Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_13-cv-02601/USCOURTS-azd-2_13-cv-02601-0/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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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Albert Dean Kenton,

Petitioner

-vsLaura Escapule, et al.,

Respondents.

CV-13-2601-PHX-NVW (JFM)

Report & Recommendation on Petition 

for Writ of Habeas Corpus

I. MATTER UNDER CONSIDERATION

Petitioner, presently incarcerated in the Arizona State Prison Complex at San 

Luis, Arizona, filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254 

on December 19, 2013 (Doc. 1). On March 12, 2014 Respondents filed their Response 

(“Limited Answer”) (Doc. 13). Petitioner filed a “Motion to Strike, or alternatively 

Limited Reply” on April 14, 2014 (Doc. 15).

The Petitioner's Petition is now ripe for consideration. Accordingly, the 

undersigned makes the following proposed findings of fact, report, and recommendation 

pursuant to Rule 8(b), Rules Governing Section 2254 Cases, Rule 72(b), Federal Rules 

of Civil Procedure, 28 U.S.C. § 636(b) and Rule 72.2(a)(2), Local Rules of Civil 

Procedure. 

II. RELEVANT FACTUAL & PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

A. FACTUAL BACKGROUND

In disposing of Petitioner’s direct appeal, the Arizona Court of Appeals 

summarized the factual background as follows:

On August 25, 2005, Phoenix police responded to a homicide 

near 86th Avenue and Indian School Road. At the scene, officers 

discovered two victims inside a car that had crashed into a house. 

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One witness stated that she heard a "bang sound[ing] like a tire had 

exploded" prior to seeing the car crash and saw a young man 

between 25 and 35 years old with medium height and "darker skin" 

exiting the rear driver's side of the vehicle shortly thereafter. 

Autopsy reports confirmed that the victims, a male driver and 

female front passenger, died from a gunshot wound to the head.

On June 16, 2006, Phoenix police arrested Kenton in

connection with the incident. 

(Exhibit L, Mem. Dec. at 2.) (Exhibits to the Answer, Doc. 13, are referenced herein as 

“Exhibit ___.”) 

B. PROCEEDINGS AT TRIAL

Petitioner was charged with two counts of second-degree murder, along with 

allegations of a prior conviction and various aggravating circumstances. (Id. at 3.) 

Evidence at trial included testimony of various acquaintances “who indicated that 

Kenton had told them he shot the victims because he was fearful for his life.” (Id. at 3) 

Testimony was presented that Petitioner was seen with the male victim the morning of 

the shooting, with a revolver, and that after the shooting he asked for help in retrieving a 

gun hidden in the vicinity of the shooting. (Id. at 3-4) Testimony was also presented 

from a forensic examiner that four latent fingerprints in the crashed vehicle belonged to 

Petitioner, and that the use of a revolver was consistent with the absence of expended 

cartridges in the vehicle. (Id. at 4.) 

Petitioner was convicted as charged, and the jury found the four alleged 

aggravating circumstances. Petitioner was sentenced to presumptive, consecutive, 20 

year prison terms on each count. (Id. at 4.)

C. PROCEEDINGS ON DIRECT APPEAL

Petitioner filed a direct appeal, and counsel filed an Opening Brief pursuant to 

Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738 (1967) and related state authorities, and requested 

leave for Petitioner to be permitted to file a pro per brief. (Exhibit H, Opening Brief; 

Exhibit I, Motion.) Counsel then transmitted the record and transcripts to Petitioner. 

(Exhibit J, Letter of Transmittal.)

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Petitioner failed to file a supplemental brief, and in a Memorandum Decision 

issued October 16, 2008 (Exhibit L), the Arizona Court of Appeals reviewed the record 

for reversible error, found none, and affirmed Petitioner’s convictions and sentences. 

D. PROCEEDINGS ON POST-CONVICTION RELIEF

On November 7, 2008, Petitioner filed a Notice of Post-Conviction Relief 

(Exhibit M), dated October 30, 2008. Counsel was appointed (Exhibit N, M.E. 

