r y c i r c u m s t a n c e s 
t h a t 
a r e 
b e y o n d 
t h e 
p e t i t i o n e r ' s 
c o n t r o l 
and 
t h a t 
a r e 
u n a v o i d a b l e e v e n w i t h t h e e x e r c i s e o f d i l i g e n c e . " 
Ward I I I , 
___ 
So. 
3d 
a t ___ . 
We 
t h e n 
c o n c l u d e d 
t h a t 
" t h e 
C o u r t 
o f 
1 R u l e 
3 2 . 2 ( c ) , 
A l a . R. 
C r i m . 
P., 
s t a t e s , 
i n 
p e r t i n e n t 
p a r t : 
" S u b j e c t 
t o t h e 
f u r t h e r p r o v i s i o n s 
h e r e i n a f t e r 
s e t 
o u t i n t h i s 
s e c t i o n , t h e c o u r t 
s h a l l n o t 
e n t e r t a i n 
any 
p e t i t i o n 
f o r 
r e l i e f 
f r o m 
a 
c o n v i c t i o n 
o r 
s e n t e n c e 
on 
t h e g r o u n d s 
s p e c i f i e d i n R u l e 
3 2 . 1 ( a ) 
and 
( f ) , u n l e s s 
t h e 
p e t i t i o n 
i s f i l e d : 
(1) I n 
t h e 
c a s e 
o f 
a 
c o n v i c t i o n 
a p p e a l e d 
t o 
t h e 
C o u r t 
o f 
C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s , 
w i t h i n 
one 
(1) 
y e a r 
a f t e r 
t h e 
i s s u a n c e 
o f t h e c e r t i f i c a t e o f j u d g m e n t by t h e C o u r t 
o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s 
" 
3 
1070397 
C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s e r r e d i n h o l d i n g 
t h a t R u l e 3 2 . 2 ( c ) , A l a . R. 
C r i m . 
P., 
c r e a t e s 
a 
j u r i s d i c t i o n a l 
b a r 
t h a t 
p r e c l u d e s 
a p p l i c a t i o n 
o f t h e d o c t r i n e 
o f e q u i t a b l e 
t o l l i n g , " 
and we 
" r e v e r s e [ d ] 
i t s 
j u d g m e n t i n t h a t 
r e s p e c t 
and r e m a n d [ e d ] t h e 
c a u s e f o r f u r t h e r p r o c e e d i n g s c o n s i s t e n t w i t h t h [ e ] 
o p i n i o n . " 
Ward I I I , 
So. 3d a t 
. 
The c o m p l e x c i r c u m s t a n c e s 
s u r r o u n d i n g t h e n e a r l y t w o - y e a r 
d e l a y b e t w e e n t h e r u n n i n g 
o f t h e l i m i t a t i o n s 
p e r i o d i n R u l e 
3 2 . 2 ( c ) 
and 
Ward's 
f i l i n g 
o f h i s R u l e 
32 
p e t i t i o n 
a r e 
a d d r e s s e d i n Ward I I I . F o r p u r p o s e s o f t h i s o p i n i o n , we n o t e 
t h a t Ward has b e e n 
r e p r e s e n t e d 
by n i n e 
d i f f e r e n t 
a t t o r n e y s 
d u r i n g h i s d i r e c t a p p e a l , h i s R u l e 32 p e t i t i o n , and a p e t i t i o n 
f o r a w r i t o f h a b e a s c o r p u s 
f i l e d i n f e d e r a l c o u r t . 
One o f 
t h o s e 
a t t o r n e y s 
was 
l a t e r 
s u s p e n d e d 
f r o m 
p r a c t i c i n g 
l a w , 
a n o t h e r l o s t p o r t i o n s o f Ward's 
f i l e , and a n o t h e r , Ward 
s a y s , 
t o l d Ward's f a m i l y t h a t he w o u l d 
f i l e a R u l e 32 p e t i t i o n on 
Ward's 
b e h a l f 
b e f o r e 
t h e o n e - y e a r 
d e a d l i n e 
i n R u l e 
3 2 . 2 ( c ) 
e x p i r e d b u t d i d n o t do s o . 
