FOR PUBLI CATI ON U N IT E D S T A T E S C O U R T O F A P P E A LS F O R TH E N I N TH C I R C U I T K E NN E T H P E A RS ON , Pe t i t i on er- Ap pe l l ee , v. M A D E LE N E A . M U N T Z , A c ti ng W a rd e n, R e s p o nd e nt - A p p e l l a nt. N o. 08- 55728 D. C. No . 2 : 0 5 - c v - 0 6 9 3 7 - S GL - OP OR DE R A ND OP I NI ON

A p p e a lf ro m the U ni te d S ta te s D i s tr i c t C o urt fo rth e C e n tr a l D is tr ic to f C a lifo rn ia S te p he n G . La rs o n, D i s tri c t J ud ge , P re s i d i ng

F i l ed M ay 24, 2010

Bef or e: R EI N HAR D T, BER ZO N , an d M . SM I TH, C i r cu i tJu dg es. P E R C U R I A M:

C al i f orn i a s t at e p r i so n erKe n n eth Pe ar so nf i l ed anac t i onf

ora w r i tof

h ab ea s c o rp u s inth e d is tr ic tc o u rto nS e p t e mb e r2 2 , 2 0 0 5 , a s s e rt in g th a tth e G o v e rn o r , in r e v e r s in g th e P a r o le B o a r d , v io la t e d h is d u e p r o c e s s r ig h t s b y d e n y in g h imp a r o le 

# FI L ED M A Y24 2 010 MO L L Y C. DW Y ER, CL ERK U . S . C O U R T O F A P P E A LSTh e cou rtal so n ot ed th atPear sonh ad n o adu l tcr i m i n alr ecor d asi de f r om 1 th e c o mm i tm e nto f

f e ns e , a nd re

je c te d th e S ta te ’ s c o nt e nt i o n tha t h i s juve ni l e re c o rd con st i tu t ed “ som e ev i den ce” of cu rr en tdan g er ou sn ess.

2 a b s e nt“ s o me e vi d e nc e ” s up p o rt i ng th e d e c i s i o n. T he ma gi s tr a te ju d ge ’ s R e p o rt an d R ecom m en dat i on , w h i ch th e di str i ctcou rtadopt ed i nf u l l , n ot ed th at“ th e l ast r ea so n ed st at e c ourtop i n i on s uph ol di n g th e G ov ern or ’s r ev er sa lof th e [ Pa r ol e] Boar d’s f

i n di n g of Pet i t i on er ’s par ol e su i t abi l i ty r est ed onth e sol e g r ou n d of P e ti ti o ne r’ s c o mmi tme nt o f f e ns e . ” T he d i s tri c t c o urt d e te rmi ne d tha t the ci r cum st an ce s o f

th e c om m i t m en tof

f en se di d n otal on e c on st i tu t e “ so m e e v i de n ce ” s up p o rti ng the G o ve rno r’ s d e c i s i o n, a nd tha t the s ta te c o urt d e c i s i o ns up ho l d i ng 1 th e d e n ia l o f p a r o le w e r e b a s e d o na nu n r e a s o n a b le d e t e rm in a t io no f th e fa c t s in l i g h tof th e e v i de n ce . Ac co r di n g l y , th e c ourtg r an t ed th e h ab ea s p et i t i onan d i ss u ed a n o rd e r re q ui ri ng the S ta te to re l e a s e P e a rs o n w i thi n thi rty d a ys . T he S ta te a p p e a l e d a nd f

i l e d a n e me rg e nc y m o ti o n t o s ta y the d i s tr i c t c o urt’ s o rd e r. In s up p o rt o f

i ts mo ti o n f

o r a s ta y, the S ta te c o nte nd e d tha t “ the re i s no f ed er al l y pr ot ec t ed l ibe rty i n t er es ti npa r ol e i nC al i f orn i a, ” th at“ th e s om e e v i de n ce t e s td o e s n o tc o n tr o l in[ fe d e r a l h a b e a s ] r e v ie w o f p a r o le c a s e s , ” a n d th u s th a t“ it w as err on eo u s f

