Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_03-cv-03232/USCOURTS-cand-3_03-cv-03232-0/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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 This disposition is not designated for publication and may not be cited.

Case No. C 03-03232 JF (PR)

ORDER RE REQUEST TO STRIKE TRAVERSE AND HOLD AMENDED PETITION IN ABEYANCE 

(JFLC1)

**E-Filed 12/12/05**

NOT FOR CITATION

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SAN JOSE DIVISION

KENNETH LONGACRE,

 Petitioner,

 v.

GAIL LEWIS, Warden, Pleasant Valley State

Prison,

 Respondent.

Case Number C 03-03232 JF (PR)

ORDER1 RE REQUEST TO STRIKE

TRAVERSE AND HOLD AMENDED

PETITION IN ABEYANCE 

[Docket No. 64]

Petitioner Kenneth Longacre filed the instant habeas corpus petition on July 11, 2003. 

On May 20, 2004, Respondent Gail Lewis, Warden of Pleasant Valley State Prison, filed a

motion to dismiss, alleging that some of Petitioner’s claims had not been exhausted in state court. 

On September 24, 2004, Petitioner, with the assistance of prior counsel, filed an opposition to the

motion to dismiss. On October 29, 2004, this Court issued an order granting Respondent’s

motion to dismiss and advising Petitioner of his options with respect to future proceedings in this

Case 3:03-cv-03232-RS Document 68 Filed 12/12/05 Page 1 of 5
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Case No. C 03-03232 JF (PR)

ORDER RE REQUEST TO STRIKE TRAVERSE AND HOLD AMENDED PETITION IN ABEYANCE 

(JFLC1)

case. This order advised Petitioner that he could choose for the Court to: (1) dismiss the action

without prejudice for failure to exhaust administrative remedies, (2) dismiss the petition with

leave to file an amended petition containing only exhausted claims, and proceed immediately on

such a petition once it was filed, or (3) dismiss the petition with leave to file an amended petition

containing only exhausted claims, but stay such petition and hold it in abeyance pending

Petitioner’s exhaustion of his remaining claims. On November 23, 2004, Petitioner’s prior

counsel filed an amended petition and an “election of option,” abandoning the unexhausted

claims. On February 3, 2005, Petitioner filed an answer to the amended petition.

On March 21, 2005, Petitioner filed a motion for leave to substitute counsel on the

ground that there had been a breakdown in trust and communication between himself and

Valencia and requested a stay of litigation. Petitioner has filed a declaration, in support of the

instant request, in which he alleges that his prior counsel, Robert Valencia (“Valencia”), “talked

to me by telephone once in the entire time I had sought post-conviction relief with him (about 4

years).” Longacre Decl. ¶ 3 (emphasis in original). Petitioner claims that, at the time the

amended petition was filed, “I did not understand I was likely forever abandoning any issue until

after the final decision was made by my attorney to do so. Indeed I was told I could return to

state court at any time by Mr. Valencia, with no mention of time constraints or the prohibition on

second or subsequent petitions in federal court.” Id. at ¶ 5. Petitioner also stated that he sent a

copy of this motion to Valencia, and that if he had known he could have fired Valencia without

the Court’s permission he would have done so at the time. Id. at ¶¶ 9-11. 

On April 6, 2005, Valencia filed a traverse, which Petitioner alleges was done without his

knowledge or consent. Petitioner claimed that “Mr. Valencia was well aware I did not want him

to proceed further.” Id. at ¶ 9. On April 19, 2005, this Court issued an order requesting response

from Petitioner's counsel regarding Petitioner's motion and request for leave of Court to

substitute retained counsel. On May 2, 2005, Valencia responded to Petitioner’s motion and

joined in the request to substitute retained counsel. On June 7, 2005, this Court issued an order

granting Petitioner’s request for substitution of counsel and denying Petitioner’s request for stay. 

The Court denied the stay because as of April 6, 2005, when Petitioner’s traverse was filed, the

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Case No. C 03-03232 JF (PR)

ORDER RE REQUEST TO STRIKE TRAVERSE AND HOLD AMENDED PETITION IN ABEYANCE 

(JFLC1)

matter had been fully briefed and taken under submission.

On October 19, 2005, with the assistance of new counsel, Petitioner filed the instant

request, asking the Court to strike Petitioner’s traverse and hold the amended petition in

abeyance pending return to state court to exhaust unexhausted issues. Petitioner argues he was

prejudiced by the Court’s acceptance of the traverse during the time his motion for leave to

substitute counsel was pending. On November 7, 2005, Respondent filed opposition to this

request. Respondent argues that Petitioner has not shown good cause to allow him to exhaust his

claims. Rhines v. Weber, 125 S.Ct. 1528, 1535 (2005) (“[S]tay and abeyance is only appropriate

when the district court determines there was good cause for the petitioner's failure to exhaust his

claims first in state court.”). Respondent contends that the operative event was Petitioner’s

voluntarily election to abandon the unexhausted crimes, and not the filing of the traverse.

Respondent argues that there is no factual basis for granting Petitioner’s request, pointing

out that Petitioner has not filed a declaration from Valencia. In addition, Respondent argues that,

although Petitioner claims that Valencia filed the traverse without his knowledge or permission,

his declaration does not expressly state this. However, Petitioner’s declaration does state: “Mr.

Valencia was well aware I did not want him to proceed further.” Longacre Decl. ¶ 9. 

Respondent also argues that Petitioner has not pursued the instant request with diligence,

noting that the Court granted Petitioner’s motion to discharge Valencia on June 7, 2005 and

present counsel filed his substitution of appearance and request to strike the traverse on October

19, 2005. As Petitioner details in his reply, this gap of four months does not indicate that

Petitioner and his present counsel have not pursued this request diligently. The Court recognizes

the delays inherent in representing prison inmates.

The Court is not prepared to resolve this matter without a declaration from Valencia

explaining why he decided to abandon the unexhausted claims. Accordingly, this Court will

order Valencia to submit such a declaration within 21 days of service of this order.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

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Case No. C 03-03232 JF (PR)

ORDER RE REQUEST TO STRIKE TRAVERSE AND HOLD AMENDED PETITION IN ABEYANCE 

(JFLC1)

DATED: December 12, 2005

/s/ electronic signature authorized 

JEREMY FOGEL

United States District Judge

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Case No. C 03-03232 JF (PR)

ORDER RE REQUEST TO STRIKE TRAVERSE AND HOLD AMENDED PETITION IN ABEYANCE 

(JFLC1)

This Order has been served upon the following persons:

Glenn R. Pruden glenn.pruden@doj.ca.gov, DocketingSFAWT@doj.ca.gov

John R. Vance, Jr. john.vance@doj.ca.gov, DocketingSFAWT@doj.ca.gov;

josephine.espinosa@doj.ca.gov; ecfcoordinator@doj.ca.gov

Robert Earl McCann

Sanders & Associates

3960 Industrial Blvd

Suite 100

West Sacramento, CA 95691

Robert Valencia

Valencia & Wong

2161 Shattuck Avenue

Suite 301-302

Berkeley, Ca 94704

Case 3:03-cv-03232-RS Document 68 Filed 12/12/05 Page 5 of 5