The a t t o r n e y who e v e n t u a l l y 
f i l e d 
Ward's R u l e 32 p e t i t i o n a s k e d t h e f e d e r a l c o u r t t o s t a y Ward's 
h a b e a s c o r p u s 
p e t i t i o n t o a l l o w h i m t o p u r s u e i n t h e s t a t e 
c o u r t a c l a i m o f a c t u a l i n n o c e n c e b a s e d on n e w l y 
d i s c o v e r e d 
4 
1070397 
e v i d e n c e . 
The f e d e r a l c o u r t g r a n t e d t h e s t a y , and Ward's R u l e 
32 p e t i t i o n was 
f i l e d on November 2, 2 0 0 5 . 
However, 
i n s t e a d 
o f 
a s s e r t i n g a c l a i m o f n e w l y d i s c o v e r e d e v i d e n c e t e n d i n g t o 
p r o v e Ward's i n n o c e n c e , t h e R u l e 32 p e t i t i o n 
r e l i e d s o l e l y on 
i n e f f e c t i v e - a s s i s t a n c e - o f - c o u n s e l c l a i m s . The p e t i t i o n 
f a i l e d 
t o 
s e t f o r t h 
any 
j u s t i f i c a t i o n 
f o r i t s u n t i m e l i n e s s . 
I t 
s t a t e d 
o n l y t h a t no t i m e l y R u l e 32 p e t i t i o n h a d b e e n 
f i l e d 
b e c a u s e Ward's p r e v i o u s a t t o r n e y s h a d n o t f i l e d any 
p e t i t i o n 
and t h a t Ward, who i s n o t t r a i n e d i n t h e l a w , h a d assumed t h a t 
a l l 
l e g a l 
r e q u i r e m e n t s t o o b t a i n p o s t c o n v i c t i o n 
r e v i e w were 
b e i n g met. 
Ward's p r e s e n t c o u n s e l was a p p o i n t e d i n 2006 w h i l e 
h i s a p p e a l i n Ward I I was p e n d i n g . 
Ward a s s e r t e d t h e d o c t r i n e 
o f 
e q u i t a b l e 
t o l l i n g f o r t h e f i r s t 
t i m e i n h i s b r i e f t o t h e 
C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s i n Ward I I . 
A f t e r 
t h i s C o u r t r e v e r s e d i t s j u d g m e n t and remanded t h e 
c a s e 
i n Ward 
I I I , 
t h e C o u r t 
o f 
C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s , 
i n an 
u n p u b l i s h e d 
memorandum, 
a g a i n 
a f f i r m e d 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
summary d i s m i s s a l o f Ward's R u l e 32 p e t i t i o n . 
Ward v . S t a t e 
(No. CR-05-0655, A u g u s t 17, 2 0 0 7 ) , ___ So. 3d ___ ( A l a . C r i m . 
App. 2007) ("Ward I V " ) . The C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s , i n 
i t s 
u n p u b l i s h e d memorandum, h e l d t h a t t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t p r o p e r l y 
5 
1070397 
d e n i e d Ward's p e t i t i o n on t h e g r o u n d t h a t i t 
was 
t i m e - b a r r e d 
by 
R u l e 
3 2 . 2 ( c ) 
and 
f u r t h e r 
h e l d 
t h a t 
t h e 
d o c t r i n e 
o f 
e q u i t a b l e 
t o l l i n g was n o t a v a i l a b l e t o Ward so as t o s u s p e n d 
t h e 
r u n n i n g o f t h e l i m i t a t i o n s 
p e r i o d b e c a u s e "Ward d i d 
n o t 
a s s e r t t h e d o c t r i n e o f e q u i t a b l e 
t o l l i n g i n 
h i s 
p e t i t i o n , n o r 
d i d 
he 
p l e a d 
a n y 
f a c t s 
o r 
p r i n c i p l e s o f l a w 
r e g a r d i n g 
e q u i t a b l e 
t o l l i n g 
i n h i s p e t i t i o n . " 
The C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s p o i n t e d o u t i n i t s u n p u b l i s h e d 
memorandum i n 
Ward I V 
t h a t t h e f a c t s and l e g a l p r i n c i p l e s s u p p o r t i n g Ward's a r g u m e n t 
f o r e q u i t a b l e t o l l i n g a p p e a r e d o n l y i n 
h i s 
p r i n c i p a l and r e p l y 
b r i e f s and i n 
an u n t i m e l y m o t i o n t o s u p p l e m e n t t h e r e c o r d 
t h a t 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
g r a n t e d . 
