Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-4_07-cv-02736/USCOURTS-cand-4_07-cv-02736-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Clemente Perez Luna
Petitioner
United States of America
Respondent

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

CLEMENTE PEREZ LUNA,

Petitioner, Nos. C 07-2736 PJH/ 07-2887 PJH

CR 90-0392 PJH

v. ORDER DISMISSING PETITIONER’S

SECOND AND SUCCESSIVE 

PETITIONS FOR RELIEF UNDER

28 U.S.C. § 2255

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Respondent.

_______________________________/

Petitioner Clemente Perez Luna, a federal prisoner, proceeding pro se, recently filed

two motions, one on May 9, 2007, entitled a “motion to recall mandate,” and the other on

May 21, 2007, entitled a “motion to amend federal rule civil procedure 15(a)(b) “relation

back,” or via writ of habeas corpus section 2255. . . .” Because neither motion constituted

Luna’s first § 2255 motion requiring the court to first inform Luna of any re-characterization

of the motions, the court appropriately re-characterized the two motions as motions to

vacate Luna’s sentence under 28 U.S.C. § 2255, and corresponding civil cases were

opened by the Clerk. 

BACKGROUND

Luna is currently incarcerated at a federal penitentiary in Lompoc, California. On

January 10, 1991, Luna was convicted by a jury of two counts involving a drug conspiracy,

including conspiracy with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine pursuant

to 21 U.S.C. § 846 in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and of the underlying substantive

possession charge, which included knowingly and intentionally possessing with intent to

distribute four kilograms of cocaine under § 841(a)(1). On March 16, 1992, United States

Case 4:07-cv-02736-PJH Document 2 Filed 06/26/07 Page 1 of 2
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District Judge Eugene Lynch sentenced Luna to life without parole on both counts, to run

concurrently. This was an enhanced sentence under § 841 based on two prior felony

convictions.

Subsequently, on July 31, 2001, Luna filed a motion to vacate his sentence under

§ 2255, which this court denied on April 16, 2002.

DISCUSSION

Under 28 U.S.C. § 2255, the federal sentencing court is authorized to grant relief

if it concludes that "the sentence was imposed in violation of the Constitution or laws of the

United States, or that the court was without jurisdiction to impose such sentence, or that

the sentence was in excess of the maximum authorized by law, or is otherwise subject to

collateral attack." 

Before a second or successive § 2255 motion is filed, it must be certified by a panel

of the appropriate court of appeals to contain "(1) newly discovered evidence that, if proven

and viewed in light of the evidence as a whole, would be sufficient to establish by clear and

convincing evidence that no reasonable factfinder would have found the movant guilty of

the offense;" or "(2) a new rule of constitutional law, made retroactive to cases on collateral

review by the Supreme Court, that was previously unavailable." See 28 U.S.C. § 2255.

A district court has no jurisdiction to reach the merits of any successive claim unless

petitioner receives certification from the court of appeals. See United States v. Allen, 157

F.3d 661, 644 (9th Cir. 1998).

Because there is no evidence that Luna has obtained the requisite certification from

the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals prior to the filing of the instant § 2255 petitions, they are

DISMISSED. The clerk shall close the civil cases.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: June 25, 2007

______________________________

PHYLLIS J. HAMILTON

United States District Judge

Case 4:07-cv-02736-PJH Document 2 Filed 06/26/07 Page 2 of 2