Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_03-cv-01141/USCOURTS-caed-2_03-cv-01141-7/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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ORDER GRANTING PETITIONER’S

REQUEST FOR CERTIFICATE OF APPEALABILITY - 1

2:03-CV-1141-RRB-JFM P

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

No. 2:03-CV-1141 RRB JFM P

ORDER GRANTING PETITIONER’S

REQUEST FOR CERTIFICATE OF

APPEALABILITY

I. INTRODUCTION

Before the Court is Petitioner Christopher Hargrove

(“Petitioner”) with a notice of appeal and a request for

certificate of appealability. Inasmuch as Petitioner has presented

questions that reasonable jurists (may) find debatable, and

inasmuch as any doubt is resolved in Petitioner's favor,

Petitioner’s Request for Certificate of Appealability at Docket 46

is hereby GRANTED.

AARON CHRISTOPHER HARGROVE,

Petitioner,

vs.

C.K. PLILER, Warden,

California State Prison,

Sacramento

Respondent.

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1 Stewart v. Woodford, 2007 WL 1840080, *1 (N.D. Cal.

2007)(quoting Lambright v. Stewart, 220 F.3d 1022, 1025 (9th Cir.

2000)).

2 Id. (quoting Miller-El v. Cockrell, 537 U.S. 322, 338

(2003))(emphasis added).

ORDER GRANTING PETITIONER’S

REQUEST FOR CERTIFICATE OF APPEALABILITY - 2

2:03-CV-1141-RRB-JFM P

II. STANDARD OF REVIEW

Pursuant to Fed. R. App. P. 22(b)(1), Petitioner “cannot

take an appeal unless a circuit justice or a circuit or a district

judge issues a certificate of appealability under 28 U.S.C.

§ 2253(c).” 28 U.S.C. § 2253(c) provides: a district court may

grant a certificate of appealability “only if the applicant has

made a substantial showing of the denial of a constitutional

right.”

Such a showing is made if the petitioner

demonstrates “that the issues are debatable

among jurists of reason; that a court could

resolve the issues in a different manner; or

that the questions are adequate to deserve

encouragement to proceed further.” Any doubt

is resolved in the petitioner's favor.1

Indeed, “[t]he petitioner must demonstrate that reasonable jurists

would find the district court's assessment of the constitutional

claims debatable or wrong.”2

III. CONCLUSION

Given this standard, and because the Court recognizes

that its assessment of Petitioner’s constitutional claims are

Case 2:03-cv-01141-RRB-JFM Document 50 Filed 03/03/08 Page 2 of 4
3 These are the only issues for which Petitioner has sought

a certificate.

ORDER GRANTING PETITIONER’S

REQUEST FOR CERTIFICATE OF APPEALABILITY - 3

2:03-CV-1141-RRB-JFM P

and/or may be debatable among jurists, the Court certifies the

following issues for appeal:

1. Whether the trial court erred in denying Petitioner’s

claim that the prosecution exercised its peremptory challenges to

three prospective jurors in violation of the principles of Batson

v. Kentucky, 476 U.S. 79 (1986);

2. Whether the trial court erred in denying Petitioner’s

claim that he was denied due process of law and his right to

present a defense by the trial court’s instructions to the jury

concerning the doctrine of claim of right as a defense to robbery;

3. Whether the trial court erred in denying Petitioner’s

claim that he was denied due process of law to present a defense by

the court’s instructions to the jury concerning aider and abettor

liability and the doctrine of natural and probable consequences;

and

4. Whether the trial court erred in denying Petitioner’s

claim that he was denied his right to due process of law and trial

by a jury when the California Court of Appeal relied on its own

assessment of the credibility of witness Samuel Grim and the weight

to be accorded to his testimony as a basis for affirming

Petitioner’s convictions.3

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ORDER GRANTING PETITIONER’S

REQUEST FOR CERTIFICATE OF APPEALABILITY - 4

2:03-CV-1141-RRB-JFM P

As a result of the Court’s decision contained herein, the

Clerk of the Court shall transmit the file, including a copy of

this order, to the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

ENTERED this 29th day of February, 2008.

S/RALPH R. BEISTLINE

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

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