Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-5_03-cv-04994/USCOURTS-cand-5_03-cv-04994-1/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

For the Northern District of California

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SAN JOSE DIVISION

ALLEN RAY ADAMS II,

Petitioner,

 v.

ROY CASTRO,

Respondent.

 /

NO. C 03-04994 JW 

CERTIFICATE OF

APPEALABILITY

Petitioner Allen Ray Adams II (“Petitioner”) filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus in this Court

on November 10, 2003 contesting a Humboldt County jury verdict, which resulted in a conviction of (1)

one count of first degree murder with a deadly weapon; (2) assault with a deadly weapon, with the intent to

commit great bodily harm; and (3) simple assault. Petitioner was acquitted of attempted first degree murder. 

The First Appellate District of the California Court of Appeal affirmed the conviction and the California

Supreme Court denied review. 

Thereafter, Petitioner initiated the instant action pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254. Petitioner raised

numerous constitutional issues, inter alia, his right to due process and equal protection, his right to effective

assistance of counsel and effective expert witness, and his right to present a defense and to have trial by

jury. (See Pet. for Writ of Habeas Corpus.) After examining the record and the papers submitted by the

parties in support of their respective positions, the Court denied the petition by order dated November 30,

2005. On December 29, 2005, Petitioner filed a notice of appeal. 

Case 5:03-cv-04994-JW Document 91 Filed 01/04/06 Page 1 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2253, an appeal may not be taken unless a judge issues a certificate of

appealability. A petitioner is entitled to a certificate of appealability whenever there is “a substantial

showing of the denial of a constitutional right.” 28 U.S.C. §2253(c)(2). This is satisfied by a showing “that

jurists of reason could disagree with the district court’s resolution of his constitutional claims or that jurists

could conclude the issues presented are adequate to deserve encouragement to proceed further.” Miller-El

v. Cockrell, 537 U.S. 322, 327 (2003). 

Applying the standard set forth above, the Court certifies the appealability of the following claims

and issues because they “deserve encouragement to proceed further”: claim two– failure to introduce

exculpatory evidence of intoxication; claim three–ineffective assistance in calling an expert witness who had

been previously arrested for cocaine possession; and claim five – numerous instances of counsel’s

ineffectiveness. The request for a certificate of appealability is denied in all other respects. 

Dated: January 3, 2006

03cv4994coa

/s/James Ware 

JAMES WARE

United States District Judge

Case 5:03-cv-04994-JW Document 91 Filed 01/04/06 Page 2 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT COPIES OF THIS ORDER HAVE BEEN DELIVERED TO:

John R. Grele jgrele@earthlink.net

Morris Beatus morris.beatus@doj.ca.gov

Peggy S. Ruffra peggy.ruffra@doj.ca.gov

Dated: January 4, 2006 Richard W. Wieking, Clerk

By: /s/JW Chambers 

Melissa Peralta

Courtroom Deputy

Case 5:03-cv-04994-JW Document 91 Filed 01/04/06 Page 3 of 3