We a g a i n 
g r a n t e d 
c e r t i o r a r i 
r e v i e w 
t o c o n s i d e r w h e t h e r Ward s h o u l d be a l l o w e d an o p p o r t u n i t y t o 
p r e s e n t 
h i s e v i d e n c e i n s u p p o r t o f e q u i t a b l e 
t o l l i n g t o t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t f o r c o n s i d e r a t i o n . 
I I . 
A n a l y s i s 
I n i t s 
u n p u b l i s h e d 
memorandum i n Ward I V , t h e C o u r t o f 
C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s 
q u o t e d 
f r o m 
o u r o p i n i o n 
i n Ward 
I I I as 
f o l l o w s : 
" ' F i n a l l y , 
we 
must 
a d d r e s s 
t h e p e t i t i o n e r ' s 
b u r d e n o f d e m o n s t r a t i n g t h a t he o r she i s e n t i t l e d 
t o t h e r e l i e f 
a f f o r d e d b y t h e d o c t r i n e o f e q u i t a b l e 
t o l l i n g . 
R u l e 3 2 . 7 ( d ) , A l a . 
R . C r i m . P., a l l o w s t h e 
6 
1070397 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
t o s u m m a r i l y d i s m i s s 
a R u l e 32 
p e t i t i o n 
t h a t , 
on 
i t s f a c e , 
i s p r e c l u d e d 
o r 
f a i l s t o s t a t e 
a 
c l a i m , 
and 
we 
h a v e 
h e l d 
t h a t 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
may 
p r o p e r l y 
s u m m a r i l y d i s m i s s 
s u c h a p e t i t i o n 
w i t h o u t 
w a i t i n g 
f o r 
a 
r e s p o n s e 
t o 
t h e 
p e t i t i o n 
f r o m 
t h e 
S t a t e . 
B i s h o p 
v. 
S t a t e , 
608 
So. 
2d 
345, 
347-48 
( A l a . 
1992) 
("'Where a s i m p l e 
r e a d i n g 
o f a 
p e t i t i o n 
f o r 
p o s t - c o n v i c t i o n 
r e l i e f 
shows 
t h a t , 
a s s u m i n g 
e v e r y 
a l l e g a t i o n 
o f 
t h e 
p e t i t i o n 
t o be 
t r u e , 
i t i s 
o b v i o u s l y w i t h o u t m e r i t 
o r i s p r e c l u d e d , 
t h e 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t [ m a y ] 
s u m m a r i l y d i s m i s s 
t h a t p e t i t i o n 
w i t h o u t 
r e q u i r i n g a r e s p o n s e f r o m t h e 
d i s t r i c t 
a t t o r n e y . ' " ) . 
A l t h o u g h 
t h e 
R u l e s 
o f 
C r i m i n a l P r o c e d u r e 
i n i t i a l l y 
p l a c e 
t h e b u r d e n on t h e S t a t e t o p l e a d 
any g r o u n d 
o f 
p r e c l u s i o n , t h e u l t i m a t e b u r d e n i s on t h e 
p e t i t i o n e r 
t o 
d i s p r o v e 
t h a t 
a g r o u n d 
o f 
p r e c l u s i o n 
a p p l i e s . 
R u l e 32.3, 
A l a . R. 
C r i m . 
P. 
" ' B e c a u s e t h e l i m i t a t i o n s p r o v i s i o n i s m a n d a t o r y 
and 
a p p l i e s 
i n 
a l l b u t 
t h e 
most 
e x t r a o r d i n a r y 
o f 
c i r c u m s t a n c e s , 
when a p e t i t i o n i s t i m e - b a r r e d 
on i t s 
f a c e 
t h e 
p e t i t i o n e r 
b e a r s 
t h e 
b u r d e n 
o f 
d e m o n s t r a t i n g 
i n h i s 
p e t i t i o n 
t h a t 
t h e r e 
a r e 
s u c h 
e x t r a o r d i n a r y 
c i r c u m s t a n c e s 
j u s t i f y i n g 
t h e 
a p p l i c a t i o n 
o f 
t h e 
d o c t r i n e 
o f 
e q u i t a b l e 
t o l l i n g . 
