Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-5_06-cv-02286/USCOURTS-cand-5_06-cv-02286-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 530
Nature of Suit: Prisoner Petitions - Habeas Corpus
Cause of Action: 28:2254 Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus (State)

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Order to Show Cause

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NOT FOR CITATION

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

NORMAN BROWN,

Petitioner,

 vs.

A.K. SCRIBNER, Associate Warden,

Respondent. 

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No. C 06-2286 JF (PR)

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE

Petitioner, a state prisoner proceeding pro se, filed a petition for a writ of habeas 

corpus pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254. Petitioner has paid the filing fee. The Court orders

Respondent to show cause as to why the petition should not be granted. 

STATEMENT

An Alameda Superior Court jury convicted Petitioner of kidnapping to commit

rape and assault to commit rape with the personal use of a weapon. On August 20, 2004,

Petitioner was sentenced to state prison. Petitioner is currently serving his sentence at

Corcoran State Prison. Petitioner appealed his conviction. The state appellate court

affirmed the judgment in 2005. The state supreme court denied a petition for review in

2005. The instant federal habeas petition was filed on March 30, 2006. 

**Original filed 9/30/06**

Case 5:06-cv-02286-JF Document 4 Filed 10/02/06 Page 1 of 4
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Order to Show Cause

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DISCUSSION

A. Standard of Review

A district court may entertain a petition for writ of habeas corpus “in behalf of a

person in custody pursuant to the judgment of a State court only on the ground that he is

in custody in violation of the Constitution or laws or treaties of the United States.” 28

U.S.C. § 2254(a); Rose v. Hodges, 423 U.S. 19, 21 (1975). 

A district court shall “award the writ or issue an order directing the respondent to

show cause why the writ should not be granted, unless it appears from the application that

the applicant or person detained is not entitled thereto.” 28 U.S.C. § 2243. 

B. Petitioner’s Claims

Petitioner alleges the following claims for federal habeas relief: (1) his conviction

for kidnapping with intent to commit rape must be reversed because the court’s

instructions during deliberations on that offense violated his constitutional right to due

process and to be tried by twelve impartial jurors; (2) the kidnapping to commit rape

charge in count one violated his federal and state constitutional right to due process and

must be reversed because the evidence was insufficient to sustain the conviction; (3) the

admission of evidence of a 1999 assault incident under [California Evidence Code]

sections 1108, 1101(b) with testimony of the complaining witness violated his

constitutional right to confrontation and to a fair trial and requires reversal of his

conviction; and (4) the trial court’s exclusion of evidence of the extensive criminal record

of the complaining witness in the 1999 assault incident violated his constitutional right

and requires reversal. Liberally construed, Petitioner’s claims are sufficient to require a

response. The Court orders Respondent to show cause why the petition should not be

granted.

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Case 5:06-cv-02286-JF Document 4 Filed 10/02/06 Page 2 of 4
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Order to Show Cause

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CONCLUSION 

1. The Clerk shall serve by mail a copy of this order and the petition and all 

attachments thereto upon Respondent and Respondent’s attorney, the Attorney General of

the State of California. The Clerk shall also serve a copy of this order on the Petitioner. 

2. Respondent shall file with the Court and serve on Petitioner, within sixty

days of the issuance of this order, an answer conforming in all respects to Rule 5 of the

Rules Governing Section 2254 Cases, showing cause why a writ of habeas corpus should

not be granted. Respondent shall file with the answer and serve on Petitioner a copy of

all portions of the state trial record that have been transcribed previously and that are

relevant to a determination of the issues presented by the petition. 

If Petitioner wishes to respond to the answer, he shall do so by filing a traverse

with the Court and serving a copy on Respondent within thirty days of his receipt of the

answer.

3. Respondent may file a motion to dismiss on procedural grounds in lieu of

an answer, as set forth in the Advisory Committee Notes to Rule 4 of the Rules

Governing Section 2254 Cases. If Respondent files such a motion, Petitioner shall file

with the court and serve on Respondent an opposition or statement of non-opposition

within thirty days of receipt of the motion, and Respondent shall file with the Court and

serve on Petitioner a reply within fifteen days of receipt of any opposition.

4. It is Petitioner’s responsibility to prosecute this case. Petitioner must keep 

the Court and all parties informed of any change of address by filing a separate paper

captioned “Notice of Change of Address.” He must comply with the Court’s orders in a

timely fashion. Failure to do so may result in the dismissal of this action for failure to

prosecute pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 41(b). 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: 

JEREMY FOGEL

United States District Judge

9/30/06

Case 5:06-cv-02286-JF Document 4 Filed 10/02/06 Page 3 of 4
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Order to Show Cause

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A copy of this order was mailed to the following:

Norman Brown

V-52342

Corcoran State Prison

P.O. Box 3466

Corcoran, CA 93212

California State Attorney General’s Office

455 Golden Gate Avenue

Suite 11000

San Francisco, CA 94102-7004

Case 5:06-cv-02286-JF Document 4 Filed 10/02/06 Page 4 of 4