Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_06-cv-00801/USCOURTS-cand-3_06-cv-00801-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Board of Prison Terms
Respondent
A. P. Kane
Respondent
Louis Michael Paluzzi
Petitioner
State of California
Respondent

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

LOUIS MICHAEL PALUZZI,

Petitioner,

v.

A. P. KANE, warden,

Respondent. /

No. C 06-801 SI (pr)

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE

INTRODUCTION

Louis Michael Paluzzi, an inmate at the Correctional Training Facility in Soledad, filed

this pro se action seeking a writ of habeas corpus pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254. His petition is

now before the court for review pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §2243 and Rule 4 of the Rules Governing

Section 2254 Cases. He paid the filing fee.

BACKGROUND

Paluzzi reports in his petition that he was convicted in 1980 in San Bernardino County

Superior Court of second degree murder with a firearm enhancement. He was sentenced in 1980

to a term of 17 years to life in prison. His petition does not challenge his conviction but instead

challenges a decision by the Board of Prison Terms ("BPT") at a September 23, 2003 hearing

that found him not suitable for parole. It appears that state court remedies were exhausted before

he filed this action.

 

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DISCUSSION

This court may entertain a petition for 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). A

district court considering an application for a writ of habeas corpus 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." 28

U.S.C. § 2243. Summary dismissal is appropriate only where the allegations in the petition are

vague or conclusory, palpably incredible, or patently frivolous or false. See Hendricks v.

Vasquez, 908 F.2d 490, 491 (9th Cir. 1990).

Paluzzi alleges that the BPT's decision was not supported by sufficient evidence, in

violation of his right to due process. Liberally construed, the petition states a cognizable claim

for a due process violation. See Board of Pardons v. Allen, 482 U.S. 369 (1987); McQuillion

v. Duncan, 306 F.3d 895 (9th Cir. 2002).

CONCLUSION 

For the foregoing reasons,

1. The due process claim in the petition warrants a response from respondent. 

 2. The clerk shall serve by certified mail a copy of this order, the petition and all

attachments thereto upon respondent and respondent's attorney, the Attorney General of the State

of California. The clerk shall also serve a copy of this order on petitioner. 

3. Respondent must file and serve upon petitioner, on or before June 9, 2006, 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 must file with the

answer a copy of all portions of the parole hearing record that have been previously transcribed

and that are relevant to a determination of the issues presented by the petition. 

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4. If petitioner wishes to respond to the answer, he must do so by filing a traverse

with the court and serving it on respondent on or before July 14, 2006.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: March 14, 2006 

 SUSAN ILLSTON

United States District Judge

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