See 
S p i t s y n v. M o o r e , 345 
F.3d 
[796,] 799 
[ ( 9 t h C i r . 
2 0 0 3 ) ] 
( h o l d i n g t h a t t h e b u r d e n i s on t h e 
p e t i t i o n e r 
f o r 
t h e 
w r i t 
o f 
h a b e a s 
c o r p u s 
t o 
show 
t h a t 
t h e 
e x c l u s i o n 
a p p l i e s 
and 
t h a t 
t h e 
" e x t r a o r d i n a r y 
c i r c u m s t a n c e s " 
a l l e g e d , 
r a t h e r 
t h a n 
a 
l a c k 
o f 
d i l i g e n c e 
on 
h i s p a r t , were t h e p r o x i m a t e c a u s e 
o f 
t h e u n t i m e l i n e s s ) ; Drew v. D e p a r t m e n t o f C o r r . , 
297 
F.3d 
1278, 
1286 
( 1 1 t h 
C i r . 2002) 
("The 
b u r d e n 
o f 
e s t a b l i s h i n g 
e n t i t l e m e n t 
t o 
t h i s 
e x t r a o r d i n a r y 
remedy p l a i n l y r e s t s w i t h 
t h e 
p e t i t i o n e r . " ) . 
Thus, 
when a R u l e 32 
p e t i t i o n 
i s t i m e - b a r r e d 
on 
i t s f a c e , 
t h e 
p e t i t i o n 
must 
e s t a b l i s h 
e n t i t l e m e n t 
t o 
t h e 
remedy 
a f f o r d e d 
by 
t h e 
d o c t r i n e 
o f 
e q u i t a b l e 
t o l l i n g . 
A p e t i t i o n 
t h a t does n o t 
a s s e r t 
e q u i t a b l e 
t o l l i n g , 
o r 
t h a t 
a s s e r t s 
i t b u t 
f a i l s t o 
s t a t e 
any 
p r i n c i p l e 
o f l a w 
o r any 
f a c t t h a t w o u l d e n t i t l e 
t h e 
p e t i t i o n e r 
t o 
t h e 
e q u i t a b l e 
t o l l i n g 
o f 
t h e 
7 
1070397 
a p p l i c a b l e 
l i m i t a t i o n s 
p r o v i s i o n , may be 
s u m m a r i l y 
d i s m i s s e d 
w i t h o u t 
a h e a r i n g . 
R u l e 3 2 . 7 ( d ) , A l a . R. 
C r i m . P.'" 
( Q u o t i n g Ward I I I , 
So. 3d a t 
.) 
B a s e d on t h e a b o v e -
q u o t e d p o r t i o n o f t h i s C o u r t ' s o p i n i o n i n Ward I I I , t h e C o u r t 
o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s c o n c l u d e d t h a t t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
summary 
d e n i a l o f Ward's R u l e 32 p e t i t i o n was p r o p e r b e c a u s e Ward d i d 
n o t 
a s s e r t t h e d o c t r i n e o f e q u i t a b l e 
t o l l i n g i n h i s R u l e 32  
p e t i t i o n . 
E s p e c i a l l y 
p e r t i n e n t 
t o 
t h i s 
c a s e , 
h o w e v e r , 
i s t h e 
p a r a g r a p h i n Ward I I I 
t h a t p r e c e d e s t h e a b o v e - q u o t e d m a t e r i a l 
r e l i e d upon b y t h e C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s i n Ward I V . 
We 
t h e r e 
s t a t e d : 
"We h o l d t h a t e q u i t a b l e 
t o l l i n g i s a v a i l a b l e i n 
e x t r a o r d i n a r y 
c i r c u m s t a n c e s 
t h a t 
a r e b e y o n d 
t h e 
p e t i t i o n e r ' s 
c o n t r o l and t h a t a r e u n a v o i d a b l e 
e v e n 
w i t h t h e e x e r c i s e o f d i l i g e n c e . 
