Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_01-cv-01373/USCOURTS-caed-2_01-cv-01373-12/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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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

THOMAS JOHN SMITHSON,

Petitioner, 2:01-cv-1373-GEB-DAD-P

vs.

DERRAL ADAMS, Warden, et al.,

Respondent. ORDER

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Petitioner, a state prisoner proceeding pro se, has timely filed a notice of appeal of

this court's January 14, 2008 denial of his application for a writ of habeas corpus. Before

petitioner can appeal this decision, a certificate of appealability must issue. 28 U.S.C. § 2253(c);

Fed. R. App. P. 22(b).

A certificate of appealability may issue under 28 U.S.C. § 2253 “only if the

applicant has made a substantial showing of the denial of a constitutional right.” 28 U.S.C.

§ 2253(c)(2). The certificate of appealability must “indicate which specific issue or issues

satisfy” the requirement. 28 U.S.C. § 2253(c)(3).

A certificate of appealability should be granted for any issue that petitioner can

demonstrate is “‘debatable among jurists of reason,’” could be resolved differently by a different

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Case 2:01-cv-01373-GEB-DAD Document 106 Filed 02/06/08 Page 1 of 2
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 Except for the requirement that appealable issues be specifically identified, the standard 1

for issuance of a certificate of appealability is the same as the standard that applied to issuance of

a certificate of probable cause. Jennings, at 1010.

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court, or is “‘adequate to deserve encouragement to proceed further.’” Jennings v. Woodford,

290 F.3d 1006, 1010 (9th Cir. 2002) (quoting Barefoot v. Estelle, 463 U.S. 880, 893 (1983)).

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Petitioner has made a substantial showing of the denial of a constitutional right in

the following issues presented in the instant petition: (1) whether petitioner was denied due

process of law when the trial court allowed the prosecution to introduce evidence that he had

suffered a prior conviction for burglary; (2) whether petitioner was denied the effective assistance

of trial counsel; and (3) whether petitioner was denied due process of law because the evidence

introduced at his trial was insufficient to support the attempted robbery and felony murder

convictions and the robbery special circumstance finding.

Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that a certificate of appealability is

issued in the present action.

Dated: February 5, 2008

 

GARLAND E. BURRELL, JR.

United States District Judge

Case 2:01-cv-01373-GEB-DAD Document 106 Filed 02/06/08 Page 2 of 2