orth e d i str i ctco u rtt o a pp l y th e s om e e v i de n ce t es t ” o nf ed er al h ab ea s r ev i ew u n de rAE D PA . Be ca u se th os e s am e l eg alqu es t i on s w er e p r es en t ed i n H a y wa r d v . M a rs h a ll , i n w hi c h re he a ri ng e n b a nc ha d jus t b e e n gra nte d , o n J uneAl th ou g h pr ev i ou s m ot i on s i nth i s case w er e appr opr i at el y di sposed of by 2 o r d e ro f o n e o rtw o j u d g e s , se e G e ne ra lO rd e r 6 . 3 (f ), o ur rul e s re q ui re tha t w e i s s ue th i s p ub l i s h e d o r d e ra n d o p i n i o na s a th r e e - j u d g e m o t i o n s p a n e l , se e G en er alO r de r 6 .3 (g )( 3 )( i i ). 3 3, 20 08 w e s t ay ed Pe ar so n ’s r el ea se an d s u sp en de d p r oc ee di n g s i nth e S t at e’ s a p p e a lp e nd i ng o ur d e c i s i o n i n H ayw ard . O n A p ri l2 2 , 2 0 1 0 , w e i s s ue d o ur e n b a nc d e c i s i o n i n H ayw ard , w h ic h h e ld th atco u rt s mu stap ply th e C al i f orn i a “ so m e e v i de n ce ” t es tonf ed er alh ab ea s r e v i e w u n d e rA E D P A . H a y wa r d v . M a rs h a ll , N o. 06- 55392, sl ip op. 6303, 6330 ( 9th C i r . Ap r . 22 , 20 10 ) ( enba n c) . Be ca u se H ayw ard r es ol v ed th e p r i n cipa li ss u es th a tu n d e r la y th e S t a t e ’ s r e q u e s tfo rth e s t a y th a tw e g r a n t e d , a n d d id s o a d v e r s e ly t o th e S t at e, w e i ss u ed anor de ronM ay4, 20 10 di ss ol v i n g ourst ayof th e d i str i ct c o urt’ s o rd e r. U n derou rci r cu i tru l e g ov ern i n g em er g en cy m ot i on s, th e St at e n ow seeks r ec on si de r at i onof

ouror de rdi ss ol v i n g th e s t ayan d r eq u es t s r el i ef byt od ay , M ay 24, 2010. I tdoes so onth e basi s of a ser i es of

f u n dam en t alm i su n der st an di n g s of H ayw ard . I t s m ot i onf

orr econ si der at i oni s th er ef or e den i ed. 2 I. O ur e n b a nc d e c i s i o n i n H ayw ard e s ta b l i s he s the l a w tha t go ve rns o ur de t erm i n at i onof

po st - AE D PA f

ed er alh ab ea s c l ai m s i nw h i cha C al i f orn i a p r i so n er4

a s s e rts tha t he w a s d e ni e d p a ro l e i n the a b s e nc e o f “ s o me e vi d e nc e ” ; i . e . , s o me e v i d e n c e th a th e c u rr e n t l y p o s e s a th r e a tt o p ub l i c s a f e ty . I ns u c h c a s e s , H

ayw ard h el d th at co u rt s i nth i s c i r cu i t. . . [ mu st ] de ci de w h eth erth e C al i f orn i a j u di ci al deci si onappr ov i n g th e g o ve rn or ’s [ orth e par ol e boar d’s] deci si on r e j e c t in g p a r o le w a s a n “ u n r e a s o n a b le a p p lic a t io n ” o f th e C a lifo rn ia “ s o m e e v id e n c e ” r e q u ir e m e n t , o rw a s “ b a s e d o na nu n r e a s o n a b le d e t e rm i n a t i o no f

th e f a c t s i nl i g h to f

th e e v i d e n c e .” H ayw ard , s lip o p . a t6 3 3 0 ( q u o t in g 2 8 U . S . C . § 2 2 5 4 ( d ) ( 1 ) - ( 2 ) ) . T h a th o ld in g is bi n di n g onu s. Th e St at e ci t es H

ayw ard f o r thre e p ro p o s i ti o ns tha t a re i nc o ns i s te nt w i th the ho l d i ng s e t f