We 
r e c o g n i z e 
t h a t 
' [ i ] n a c a p i t a l c a s e s u c h as t h i s , t h e c o n s e q u e n c e s 
o f 
e r r o r 
a r e 
t e r m i n a l , 
and 
we 
t h e r e f o r e 
p a y 
p a r t i c u l a r 
a t t e n t i o n 
t o 
w h e t h e r 
p r i n c i p l e s 
o f 
" e q u i t y 
w o u l d 
make 
t h e 
r i g i d 
a p p l i c a t i o n 
o f 
a 
l i m i t a t i o n p e r i o d u n f a i r " and w h e t h e r t h e p e t i t i o n e r 
has 
" e x e r c i s e d r e a s o n a b l e 
d i l i g e n c e i n 
i n v e s t i g a t i n g 
and b r i n g i n g [ t h e ] c l a i m s . " ' 
F a h y v . H o r n , 240 F.3d 
239, 
245 
(3d C i r . 2001 
) ( q u o t i n g 
M i l l e r 
v. 
New 
 
J e r s e y 
Dep't o f C o r r . , 
145 F.3d 616, 618 (3d C i r . 
1 9 9 8 ) ) . 
N e v e r t h e l e s s , 
' t h e t h r e s h o l d n e c e s s a r y t o 
t r i g g e r 
e q u i t a b l e 
t o l l i n g 
i s v e r y 
h i g h , 
l e s t t h e 
e x c e p t i o n s 
s w a l l o w 
t h e 
r u l e . ' 
U n i t e d 
S t a t e s 
v . 
 
M a r c e l l o , 212 F.3d 1005, 1010 ( 7 t h C i r . 2 0 0 0 ) . " 
8 
1070397 
Ward I I I , 
So. 3d a t 
. 
The d i s p o s i t i v e i s s u e b e f o r e us i s w h e t h e r t h e C o u r t o f 
C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s c o r r e c t l y h e l d t h a t t h e d o c t r i n e o f e q u i t a b l e 
t o l l i n g i s n o t a v a i l a b l e t o Ward b e c a u s e he f a i l e d t o a s s e r t 
i t 
i n t h e R u l e 
32 
p e t i t i o n 
f i l e d 
b y 
p r e v i o u s 
c o u n s e l 
on 
November 2, 2005, b e f o r e we r e l e a s e d o u r o p i n i o n i n Ward I I I 
on J u n e 1, 2007, i n w h i c h we r e c o g n i z e d 
as a m a t t e r o f 
f i r s t 
i m p r e s s i o n t h e a v a i l a b i l i t y o f e q u i t a b l e 
t o l l i n g t o a R u l e 32 
p e t i t i o n e r . 
I n 
l i g h t 
o f t h e 
f a c t 
t h a t 
t h e 
d o c t r i n e 
o f 
e q u i t a b l e 
t o l l i n g 
i s a n e w l y 
r e c o g n i z e d 
e x c e p t i o n 
t o t h e 
l i m i t a t i o n s 
p r o v i s i o n o f R u l e 
3 2 . 2 ( c ) , 
t h a t i t was Ward who 
a r g u e d s u c c e s s f u l l y b e f o r e 
t h i s C o u r t t h a t t h e d o c t r i n e 
s h o u l d 
be a d o p t e d , and t h a t t h i s i s a c a p i t a l c a s e , we h o l d t h a t Ward 
s h o u l d 
have 
t h e 
o p p o r t u n i t y 
t o 
a s s e r t 
t h e 
d o c t r i n e 
o f 
e q u i t a b l e 
t o l l i n g . 
The U n i t e d S t a t e s Supreme C o u r t has h e l d t h a t "a new r u l e 
f o r 
t h e c o n d u c t o f c r i m i n a l p r o s e c u t i o n s 
i s t o be 
a p p l i e d 
r e t r o a c t i v e l y 
t o a l l c a s e s , 
s t a t e 
o r 
f e d e r a l , p e n d i n g 
on 
d i r e c t 
r e v i e w 
o r n o t y e t f i n a l . " 
G r i f f i t h v . K e n t u c k y , 479 
U.S. 314, 328 ( 1 9 8 7 ) . 
T h i s C o u r t r e c o g n i z e s t h e a p p l i c a b i l i t y 
o f new r u l e s t o p e n d i n g c a s e s t h a t a r e n o t y e t f i n a l . 
See, 
9 
1070397 
e.g., 
Ex p a r t e W a l d r o p , 859 
So. 
2d 1181, 
1184 
( A l a . 2 0 0 2 ) . 
