Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_01-cv-02525/USCOURTS-azd-2_01-cv-02525-2/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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WO

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Dean Joseph Woodburn, )

)

 Petitioner, )

) 

v. ) CV 01-2525 PHX NVW (VAM)

)

Dora Schriro, et al., ) ORDER

)

 Respondents. )

Pending before the Court is petitioner's "MOTION TO REQUEST

FUNDS FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION." (Doc. 80).

In support of his motion, petitioner states he is indigent

and that his assigned counsel is CJA appointed. He anticipates

the cost of a psychological evaluation will exceed $300.00. 

Petitioner notes the Court ordered an evidentiary hearing in this

matter to determine his mental competence and contends "he needs

to hire a psychologist to travel to the Arizona State Prison -

Lewis and conduct a psychological evaluation." He further notes

that "[t]he psychologist who previously provided letters in this

case cannot be located." (Doc. 80 at p. 1).

18 U.S.C. § 3006A(e) provides:

(1) Upon request. - Counsel for a person who is

financially unable to obtain investigative, expert, or

other services necessary for adequate representation

may request them in an ex parte application. Upon

finding, after appropriate inquiry in an ex parte

proceeding, that the services are necessary and that

Case 2:01-cv-02525-NVW Document 85 Filed 08/25/06 Page 1 of 2
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the person is financially unable to obtain them the

court, or the United States magistrate judge if the

services are required in connection with a matter over

which [she] has jurisdiction, shall authorize counsel

to obtain the services. (Emphasis added). 

In Bonin v. Calderon, 59 F.3d 815 (9th Cir. 1995), cert. denied,

516 U.S. 1051 (1996), rehearing denied, 516 U.S. 1142 (1996), the

court held that "'[t]he decision to grant or deny a request for

investigative services under § 3006A(e) is committed to the

discretion of the trial court, and will be overturned on appeal

only for an abuse of discretion.'" Bonin, 59 F.3d at 837.

In the Court's order granting an evidentiary hearing, the

Court confined the issues to be determined to petitioner's mental

competency during the period the statute of limitations ran

(December, 2000 - December, 2001), and his mental competency at

the time he pleaded guilty in 1998. Assuming petitioner is

indigent, he has failed to demonstrate that a psychological

evaluation now will provide information relevant, let alone

necessary, to the issue of his mental competency in 1998 or 2000-

2001. 

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that petitioner's "MOTION TO REQUEST

FUNDS FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION" (Doc. 80) is denied. 

 DATED this 25th day of August, 2006.

Case 2:01-cv-02525-NVW Document 85 Filed 08/25/06 Page 2 of 2