11/17/08), who eventually filed a Notice of Completion of Post-Conviction Review 

(Exhibit Q) evidencing an inability to find an issue for review, and requesting leave for 

Petitioner to file a pro per petition. Leave was granted, giving Petitioner 45 days to file 

his petition. (Exhibit R, M.E. 12/7/09.) Petitioner filed a Motion to Extend (Exhibit S), 

seeking an extension of time to file his petition. The court granted Petitioner an 

extension through February 22, 2010. (Exhibit T, M.E. 1/28/10.) 

Petitioner failed to file a pro per petition, and on May 5, 2010, the PCR court 

dismissed the proceeding. (Exhibit U, M.E. 5/5/10.)

Petitioner did not seek further review in that proceeding. (Petition, Doc. 1 at 5; 

E. STATE HABEAS PROCEEDING

On June 4, 2013, Petitioner filed with the Arizona Supreme Court a Petition for 

Writ of Habeas Corpus (Exhibit V). The Petition was signed May 30, 2013. (Id. at 29.)

On August 28, 2013, the Arizona Supreme Court summarily dismissed the 

petition as improperly filed in that court in the first instance, rather than in the trial court. 

(Exhibit W, Order 8/27/13.)

F. PRESENT FEDERAL HABEAS PROCEEDINGS

Petition - Petitioner commenced the current case by filing his Petition for Writ of 

Habeas Corpus pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254 on December 19, 2013 (Doc. 1). 

Petitioner’s Petition asserts the following four grounds for relief:

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In Ground One, Petitioner alleges that he received ineffective 

assistance of counsel at trial, on appeal, and during his postconviction proceedings. In Ground Two, Petitioner alleges that he 

was denied an impartial jury, in violation of his Sixth Amendment 

rights. In Ground Three, Petitioner asserts that his due process and 

equal protection rights were violated because of the “absence of any 

proof beyond a reasonable doubt to sustain the conviction for a 

double homicide” and because the trial court provided an improper 

definition of reasonable doubt and omitted elements of the crime 

charged in its jury instructions. In Ground Four, Petitioner asserts 

that his due process and equal protection rights were violated “by 

the use of knowingly false evidence and the failure to disclose 

exculpatory evidence by the state.”

(Order 2/5/14, Doc. 4 at 1-2.)

As an explanation why the statute of limitations would not bar his Petition, 

Petitioner argues that he received ineffective assistance of appellate counsel, and that the 

Arizona Court of Appeals failed to discover the issues raised in the petition, resulting in 

no direct review to commence the running of the habeas limitations clock. (Petition, 

Doc. 1 at 11.) 

The Court directed a response to the Petition, and specifically provided: 

“Respondents must not file a dispositive motion in place of an answer but may file an

answer limited to relevant affirmative defenses, including but not limited to, statute of

limitations, procedural bar, or non-retroactivity. If the answer is limited to affirmative

defenses, only those portions of the record relevant to those defenses need be attached to

the answer.” (Order 2/5/14, Doc. 4 at 3.)

Response - On March 12, 2014, Respondents filed their Response (“Limited 

Answer”) (Doc. 13). Respondents argue that the petition is barred by the habeas statute 

of limitations, and Petitioner’s state remedies on his claims are procedurally defaulted 

without a showing of cause to excuse the procedural default.

Reply - On April 14, 2014, Petitioner filed a Motion to Strike, or alternatively 

Limited Reply (Doc. 15). Petitioner argued that Respondents had improperly limited 

their answer to their procedural defenses, and had presented the submitted portions of the 

record to Petitioner as unbound exhibits which Petitioner found “virtually without utility 

for chaotic propensity.” (Id. at 2.) Petitioner further reasserts his argument that the 

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limitations period had not commenced because of the ineffectiveness of appellate 

counsel, and that Petitioner properly sought a remedy through his habeas petition to the 

Arizona Supreme Court. (Id. at 3.) Petitioner argues that he evidence presented at trial 

was insufficient to establish his guilt. (Id. at 3-4.) He argues that an evidentiary hearing 

should be granted on the sufficiency of the evidence of his guilt. (Id. at 4.) 