I n 
Ex p a r t e M a r t i n e z , 
[Ms. 1061237, May 
29, 2009] 
So. 
3d 
( A l a . 
2 0 0 9 ) , 
we 
h e l d 
t h a t 
a d e f e n d a n t whose p e t i t i o n 
f o r 
a 
w r i t 
o f 
c e r t i o r a r i was 
p e n d i n g when we 
d e c i d e d Ward I I I 
was 
e n t i t l e d 
t o 
a s s e r t 
t h e 
d o c t r i n e 
o f 
e q u i t a b l e 
t o l l i n g as 
i t 
r e l a t e d t o h i s R u l e 32 
p e t i t i o n . 
We 
s t a t e d : 
" W h i l e 
M a r t i n e z ' s 
c e r t i o r a r i 
p e t i t i o n 
was 
p e n d i n g , 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
i s s u e d 
i t s o p i n i o n 
i n 
[Ward 
 
I I I ] . 
M a r t i n e z 
d i d 
n o t 
h a v e 
t h e 
b e n e f i t 
o f Ward  
[ I I I ] 
t o 
a f f o r d 
h i m 
t h e 
o p p o r t u n i t y 
t o 
a r g u e 
t h e 
e q u i t a b l e 
t o l l i n g 
o f 
t h e 
l i m i t a t i o n s 
p e r i o d . 
A c c o r d i n g l y , we 
r e v e r s e 
t h e j u d g m e n t o f t h e C o u r t 
o f 
C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s and 
remand t h e 
c a s e t o t h a t 
c o u r t 
f o r 
c o n s i d e r a t i o n 
o f 
M a r t i n e z ' s 
c l a i m 
t h a t 
he 
i s 
e n t i t l e d 
t o t h e remedy a f f o r d e d 
by 
t h e 
d o c t r i n e 
o f 
e q u i t a b l e 
t o l l i n g and, 
i f i t d e c i d e s 
t h a t 
he 
i s , 
w h e t h e r 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
was 
c o r r e c t 
i n 
d e n y i n g 
M a r t i n e z ' s 
p e t i t i o n . " 
M a r t i n e z , 
So. 
3d 
a t 
. 
A 
r e v i e w 
o f 
o u r 
summary 
i n 
M a r t i n e z 
o f t h e c l a i m s M a r t i n e z 
a r g u e d i n h i s R u l e 32 
p e t i t i o n 
r e f l e c t s 
t h a t 
t h e 
o n l y 
c l a i m t h a t 
c o u l d 
a r g u a b l y 
be 
s a i d 
t o 
a s s e r t t h e d o c t r i n e o f e q u i t a b l e 
t o l l i n g was 
a c l a i m t h a t 
t h e 
l i m i t a t i o n s 
p e r i o d 
o f R u l e 3 2 . 2 ( c ) 
s h o u l d 
n o t 
a p p l y 
i n 
h i s 
c a s e " b e c a u s e , he 
s a y s , 
as a n a t i v e o f G u a t e m a l a who 
d o e s 
n o t 
s p e a k 
E n g l i s h , 
he 
f a c e d 
s i g n i f i c a n t 
o b s t a c l e s 
i n 
p u r s u i n g 
p o s t c o n v i c t i o n 
r e v i e w . " 
So. 
3d 
a t 
. 
M a r t i n e z 
was 
e n t i t l e d t o a s s e r t t h e n e w l y r e c o g n i z e d 
d o c t r i n e o f 
e q u i t a b l e 
10 
1070397 
t o l l i n g 
on remand; 
l i k e w i s e , Ward i s e n t i t l e d 
t o a s s e r t 
t h e 
d o c t r i n e , w h i c h was 
a d o p t e d i n h i s c a s e . 
M o r e o v e r , 
Ward 
was 
t h e 
p e t i t i o n e r 
who 
a r g u e d 
i n h i s 
p e t i t i o n 
f o r c e r t i o r a r i 
r e v i e w t h a t 
t h i s C o u r t s h o u l d a d o p t 
t h e d o c t r i n e o f e q u i t a b l e t o l l i n g i n r e g a r d t o t h e 
l i m i t a t i o n s 
p e r i o d o f R u l e 32. 
