Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_12-cv-01440/USCOURTS-azd-2_12-cv-01440-1/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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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Carl Ray Lockwood, 

Petitioner, 

vs.

Charles Ryan, et al., 

Respondents. 

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No. CV-12-01440-PHX-ROS

ORDER

On July 3, 2012, Petitioner Carl Ray Lockwood filed a petition for writ of habeas

corpus. (Doc. 1). On December 3, 2012, Magistrate Judge Michelle H. Burns issued a

Report and Recommendation (“R&R”) recommending the petition be denied as untimely.

Petitioner filed objections to the R&R. (Doc. 17).

A district judge “may accept, reject, or modify, in whole or in part, the findings or

recommendations made by the magistrate judge.” 28 U.S.C. § 636(b). Where any party has

filed timely objections to the magistrate judge’s report and recommendations, the district

court’s review of the part objected to is to be de novo. Id. Generally, objections must be

specific. Fed. R. Civ. P. 72(b)(2). And “general, non-specific objections” are not sufficient

to require the District Court “conduct de novo review of the entire R & R.” Sullivan v.

Schriro, 2006 WL 1516005 (D. Ariz.). 

A “petition for writ of habeas corpus ordinarily must be filed within one year after the

state court judgment becomes final by the conclusion of direct review or the expiration of the

Case 2:12-cv-01440-ROS Document 18 Filed 01/31/13 Page 1 of 3
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time to seek direct review.” Porter v. Ollison, 620 F.3d 952, 958 (9th Cir. 2010). This oneyear clock is subject to statutory and equitable tolling. Wood v. Milyard, 132 S. Ct. 1826,

1831 (2012). As explained in the R&R, Petitioner’s conviction became final on August 24,

2002. Thus, Petitioner should have filed his petition no later than August 25, 2003. Absent

statutory or equitable tolling, the petition is well outside the permissible time frame.

The application of statutory tolling is straightforward. Petitioner did not have any

form of request for post-conviction relief pending in state court between August 2002 and

November 2005. Petitioner’s filings in state court after the one-year period expired cannot

revive the federal limitations period. Accordingly, there is no basis for statutory tolling in

this case.

Equitable tolling is appropriate when a petitioner can show “extraordinary

circumstances were the cause of an untimely filing.” Ford v. Gonzalez, 683 F.3d 1230, 1237

(9th Cir. 2012). In an attempt to establish equitable tolling, Petitioner argues he had limited

legal resources and lacked representation. Such circumstances are not sufficient to justify

equitable tolling. See, e.g., Raspberry v. Garcia, 448 F.3d 1150, 1154 (9th Cir. 2006) (lack

of legal sophistication is not sufficient to warrant equitable tolling).

Finally, the Court notes that even if it were to reach the merits of Petitioner’s claim,

he would not be entitled to relief. The sole basis on which Petitioner seeks relief is that a

sentence of lifetime probation constitutes cruel and unusual punishment. The United States

Supreme Court has established “gross disproportionality ” as the relevant determination when

assessing inappropriate sentencing claims. Lockyer v. Andrade, 538 U.S. 63, 72 (2003).

Imposing a sentence of lifetime probation for an individual who pled guilty to sexual conduct

with a minor and attempted sexual conduct with a minor was not grossly disproportionate.

Accordingly,

IT IS ORDERED the Report and Recommendation (Doc. 14) is ADOPTED. The

petition for a writ of habeas corpus is DENIED. The Clerk shall enter judgment accordingly.

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IT IS FURTHER ORDERED a Certificate of Appealability is DENIED. Dismissal

of the petition is justified by a plain procedural bar and jurists of reason would not find the

ruling debatable.

DATED this 30th day of January, 2013.

Case 2:12-cv-01440-ROS Document 18 Filed 01/31/13 Page 3 of 3