The Court denied the Motion to Strike. (Order 5/13/14, Doc. 18.) 

III. APPLICATION OF LAW TO FACTS

A. TIMELINESS

1. One Year Limitations Period

Respondents assert that Petitioner’s Petition is untimely. As part of the AntiTerrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 ("AEDPA"), Congress provided a 1-

year statute of limitations for all applications for writs of habeas corpus filed pursuant to 

28 U.S.C. § 2254, challenging convictions and sentences rendered by state courts. 28 

U.S.C. § 2244(d). Petitions filed beyond the one year limitations period are barred and 

must be dismissed. Id.

2. Commencement of Limitations Period

Conviction Final - The one-year statute of limitations on habeas petitions 

generally begins to run on "the date on which the judgment became final by conclusion 

of direct review or the expiration of the time for seeking such review." 28 U.S.C. § 

2244(d)(1)(A).1 

Here, Petitioner’s direct appeal remained pending at least through October 16, 

2008, when the Arizona Court of Appeals denied his appeal. (Exhibit L.) 

Thereafter, Petitioner had 30 days, or through Monday, November 17, 2008 to file 

 

1

Later commencement times can result from a state created impediment, newly 

recognized constitutional rights, and newly discovered factual predicates for claims. See

28 U.S.C. § 2244(d)(1)(B)-(D). Except as discussed hereinafter, Petitioner proffers no 

argument that any of these apply.

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a petition for review by the Arizona Supreme Court. Ariz. R. Crim. P. 31.19(a). 

Petitioner did not do so. (Exhibit P, Mandate.) Accordingly, his conviction became final 

on November 17, 2008. 

Petitioner argues that this cannot be so because the handling of his direct appeal 

was defective (i.e. counsel was ineffective, the appellate court failed to adequately 

review the record, etc.). However, there is no exception made in § 2244(d)(1)(A) for 

defective or inadequate appeals, but simply the conclusion of or expiration of the time 

for such proceedings. Moreover, under Petitioner’s reading, no conviction would be 

final and the limitations period would never commence running until a habeas court had 

concluded that the appeals procedure had been free of defect. There is nothing to 

support such a far reaching disruption of the habeas statute of limitation which was 

specifically intended to “eliminate delays in the federal habeas review process.” Holland 

v. Florida, 560 U.S. 631, 648 (2010).

The extent to which any such defects in the appellate procedure might entitle 

Petitioner to equitable tolling of the limitations period is discussed hereinafter.

Newly Discovered Factual Predicate - Although the conclusion of direct review 

normally marks the beginning of the statutory one year, section 2244(d)(1)(D) does 

provide an alternative of “the date on which the factual predicate of the claim or claims 

presented could have been discovered through the exercise of due diligence.” Thus, 

where despite the exercise of due diligence a petitioner was unable to discover the 

factual predicate of his claim, the statute does not commence running on that claim until 

the earlier of such discovery or the elimination of the disability which prevented 

discovery. Thus, the commencement is not delayed until actual discovery, but only until 

the date on which it “could have been discovered through the exercise of due diligence.” 

28 U.S.C. § 2244(d)(1)(D). 

Here, Petitioner does assert in his Ground Four that the prosecution failed to 

disclose evidence and presented false evidence. (Petition, Doc. 1 at 9.) The Petition 

does not elucidate further. He does, however append his state habeas petition, in which 

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he raised similar claims, and asserting that the prosecution had “failed to disclose to the 

defendant the statement made by Amos Gutierrez to detectives denying to have been in 

Niggy house with state witness Gabriel Corral at any time.” (Exhibit V, State Habeas 

Petition at 17.) Petitioner contends that this was contradictory to the testimony presented 

by the prosecution at trial.

