Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_07-cv-06326/USCOURTS-cand-3_07-cv-06326-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Samuel Arreola
Petitioner
Ben Curry
Respondent

Document Text:

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SAMUEL ARREOLA,

Petitioner,

 vs.

BEN CURRY, Warden,

Respondent. 

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No. C 07-6326 CRB (PR)

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE

Petitioner, a state prisoner incarcerated at the Correctional Training

Facility in Soledad, California, has filed a pro se petition for a writ of habeas

corpus under 28 U.S.C. § 2254 challenging the California Board of Prison Terms' 

("BPT") May 10, 2005 decision to deny him parole.

 BACKGROUND

Petitioner was convicted of second degree murder with the use of a knife

in Fresno County superior court and, on October 5, 1984 , was sentenced to 16

years to life in state prison. 

Petitioner has been denied parole each time he has appeared before the

BPT (currently the Board of Parole Hearings ("BPH")). On March 21, 2007, the

Supreme Court of California denied his challenge to the BPT's May 10, 2005

decision to deny him parole and a subsequent hearing for two years.

Case 3:07-cv-06326-CRB Document 4 Filed 04/18/08 Page 1 of 3
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DISCUSSION

A. 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. 

B. Legal Claims

Petitioner seeks federal habeas corpus relief from the BPT's May 10, 2005

decision to deny him parole, and a subsequent hearing for two years, on the

ground that it does not comport with due process or equal protection. Among

other things, petitioner claims that the decision is not supported by some

evidence in the record having an indicia of reliability. Liberally construed,

petitioner’s claims appear colorable under § 2254 and merit an answer from

respondent. See Sass v. Cal. Bd. of Prison Terms, 461 F.3d 1123, 1127-29 (9th

Cir. 2006) (finding that refusal to set parole date for prisoner with 15-to-life

sentence implicated prisoner’s liberty interest in release on parole which cannot

be denied without adequate procedural due process protections).

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

petitions 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

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 issued. 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. 

3. 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 30 days of his

receipt of the answer. 

SO ORDERED.

DATED: April 18, 2008 CHARLES R. BREYER

United States District Judge

Case 3:07-cv-06326-CRB Document 4 Filed 04/18/08 Page 3 of 3