Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_07-cv-04329/USCOURTS-cand-3_07-cv-04329-0/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 NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

DAVID MONTIEL CRUZ, 

Petitioner,

 vs.

RICHARD SUBIO, Warden, 

Respondent.

 

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No. C 07-4329 JSW (PR)

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE

(Docket No. 2)

INTRODUCTION

Petitioner, a prisoner of the State of California, currently incarcerated at Mule

Creek State Prison in Ione, California, filed a habeas corpus petition pursuant to 28 U.S.C.

§ 2254 challenging the constitutional validity of his state conviction. Petitioner has also

filed a motion to proceed in forma pauperis, which is now GRANTED (docket no. 2). 

This order directs Respondent to show cause why the petition should not be granted.

BACKGROUND

According to the petition, Petitioner was sentenced to 102 years-to-life in state

prison after a jury trial in Santa Clara County Superior Court for conviction on charges of

burglary, sexual and felony assault and kidnapping as well as prior conviction allegations. 

Petitioner appealed his conviction to California Court of Appeal. Petitioner also filed a

petition for review in the Supreme Court of California, which was denied in 2007. The

instant federal habeas petition was filed on August 22, 2007. 

Case 3:07-cv-04329-JSW Document 3 Filed 01/08/08 Page 1 of 4
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DISCUSSION

I Standard of Review

This court may entertain a petition for a writ of habeas corpus “in behalf of a person

in custody pursuant to the judgment of a State court only on the ground that he is in

custody in violation of the Constitution or laws or treaties of the United States.” 28 U.S.C.

§ 2254(a). 

It shall “award the writ or issue an order directing the respondent to show cause

why the writ should not be granted, unless it appears from the application that the applicant

or person detained is not entitled thereto.” Id. § 2243. 

II Legal Claims

The petition raises the following ground for relief: 1) the trial court’s jury

instructions on competency violated Petitioner’s constitutional rights; 2) the court erred in

admitting Petitioner’s statement, which was involuntary and violated Petitioner’s rights

under Miranda v. Arizona; 3) prosecutorial misconduct; 4) the trial court’s instructions on

proving absence of duress violated Petitioner’s rights; 5) the trial court’s instructions on

the defense of idiocy violated Petitioner’s rights; 6) cumulative error; 7) the trial court’s

instructions on insanity violated Petitioner’s rights; 8) the court’s application of a

sentencing enhancement for aggravated kidnapping violated Petitioner’s rights; and 9) the

trial court’s imposition of a 25 years-to-life enhancement violated Petitioner’s equal

protection rights. Liberally construed, it does not appear from the face of the petition that

Petitioner is not entitled to relief on his claims. Accordingly, Respondent is ordered to

respond to the petition as set forth below.

CONCLUSION 

For the foregoing reasons and for good cause shown,

1. The Clerk shall serve by certified mail a copy of this order and the petition, and

all attachments thereto, on Respondent and Respondent's attorney, the Attorney General of

the State of California. The Clerk also shall serve a copy of this order on Petitioner. 

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2. Respondent shall file with the Court and serve on Petitioner, within sixty (60)

days of the issuance of this order, an answer conforming in all respects to Rule 5 of the

Rules Governing Section 2254 Cases, showing cause why a writ of habeas corpus should

not be granted. Respondent shall file with the answer and serve on Petitioner a copy of all

portions of the state trial record that have been transcribed previously and that are relevant

to a determination of the issues presented by the petition. If Petitioner wishes to respond

to the answer, he shall do so by filing a traverse with the Court and serving it on

Respondent within thirty (30) days of his receipt of the answer.

3. Respondent may file a motion to dismiss on procedural grounds in lieu of an

answer, as set forth in the Advisory Committee Notes to Rule 4 of the Rules Governing

Section 2254 Cases. If Respondent files such a motion, Petitioner shall file with the Court

and serve on Respondent an opposition or statement of non-opposition within thirty (30)

days of receipt of the motion, and Respondent shall file with the Court and serve on

Petitioner a reply within fifteen (15) days of receipt of any opposition.

4. It is Petitioner’s responsibility to prosecute this case. Petitioner must keep 

the Court informed of any change of address by filing a separate paper captioned “Notice

of Change of Address.” He must comply with the Court’s orders in a timely fashion. 

Failure to do so may result in the dismissal of this action for failure to prosecute pursuant

to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 41(b)

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: January 8, 2008 JEFFREY S. WHITE

United States District Judge

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

DAVID MONTIEL CRUZ,

Plaintiff,

 v.

SECY AND WARDENS CDCR et al,

Defendant. /

Case Number: CV07-04329 JSW 

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I, the undersigned, hereby certify that I am an employee in the Office of the Clerk, U.S. District

Court, Northern District of California.

That on January 8, 2008, I SERVED a true and correct copy(ies) of the attached, by placing said

copy(ies) in a postage paid envelope addressed to the person(s) hereinafter listed, by depositing

said envelope in the U.S. Mail, or by placing said copy(ies) into an inter-office delivery

receptacle located in the Clerk's office.

David Montiel Cruz

V65475

Mule Creek State Prison

P.O. Box 409099

Ione, CA 95640

Dated: January 8, 2008

Richard W. Wieking, Clerk

By: Jennifer Ottolini, Deputy Clerk

Case 3:07-cv-04329-JSW Document 3 Filed 01/08/08 Page 4 of 4