However, Exhibit N to that petition reflects that Petitioner’s counsel received an 

investigative report in September, 2009, including a signed statement from Gutierrez 

containing equivalent allegations that he “never went to a woman’s place by the name of 

Niggie, and had “only met Gabriel Corral once in my lifetime.” (Id. at Exhibit N.) 

Thus, Petitioner was aware of the factual predicate of his claim of failure to 

disclose at least by September, 2009.2 Therefore, at best, his one year would not have 

commenced until that date, and as discussed hereinafter, the limitations period would 

have in any event been statutorily tolled from its inception until May 7, 2010, after 

Petitioner’s discovery of Gutierrez’s statement. Thus, Petitioner’s discovery of his 

Brady claim in September, 2009 would not save his Petition (or even his Brady claim) 

from the statute of limitations.

Moreover, Petitioner proffers nothing to suggest that Amos’s proffered testimony 

could not have been discovered earlier through the exercise of due diligence.

Accordingly, the undersigned concludes that the “discovery” of Gutierrez’s 

statement did not alter the commencement or the running of the limitations period.

Conclusion re Commencement - Therefore, Petitioner’s one year began running 

on November 18, 2008, and without any tolling expired on November 17, 2009, making 

his December 19, 2013 Petition over four years delinquent. Petitioner’s habeas Petition 

is dated December 12, 2013. (Petition, Doc. 1 at 11.) Because it does not make a 

difference in the outcome, the undersigned presumes that the Petition should be deemed 

 

2 Respondents argue that Petitioner fails to proffer any evidence that the prosecution was 

aware of such a statement by Gutierrez at the time of trial. (Answer, Doc. 13 at 27.) 

While pertinent to the merits of Petitioner’s claims, it is Petitioner’s awareness that is 

pertinent to § 2244(d)(1)(D).

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filed as of this date. Even so, Petitioner’s Petition was over four years delinquent.

3. Statutory Tolling

The AEDPA provides for tolling of the limitations period when a "properly filed 

application for State post-conviction or other collateral relief with respect to the pertinent 

judgment or claim is pending." 28 U.S.C. § 2244(d)(2). 

Petitioner’s limitations period commenced running on November 18, 2008. 

Petitioner’s First PCR proceeding were commenced on November 7, 2008, before his 

limitations period began running. It remained pending until May 7, 2010, when the PCR 

court filed its order dismissing the proceeding. (Exhibit U, M.E. 5/5/10.) Thus, 

Petitioner’s habeas limitations period was tolled from its commencement through May 7, 

2010, roughly 17 months. It commenced running again on May 8, 2010, and expired one 

year later on May 9, 2011.

3

Petitioner’s next PCR proceeding was not commenced until June 4, 2013, when 

Petitioner filed his state habeas petition.

4

 At that time, his one year had been expired for 

over two years. Once the statute has run, a subsequent post-conviction or collateral relief 

filing does not reset the running of the one year statute. Jiminez v. Rice, 276 F.3d 478, 

482 (9th Cir. 2001); Ferguson v. Palmateer, 321 F.3d 820, 823 (9th Cir. 2003). 

Accordingly, Petitioner has no statutory tolling resulting from his state habeas 

proceeding, and his limitations period expired on May 9, 2011.

4. Equitable Tolling

"Equitable tolling of the one-year limitations period in 28 U.S.C. § 2244 is 

available in our circuit, but only when ‘extraordinary circumstances beyond a prisoner's

control make it impossible to file a petition on time' and ‘the extraordinary circumstances 

 

3 May 7, 2011 was a Saturday. Under Rule 6(b), Fed. R. Civ. P., Petitioner had until the 

following Monday to act.

4

The undersigned assumes, without deciding, that the state habeas petition was 

“properly filed” within the meaning of 28 U.S.C. § 2244(d)(2), despite its rejection as 

having been filed in an improper court.