I n c i v i l c a s e s , a l t h o u g h a new 
r u l e o f l a w 
i s 
g e n e r a l l y 
a p p l i e d 
p r o s p e c t i v e l y 
o n l y , 
i t 
i s 
a p p l i e d 
r e t r o a c t i v e l y 
i n t h e 
c a s e 
i n w h i c h 
i t i s a d o p t e d . 
As 
we 
s t a t e d i n G r i f f i n v. U n o c a l C o r p . , 990 s o . 2d 2 9 1 , 293 ( A l a . 
2 0 0 8 ) , t h e p a r t y who 
p r e v a i l s 
i n b r i n g i n g a b o u t a c h a n g e i n 
t h e 
l a w 
s h o u l d be 
r e w a r d e d 
f o r h i s o r h e r 
e f f o r t s . 
E v e n 
t h o u g h 
Ward's 
a r g u m e n t 
f o r 
e q u i t a b l e 
t o l l i n g 
o f 
t h e 
l i m i t a t i o n s p e r i o d o f R u l e 3 2 . 2 ( c ) was n o t r a i s e d i n h i s R u l e 
32 p e t i t i o n , he a r g u e d f o r t h e new 
r u l e i n h i s a p p e a l t o t h e 
C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s and i n h i s c e r t i o r a r i 
p e t i t i o n 
t o 
t h i s C o u r t , t h u s b e n e f i t i n g p e t i t i o n e r s t o come a f t e r h i m . 
He 
s h o u l d c e r t a i n l y b e n e f i t as 
w e l l . 
F i n a l l y , 
t h i s i s a c a p i t a l c a s e where t h e c o n s e q u e n c e s o f 
e r r o r a r e t e r m i n a l .
2 
As we 
p o i n t e d o u t i n Ward I I I , we 
p a y 
2 I n 
Ward 
I I I , we 
d i d 
n o t 
l i m i t 
t h e 
a p p l i c a t i o n 
o f 
e q u i t a b l e 
t o l l i n g 
t o c a p i t a l 
c a s e s . 
We 
n o t e , h o w e v e r , 
t h a t 
s u c h an e x c e p t i o n t o t h e r u l e i s a v a i l a b l e i n any c a s e o n l y i n 
e x t r a o r d i n a r y c i r c u m s t a n c e s . 
11 
1070397 
p a r t i c u l a r 
a t t e n t i o n 
i n a 
c a p i t a l 
c a s e 
t o w h e t h e r 
r i g i d 
a p p l i c a t i o n 
o f a 
l i m i t a t i o n s 
p e r i o d 
w o u l d be 
u n f a i r and 
w h e t h e r 
t h e 
p e t i t i o n e r 
e x e r c i s e d 
r e a s o n a b l e 
d i l i g e n c e i n 
i n v e s t i g a t i n g and b r i n g i n g t h e c l a i m s . 
I n Ward's 
c a s e , t h e 
d u e - p r o c e s s 
g u a r a n t e e 
o f 
f u n d a m e n t a l 
f a i r n e s s 
o f 
t h e 
F o u r t e e n t h 
Amendment t o t h e U n i t e d 
S t a t e s 
C o n s t i t u t i o n i s 
i m p l i c a t e d 
i f we 
f a i l 
t o 
a l l o w 
Ward 
t h e b e n e f i t 
o f t h e 
d o c t r i n e o f e q u i t a b l e 
t o l l i n g t h a t was a d o p t e d as a r e s u l t o f 
h i s 
e f f o r t s 
s o l e l y b e c a u s e he d i d n o t i n c l u d e f a c t s o r 
l e g a l 
p r i n c i p l e s i n s u p p o r t o f t h e d o c t r i n e i n a p e t i t i o n 
f i l e d o v e r 
a y e a r and a h a l f b e f o r e 
t h i s C o u r t r e c o g n i z e d t h e d o c t r i n e i n 
a c a s e i n w h i c h he u r g e d i t s 
a d o p t i o n . 
