Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_19-cv-01796/USCOURTS-caed-1_19-cv-01796-1/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Steven Allen Brown
Petitioner
Ronald Davis
Defendant

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

STEVEN ALLEN BROWN,

Petitioner,

v.

RONALD DAVIS, Warden of California State 

Prison at San Quentin,

Respondent.

Case No. 1:19-cv-01796-DAD

DEATH PENALTY CASE

ORDER APPOINTING COUNSEL

On December 23, 2019, petitioner Steven Allen Brown, a state prisoner facing capital 

punishment, began this action pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254 by filing applications for 

appointment of counsel to represent him, stay of execution, and to proceed in forma pauperis. 

On January 9, 2020, deputy attorney general Charity Whitney noticed her appearance. 

On January 13, 2020, the court issued an order referring the case to the Selection Board 

for the Eastern District of California for recommendation of counsel, denying without prejudice 

petitioner’s application for stay of execution and granting petitioner’s application to proceed in 

forma pauperis.

On January 17, 2020, the Selection Board recommended that attorneys Sara Cohbra and 

John Mills be appointed to represent petitioner. The court will adopt that recommendation. 

Case 1:19-cv-01796-ADA Document 8 Filed 01/31/20 Page 1 of 2
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Accordingly, 

1. Sara Cohbra, Esq. and John Mills, Esq. are appointed as counsel to represent 

petitioner for all purposes in this proceeding pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3599. See 

Local Rule 191(c). Counsel are directed to comply with the e-filing registration 

requirements of Local Rule 135. 

2. The Clerk of the Court is directed to file under seal the Selection Board’s January 

17, 2020 letter to the court. 

3. The Clerk of the Court is directed to serve copies of this order on Sara Cohbra 

Esq., 119 Tookany Creek Pkwy, Cheltenham, PA 19012-1107, (Ph) 415-515-

4744, (Email) saracohbralaw@gmail.com; John Mills Esq., 1721 Broadway, Ste 

201, Oakland, CA 94612-2124, (Ph) 888-532-0897, (Email) 

j.mills@phillipsblack.org; Ron Davis, Warden of San Quentin State Prison, San 

Quentin, CA 94964; Charity Whitney, Deputy Attorney General, 2550 Mariposa 

Mall, Room 5090, Fresno, CA 93721 (Ph.) 559-705-2314; (Email) 

Charity.Whitney@doj.ca.gov; Kelly Culshaw, Assistant Federal Defender, 

Federal Defender’s Office, 801 I Street, 3rd Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814, (Ph.) 

916-498-6666-277, (Email) kelly_culshaw@fd.org; and Connie Garcia, CJA 

Administrator, Office of the Federal Defender, 2300 Tulare Street, Suite 330, 

Fresno, CA 93721, (Ph.) 559-487-5561, (Email) connie_garcia@fd.org. 

 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: January 30, 2020 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Case 1:19-cv-01796-ADA Document 8 Filed 01/31/20 Page 2 of 2