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were the cause of his untimeliness.'" Laws v. Lamarque, 351 F.3d 919, 922 (9th Cir. 

2003). 

To receive equitable tolling, [t]he petitioner must establish two 

elements: (1) that he has been pursuing his rights diligently, and (2) 

that some extraordinary circumstances stood in his way. The 

petitioner must additionally show that the extraordinary 

circumstances were the cause of his untimeliness, and that the 

extraordinary circumstances ma[de] it impossible to file a petition 

on time.

Ramirez v. Yates, 571 F.3d 993, 997 (9th Cir. 2009) (internal citations and quotations 

omitted). “Indeed, ‘the threshold necessary to trigger equitable tolling [under AEDPA] 

is very high, lest the exceptions swallow the rule.’ ” Miranda v. Castro,292 F.3d 1063, 

1066 (9th Cir. 2002) (quoting United States v. Marcello, 212 F.3d 1005, 1010 (7th Cir.). 

Petitioner bears the burden of proof on the existence of cause for equitable tolling. Pace 

v. DiGuglielmo, 544 U.S. 408, 418 (2005); Rasberry v. Garcia, 448 F.3d 1150, 1153 (9th

Cir. 2006) (“Our precedent permits equitable tolling of the one-year statute of limitations 

on habeas petitions, but the petitioner bears the burden of showing that equitable tolling 

is appropriate.”).

Petitioner does not explicitly proffer any grounds for equitable tolling.

Petitioner does complaint about the quality of his representation and the actions of 

the Arizona Court of Appeals in his direct appeal. However, Petitioner presents these 

only as arguments for a delayed start of the limitations period, not as grounds for 

equitable tolling. Moreover, Petitioner proffers nothing to suggest why such defects kept 

him from timely filing his federal petition. To the contrary, it seems likely that a failure 

of the state appellate process would spur a reasonable defendant to act promptly to seek 

federal habeas review. Accordingly, any such defects did not create grounds for 

equitable tolling.

5. Actual Innocence

To avoid a miscarriage of justice, the habeas statute of limitations in 28 U.S.C. § 

2244(d)(1) does not preclude “a court from entertaining an untimely first federal habeas 

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petition raising a convincing claim of actual innocence.” McQuiggin v. Perkins, 133 

S.Ct. 1924, 1935 (2013). To invoke this exception to the statute of limitations, a 

petitioner “’must show that it is more likely than not that no reasonable juror would have 

convicted him in the light of the new evidence.’” Id. at 1935 (quoting Schlup v. Delo, 

513 U.S. 298, 327 (1995)). This exception, referred to as the “Schlup gateway,” applies 

“only when a petition presents ‘evidence of innocence so strong that a court cannot have 

confidence in the outcome of the trial unless the court is also satisfied that the trial was 

free of nonharmless constitutional error.’ ” Id. at 1936 (quoting Schlup, 513 U.S. at 

316). 

Petitioner makes no such claim of actual innocence in this proceeding. To be 

sure, Petitioner repeatedly argues that there was insufficient evidence at trial of his guilt. 

However, a finding of "actual innocence" is not to be based upon a finding that 

insufficient evidence to support the charge was presented at trial, but rather upon 

affirmative evidence of innocence. See U.S. v. Ratigan, 351 F.3d 957 (9th Cir. 2003) 

(lack of proof of FDIC insurance in a federal bank robbery case, without evidence that 

insurance did not exist, not sufficient to establish actual innocence). 

6. Summary re Statute of Limitations

Taking into account the available statutory tolling, Petitioner’s one year habeas 

limitations period commenced running on May 8, 2010, and expired on May 7, 2011, 

making his December 18, 2013 Petition over two and one-half years delinquent. 

Petitioner has shown no basis for additional statutory tolling, and no basis for equitable 

tolling or actual innocence to avoid the effects of his delay. Consequently, the Petition 

must be dismissed with prejudice.