I n l i g h t o f a l l t h e 
c i r c u m s t a n c e s 
p r e s e n t e d 
b y 
t h i s 
c a s e , we 
b e l i e v e 
t h a t 
Ward 
s h o u l d have an o p p o r t u n i t y t o p r e s e n t 
t o t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t h i s 
e v i d e n c e and a r g u m e n t s i n s u p p o r t o f t h e e q u i t a b l e 
t o l l i n g o f 
t h e 
l i m i t a t i o n s 
p e r i o d o f R u l e 3 2 . 2 ( c ) f o r c o n s i d e r a t i o n on 
t h e i r m e r i t s . 
The C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s e r r e d i n d e n y i n g 
h i m t h e b e n e f i t o f t h e n e w l y a d o p t e d r u l e when i t 
a f f i r m e d t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
summary 
d i s m i s s a l o f Ward's R u l e 32 
p e t i t i o n 
b a s e d on t h e t i m e b a r i n R u l e 
3 2 . 2 ( c ) . 
I I I . 
Ward's M o t i o n t o S u p p l e m e n t t h e S t a t e m e n t 
o f F a c t s and t h e R e c o r d 
12 
1070397 
Ward has 
f i l e d 
a m o t i o n 
t o s u p p l e m e n t 
t h e 
s t a t e m e n t 
o f 
f a c t s 
and 
t h e 
r e c o r d 
i n 
o r d e r 
t o 
b r i n g 
t o 
t h i s 
C o u r t ' s 
a t t e n t i o n on 
c e r t i o r a r i 
r e v i e w 
f a c t s t h a t were n o t 
p r e s e n t e d 
t o 
t h e 
C o u r t 
o f 
C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s 
i n 
h i s 
a p p l i c a t i o n 
f o r 
r e h e a r i n g 
and d o c u m e n t s t h a t a r e 
n o t 
i n c l u d e d i n t h e 
r e c o r d . 
Those 
f a c t s 
and 
d o c u m e n t s 
p r o v i d e 
e v i d e n t i a r y 
s u p p o r t 
f o r 
Ward's e q u i t a b l e - t o l l i n g a r g u m e n t , w h i c h s h o u l d 
be 
p r e s e n t e d 
t o t h e 
t r i a l c o u r t on remand. 
We 
t h e r e f o r e d e n y Ward's m o t i o n 
t o s u p p l e m e n t t h e 
f a c t s and 
t h e 
r e c o r d 
i n t h i s 
c a s e . 
I V . 
C o n c l u s i o n 
B e c a u s e we 
c o n c l u d e t h a t Ward s h o u l d have an 
o p p o r t u n i t y 
t o 
a s s e r t 
h i s 
c l a i m 
t h a t 
t h e 
d o c t r i n e 
o f 
e q u i t a b l e 
t o l l i n g 
s h o u l d 
be 
a p p l i e d t o t h e 
l i m i t a t i o n s 
p e r i o d 
o f R u l e 
3 2 . 2 ( c ) 
and h i s R u l e 32 p e t i t i o n c o n s i d e r e d 
on i t s m e r i t s , d e s p i t e 
t h e 
f a c t t h a t h i s e q u i t a b l e - t o l l i n g a r g u m e n t was 
n o t 
i n c l u d e d 
i n 
t h e R u l e 32 p e t i t i o n 
f i l e d on November 2, 2005, we 
r e v e r s e 
t h e 
j u d g m e n t o f t h e C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s and remand t h e 
c a s e 
f o r 
t h a t c o u r t , 
i n t u r n , t o remand i t t o t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
f o r 
an 
e v i d e n t i a r y 
h e a r i n g 
on 
t h e 
m e r i t s 
o f Ward's 
e q u i t a b l e -
t o l l i n g 
c l a i m 
and 
a 
d e t e r m i n a t i o n 
as 
t o 
w h e t h e r 
Ward 
i s 
e n t i t l e d 
t o 
f i l e 
an o u t - o f - t i m e 
R u l e 32 
p e t i t i o n . 
13 
1070397 
MOTION TO SUPPLEMENT DENIED; REVERSED AND REMANDED. 
W o o d a l l , 
S t u a r t , S m i t h , B o l i n , 
P a r k e r , and M u r d o c k , J J . , 
c o n c u r . 
Cobb, C . J . , and Shaw, J . , * 
r e c u s e 
t h e m s e l v e s . 
* J u s t i c e 
Shaw was a member 
o f t h e C o u r t 
o f 
C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s when t h a t c o u r t c o n s i d e r e d t h i s 
c a s e . 
14