Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_16-cv-00402/USCOURTS-casd-3_16-cv-00402-0/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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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JOHNNY LEE NORTON, Civil

No.

16cv0402-GPC (PCL)

Petitioner,

SUMMARY DISMISSAL OF

SUCCESSIVE PETITION

PURSUANT TO 28 U.S.C.

§ 2244(b)(3)(A) GATEKEEPER

PROVISION

vs.

GASTELO, Warden,

Respondent.

Petitioner, Johnny Lee Norton, a state prisoner proceeding pro se, has filed a

Petition for a Writ of Habeas Corpus pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254, challenging his

sentence arising fromhis conviction in San Diego Superior Court Case No. SCD211717. 

(See Pet. at 1.)

PETITION BARRED BY GATEKEEPER PROVISION

The instant Petition is not the first Petition for a Writ of Habeas Corpus Petitioner

has submitted to this Court challenging his conviction in San Diego Superior Court Case

No. SCD211717. On October 29, 2012, Petitioner filed in this Court a Petition for a

Writ of Habeas Corpus in Southern District of California Case No. 12cv2634-CAB

(RBB). In that petition, Petitioner challenged his conviction in San Diego Superior

Court Case No. SCD211717 as well. (See Petition [ECF No. 1] at 1, in Southern District

of California Civil Case No. 12cv2634-CAB (RBB).) On July 7, 2015, this Court denied

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the petition on the merits and denied a Certificate of Appealability. (See Order filed July

7, 2015 [ECF No. 29] in Southern District of California Case No. 12cv2634-CAB

(RBB).) Petitioner’s appeal of that determination remains pending in the Ninth Circuit

Court of Appeals. (See Copy of Appellate Court Order [ECF No. 32] in Southern

District of California Case No. 12cv2634-CAB (RBB).) 

Petitioner is now seeking to challenge the sentence which wasimposed as a result

of the conviction he challenged in his prior federal habeas petition, claiming that the

application of California’s Three Strikes law violated his federal Constitutional rights. 

(Pet. at 7-9.) Unless a petitioner shows he or she has obtained an order from the

appropriate court of appeals authorizing the district court to consider a successive

petition, the petition may not be filed in the district court. See 28 U.S.C.

§ 2244(b)(3)(A). Petitioner does not indicate that he has received permission from the

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to file a second or successive petition. (Pet. at 5.) 

Rather, he appears to contend that because his previous petition challenged only his

conviction and not his sentence, and he is now merely challenging his sentence, his

petition is not second or successive. (Id.) However, because Petitioner “could have

raised his claim in his first petition,” the instant petition issecond orsuccessive. Cooper

v. Calderon, 274 F.3d 1270, 1273 (9th Cir. 2001).

CONCLUSION

Because Petitioner has not obtained permission from the Ninth Circuit Court of

Appeals to file a successive petition, this Court cannot consider his Petition. 

Accordingly, the Court DISMISSES this action without prejudice to Petitioner filing a

petition in this court if he obtains the necessary order from the Ninth Circuit Court of 

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Appeals. The Clerk of Court is directed to send Petitioner a blank Ninth Circuit

Application for Leave to File Second or Successive Petition.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: February 23, 2016

HON. GONZALO P. CURIEL

United States District Judge

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