B. OTHER DEFENSES

Respondents also argue that Petitioner’s state remedies on his claims were not 

properly exhausted, and are now procedurally defaulted, barring federal habeas review. 

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Because the undersigned concludes that the Petition is plainly barred by the habeas 

statute of limitations. These other defenses are not reached.

IV. CERTIFICATE OF APPEALABILITY

Ruling Required - Rule 11(a), Rules Governing Section 2254 Cases, requires 

that in habeas cases the “district court must issue or deny a certificate of appealability 

when it enters a final order adverse to the applicant.” Such certificates are required in 

cases concerning detention arising “out of process issued by a State court”, or in a 

proceeding under 28 U.S.C. § 2255 attacking a federal criminal judgment or sentence. 28 

U.S.C. § 2253(c)(1). 

Here, the Petition is brought pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254, and challenges

detention pursuant to a State court judgment. The recommendations if accepted will 

result in Petitioner’s Petition being resolved adversely to Petitioner. Accordingly, a 

decision on a certificate of appealability is required. 

Applicable Standards - The standard for issuing a certificate of appealability 

(“COA”) is whether the applicant has “made a substantial showing of the denial of a 

constitutional right.” 28 U.S.C. § 2253(c)(2). “Where a district court has rejected the 

constitutional claims on the merits, the showing required to satisfy § 2253(c) is 

straightforward: The petitioner must demonstrate that reasonable jurists would find the 

district court’s assessment of the constitutional claims debatable or wrong.” Slack v. 

McDaniel, 529 U.S. 473, 484 (2000). “When the district court denies a habeas petition 

on procedural grounds without reaching the prisoner’s underlying constitutional claim, a 

COA should issue when the prisoner shows, at least, that jurists of reason would find it 

debatable whether the petition states a valid claim of the denial of a constitutional right 

and that jurists of reason would find it debatable whether the district court was correct in 

its procedural ruling.” Id.

Standard Not Met - Assuming the recommendations herein are followed in the 

district court’s judgment, that decision will be on procedural grounds. Under the 

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reasoning set forth herein, jurists of reason would not find it debatable whether the Court 

was correct in its procedural ruling. 

Accordingly, to the extent that the Court adopts this Report & Recommendation 

as to the Petition, a certificate of appealability should be denied.

V. RECOMMENDATION

IT IS THEREFORE RECOMMENDED that the Petitioner's Petition for Writ 

of Habeas Corpus, filed December 19, 2013 (Doc. 1) be DISMISSED WITH 

PREJUDICE.

IT IS FURTHER RECOMMENDED that, to the extent the foregoing findings 

and recommendations are adopted in the District Court’s order, a Certificate of 

Appealability be DENIED.

VI. EFFECT OF RECOMMENDATION

This recommendation is not an order that is immediately appealable to the Ninth 

Circuit Court of Appeals. Any notice of appeal pursuant to Rule 4(a)(1), Federal Rules 

of Appellate Procedure, should not be filed until entry of the district court's judgment. 

However, pursuant to Rule 72(b), Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, the parties 

shall have fourteen (14) days from the date of service of a copy of this recommendation 

within which to file specific written objections with the Court. See also Rule 8(b), Rules 

Governing Section 2254 Proceedings. Thereafter, the parties have fourteen (14) days 

within which to file a response to the objections. Failure to timely file objections to any 

findings or recommendations of the Magistrate Judge will be considered a waiver of a 

party's right to de novo consideration of the issues, see United States v. Reyna-Tapia, 

328 F.3d 1114, 1121 (9th Cir. 2003)(en banc), and will constitute a waiver of a party's 

right to appellate review of the findings of fact in an order or judgment entered pursuant 

to the recommendation of the Magistrate Judge, Robbins v. Carey, 481 F.3d 1143, 1146-

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47 (9th Cir. 2007). 

Dated: August 7, 2014

13-2601r RR 14 08 01 on HC.docx

James F. Metcalf

United States Magistrate Judge

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