Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-4_05-cv-00052/USCOURTS-azd-4_05-cv-00052-1/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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On April 30, 2008, the Court granted Petitioner leave to amend and supplement the

present Petition, setting forth a briefing schedule and thereby dismissing CV 07-646 TUCFRZ.

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Steven L. Sapp, 

Petitioner, 

vs.

Charles Ryan, et al., 

Respondents. 

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No. CV 05-052-TUC-FRZ

 ORDER

Before the Court for consideration is the Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus pursuant

to 28 U.S.C. § 2254 filed by Petitioner Steven L. Sapp in this action and the Report and

Recommendation of the Magistrate Judge, recommending the dismissal of the Petition.

This matter was referred to Magistrate Judge D. Thomas Ferraro pursuant to Rules

72.1 and 72.2 of the Local Rules of Civil Procedure for further proceedings and report and

recommendation.

Magistrate Judge Ferraro issued his Report and Recommendation, recommending that

the Court enter an order denying the Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus and dismissing this

action in its entirely based on its finding that Claims 1, 3-7, 8(b), 8(c), and the Supplemental

Claim1

 are procedurally defaulted and that Petitioner has not established cause and prejudice

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Petitioner was also convicted of other felony offenses in Cochise County Superior

Court in unrelated, unconsolidated cases CR 98000325 and CR 97000452, and sentenced in

all three cases on the same date. 

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or a fundamental miscarriage of justice to overcome the defaults; that Claims 2 and 8(a) are

meritless; and that Claim 9 is not cognizable on a federal habeas proceeding.

The Report and Recommendation sets forth the factual and procedural history of

Petitioner’s state court proceedings and the conviction at issue. 

Petitioner seeks review on nine separate grounds of his conviction in Cochise County

Superior Court of Arizona, case number CR–98000484(B), in which Petitioner was convicted

by jury on January 28, 1999 of (1) one count of knowingly selling or offering to sell a

dangerous drug; and (2) once count of knowingly selling or offering to sell a dangerous drug

to a minor, which occurred on or approximately August 21, 1996.

On June 14, 1999, Petitioner was sentenced to presumptive terms of two five-year

concurrent sentences, to run consecutively to the sentenced imposed that same date in two

separate cases Petitioner was also convicted in by jury.2

 

As set forth in detail in the Report and Recommendation, Petitioner has not

established cause and prejudice or a fundamental miscarriage of justice to overcome the

defaults and has further failed to establish a cognizable claim or present and substantiate a

claim with would entitle him to relief.

Petitioner filed his objections to the Report and Recommendation pursuant to 28

U.S.C. §636(b), claiming factual innocence and challenging the state courts’ substantive and

procedural findings and the findings of the Magistrate Judge herein. 

The Court finds, after consideration of the matters presented and an independent

review of the record herein, including Petitioner’s detailed objections to the Report and

Recommendation, that the Petition should be denied and this action be dismissed in

accordance with the recommendation set forth therein. 

Based on the foregoing,

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IT IS ORDERED that Magistrate Judge Ferraro’s Report and Recommendation [Doc.

32] is hereby ACCEPTED AND ADOPTED as the findings of fact and conclusions of law

by this Court;

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus is DENIED;

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that judgment be entered accordingly.

DATED this 14th day of September, 2011.

Case 4:05-cv-00052-FRZ Document 36 Filed 09/15/11 Page 3 of 3