Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_08-cv-00311/USCOURTS-casd-3_08-cv-00311-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 535
Nature of Suit: Habeas Corpus - Death Penalty
Cause of Action: 28:2254 Ptn for Writ of H/C - Stay of Execution

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- 1 - 08cv0311

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

TERRY DOUGLAS BEMORE,

Petitioner,

CASE NO. 08cv0311 LAB (LSP)

DEATH PENALTY CASE

ORDER STAYING EXECUTION

OF DEATH SENTENCE AND

SETTING DEADLINE FOR

OBJECTIONS TO COUNSEL;

DENYING REQUEST FOR NUNC

PRO TUNC FILING

vs.

ROBERT L. AYERS, JR., Warden of San

Quentin State Prison,

Respondent.

On February 15, 2008, Petitioner Terry Douglas Bemore filed a request for appointment of

counsel for federal habeas proceedings and for a stay of execution of his sentence. Pursuant to 18

U.S.C. § 3599, Petitioner’s request for appointment of counsel is GRANTED. Pursuant to Local

Rules HC.3(d)(1), the Court intends to appoint state habeas counsel Robert R. Bryan to represent

Petitioner in his federal habeas proceedings, unless an objection to Mr. Bryan’s appointment is filed

within the next thirty (30) days, on or before March 26, 2008. 

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, pursuant to Local Rules HC.3(g)(3), that the execution of

Petitioner’s sentence of death, and all court and other proceedings related to the execution of that

sentence, including preparation for execution and the setting of an execution date, are stayed for one

hundred and twenty (120) days to allow for preparation of the federal petition, up to and including

Friday, June 20, 2008 . 

Case 3:08-cv-00311-LAB-WVG Document 2 Filed 02/26/08 Page 1 of 2
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- 2 - 08cv0311

Petitioner additionally requests that this renewed request for federal counsel be deemed

effective, nunc pro tunc, as of October 17, 2007. Petitioner makes this request based on his previous

requests for appointment of federal habeas counsel made in 1998 and 2000, both of which were denied

without prejudice as premature. Petitioner argues that his prior requests became ripe when the

California Supreme Court denied his state habeas petition, but due to a state court clerical error, he was

not apprised of the denial until January 10, 2008.

The only reason this Court discerns for this request is to potentially toll the statute of

limitations for the filing of the federal petition under the AEDPA, which provides that state prisoners

generally must file any petition for federal post-conviction relief within one year of the date that the

state court judgment became final. See 28 U.S.C. § 2244(d)(1)(A). The one-year limitation period

under the AEDPA is tolled so long as “a properly filed application for State post-conviction or other

collateral review” is “pending.” 28 U.S.C. § 2244(d)(2). However, in Woodford v. Garceau, 538 U.S.

202, 207-10 (2003), the United States Supreme Court held that a request for appointment of counsel

did not create a “pending” habeas case on the merits. The Supreme Court held that a case is pending

only upon the filing of a habeas petition in federal court. See Garceau, 538 U.S. at 210. As of the

present date, the Court can discern no apparent prejudice to Petitioner as to timely filing a federal

petition under the statute of limitations set out under the AEDPA, and to the extent Petitioner’s request

is one for equitable tolling, it is DENIED WITHOUT PREJUDICE as premature .

The Clerk of the Court shall serve a certified copy of this order on Petitioner Terry Bemore;

Attorney Robert R. Bryan; Respondent, Robert L. Ayers, Jr., Warden of San Quentin Prison; the Clerk

of the San Diego County Superior Court; Garrett Beaumont, Deputy Attorney General of the State of

California; Office of the District Attorney of San Diego County; and Michael G. Millman, Executive

Director of the California Appellate Project, San Francisco.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: February 26, 2008

HONORABLE LARRY ALAN BURNS

United States District Judge

Case 3:08-cv-00311-LAB-WVG Document 2 Filed 02/26/08 Page 2 of 2