Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_12-cv-00209/USCOURTS-casd-3_12-cv-00209-0/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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K:\COMMON\BATTAGLI\DJ CASES\2 Orders to be filed\Successive.wpd, 2112 -1- 12cv0209

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

TODD E. FLUETTE, Civil No. 12-0209 AJB (RBB)

Petitioner,

ORDER DISMISSING HABEAS

PETITION WITHOUT PREJUDICE 

AS SECOND OR SUCCESSIVE

vs.

MATTHEW CATE, Secretary

Respondent.

On January 24, 2012, Petitioner, a state prisoner proceeding pro se, filed a Petition for

Writ of Habeas Corpus pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254 and request for stay. In this action

Petitioner is seeks to challenge his August 31, 1992 San Diego Superior Court conviction for

conspiracy to commit murder and murder with special circumstances in case number CR129113.

(See Pet. at 6.) He also asks this Court to stay the petition while he pursues unexhausted claims

in state court. (Id. at 2.) 

PRIOR FEDERAL HABEAS PETITIONS DENIED ON THE MERITS

On December 6, 2002, Petitioner filed in this Court a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus

in SO. DIST.CA.CIVIL CASE NO. 02cv2401 H (JFS). (See Petition in SO. DIST. CA. CIVIL CASE

NO. 02cv2401 H (JFS), filed 12/6/02.) In that petition, Petitioner challenged his August 1992

conviction and sentence in San Diego Superior Court case No. CR129113. On September 9,

2003, this Court dismissed the petition because it had been filed well after the expiration of the

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one-year statute of limitations. (See Order filed 9/9/03 in SO. DIST. CA. CIVIL CASE NO.

02cv2401 H (JFS) [Doc. No. 13].) Petitioner appealed that determination. On April 8, 2004,

the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals denied Petitioner’s request for a Certificate of Appealability.

(See Order in Fluette v. Giurbino, No. 03-56880 (9th Cir. April 8, 2004) [Doc. No. 18].) 

INSTANT PETITION BARRED BY GATEKEEPER PROVISION

Petitioner is now seeking to challenge the same conviction he challenged in his prior

federal habeas petition. 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); Murray v. Greiner, 394

F.3d 78 (2d Cir. 2005) (holding that dismissal for failure to comply with one-year statute of

limitations renders subsequent petitions challenging the same conviction or sentence “second

or successive” under 2244(b)); Reyes v. Vaughn, 276 F.Supp.2d 1027, 1029 (C. D. Cal. 2003)

(same). Here, there is no indication the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has granted Petitioner

leave to file a successive petition.

CONCLUSION

Because there is no indication Petitioner has 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 Appeals. Petitioner

request for a stay is DENIED as moot. (Attached for Petitioner’s convenience is a blank Ninth

Circuit Application for Leave to File Second or Successive Petition.)

The Clerk shall close the file.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: February 1, 2012

Hon. Anthony J. Battaglia

U.S. District Judge

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Copies to: ALL PARTIES

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