Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_07-cv-01741/USCOURTS-cand-3_07-cv-01741-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Benny A. Espinoza
Petitioner
J. Walker
Respondent

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

BENNY A. ESPINOZA, 

Petitioner,

 vs.

J. WALKER, Warden, 

Respondent.

 

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No. C 07-1741 JSW (PR)

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE

INTRODUCTION

Petitioner, a prisoner of the State of California, currently incarcerated at California

State Prison-Sacramento in Represa, California, has filed a habeas corpus petition pursuant

to 28 U.S.C. § 2254 challenging the constitutional validity of his state conviction. 

Petitioner has paid the filing fee. This order directs Respondent to show cause why the

petition should not be granted.

BACKGROUND

According to the petition, Petitioner was convicted after a jury trial of murder in

Santa Clara County Superior Court and sentenced on July 15, 2005 to a period of 26 yearsto-life incarceration. Petitioner’s appeal to the California Court of Appeal was denied in

2005. The Supreme Court of California denied his petition for review in 2006. The instant

federal habeas petition was filed on March 27, 2007. 

DISCUSSION

I Standard of Review

This court may entertain a petition for a writ of habeas corpus “in behalf of a person

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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. 

II Legal Claims

The petition raises the following ground for relief: the trial court’s failure to

provide proper instructions on Petitioner’s defense of self-defense violated his rights

under the Fifth, Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments. Liberally construed, it does not

appear from the face of the petition that Petitioner is not entitled to relief on his claims. 

Accordingly, Respondent is ordered to respond to the petition as set forth below.

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 petition, 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. 

2. Respondent shall file with the Court and serve on Petitioner, within sixty (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 granted. 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. 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 thirty (30) days of his receipt of the answer.

3. Respondent may file a motion to dismiss on procedural grounds in lieu of an

answer, as set forth in the Advisory Committee Notes to Rule 4 of the Rules Governing

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Section 2254 Cases. If Respondent files such a motion, Petitioner shall file with the Court

and serve on Respondent an opposition or statement of non-opposition within thirty (30)

days of receipt of the motion, and Respondent shall file with the Court and serve on

Petitioner a reply within fifteen (15) days of receipt of any opposition.

4. It is Petitioner’s responsibility to prosecute this case. Petitioner must keep 

the Court informed of any change of address by filing a separate paper captioned “Notice

of Change of Address.” He must comply with the Court’s orders in a timely fashion. 

Failure to do so may result in the dismissal of this action for failure to prosecute pursuant

to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 41(b)

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: July 31, 2007

 JEFFREY S. WHITE

United States District Judge

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

BENNY ESPINOZA,

Plaintiff,

 v.

J. WALKER et al,

Defendant. /

Case Number: CV07-01741 JSW 

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I, the undersigned, hereby certify that I am an employee in the Office of the Clerk, U.S. District

Court, Northern District of California.

That on July 31, 2007, I SERVED a true and correct copy(ies) of the attached, by placing said

copy(ies) in a postage paid envelope addressed to the person(s) hereinafter listed, by depositing

said envelope in the U.S. Mail, or by placing said copy(ies) into an inter-office delivery

receptacle located in the Clerk's office.

Benny A. Espinoza

V90095

C.S.P.

P.O. Box 29

Represa, CA 95671-0066

Dated: July 31, 2007

Richard W. Wieking, Clerk

By: Jennifer Ottolini, Deputy Clerk

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