o rth a b o ve . In re vi e w i ng the S ta te ’ s a rgume nts , w e d o s o w i th the u n der st an di n g th atw e mu stl ook t o th e enban c cou rt ’s holdi ngs , a nd th a t o th e rs seeki n g t o u n der st an d H ayw ard ’ s me a ni ng mu s t, a s i n a l lc a s e s , d o l i k e w i s e . In as se rt i n g i t s a r g u m en t s, th e S t at e f ai l s t o f ol l ow th atel em en t ary pr i n cipl e. F i r st , al th ou g h th e St at e con cedes t h ata C al i f orn i a pr i son erh as a r i g h tt o a pa r ol e d ec i si onsupp ort ed by“ so m e e v i de n ce ” o f curr en tda n g er ou sn es s a s a m att er o f s ta te l aw , i tar g u es th atbe ca u se th e “ so m e e v i de n ce ” ru l e i s n ota r i g h tth at a ri s e s un d e r f

ederall a w , “ H

ayw ard est abl i sh ed th atth er e i s n o f eder alr i g h tt o a s o m e - e v i d e n c e r e v i e w .” I nf a c t , H ayw ard h el d j u stth e opposi t e. I th el d, as w e h av e n ot ed, th atf

eder alh abeas cou rt s m u s t “ de ci de w h eth erth e C al i f orn i a j u di ci al5

d e c is io na p p r o v in g th e g o v e rn o r ’ s d e c is io nr e j e c t in g p a r o le w a s a n‘ u n r e a s o n a b le ap pl i ca t i on ’ o f

th e C al i f orn i a ‘ so m e e v i de n ce ’ r eq u i r em en t , orw as ‘b as ed onan u n r ea so n ab l e d et erm i n at i onof th e f ac t s i nl i g h tof

th e e v i de n ce . ’” H

ayw ard , s lip o p . a t 6 3 3 0 . A f

e d e ra lc o urt ma y, o f

c o urs e , re vi e w a ha b e a s p e ti ti o n o nl y o n the g r ou n d th atth e pet i t i on er“ i s i ncu st ody i nv i ol at i onof th e C on st i tu t i onorl aw s or tre a ti e s o f

the U ni te d S ta te s . ” 2 8 U . S . C . § 2 2 5 4 (a ). W ha t the S ta te f a i l s to r ec og n i ze , h ow ev er , i s th atst at e- cr ea t ed r i g h t s m ayg i v e r i se t o l ibe rty i n t er es t s th at m a y b e e n f

o r c e d a s a m a t t e ro f

f e d e r a ll a w . S e e , e . g . , W ilk in s o n v . A u s tin , 545 U . S. 2 0 9 , 2 2 1 (2 0 0 5 ). S uc h w a s the c a s e i n H ayw ard . Byh ol di n g th ata f ed er alh ab ea s c o urt ma y re vi e w the re a s o na b l e ne s s o f the s ta te c o urt’ s a p p l i c a ti o n o f the C a l i f o rn i a “ s o m e e v i d e n c e ” ru l e , H ayw ard ne c e s s a ri l y he l d tha t c o mp l i a nc e w i th th e st at e r equ i r em en ti s m an dat ed by f eder all aw , speci f

i cal l y th e D u e Pr ocess C l au se . S i mi l a rl y, the S ta te a rgue s tha t H ayw ard pr eclu des r el i ef

u n derAED PA be ca u se i th el d th atth er e i s n o c l ea r l y es t ab l i sh ed Supr em e C ourtl aw u n de rw h i ch c o mp lia n c e w ith th e “ s o m e e v id e n c e ” s t a n d a r d is r e q u ir e d . A g a in , th e S t a t e c le a r ly mi s re a d s o ur o p i ni o n. W ha t H ayw ard s a y s is th a tth e S up r e m e C o u rth a s n o th e ld tha t “ s o me e vi d e nc e ” i s a rul e tha t mus t b e a p p l i e d i n a l ls ta te s re ga rd l e s s o f s ta te la w . I nth e c a s e b e fo r e u s , itis th e s t a t e la w th a tr e q u ir e s “ s o m e e v id e n c e ” ; a n d it6

i s th atst at e l aw th atg i v es r i se t o “ i n t er es t s” onth e p artof st at e p r i so n er s th atm ay b e e nf o rc e d a s a ma tte r o f

f e d e ra ll a w . T he p ri nc ip l e tha t s ta te l a w gi ve s ri s e to l ib e rty i n t e r e s t s th a tm a y b e e n f o r c e d a s a m a t t e ro f

f e d e r a ll a w i s l o n g - e s t a b l i s h e d . See i nf ra p a g e 1 0 - 1 1 . H

ayw ard cl ea r l y di d n otpr ec lu de r el i ef u n de rAE D PA . To the c o ntra ry, i t no t o nl y a nno unc e d tha t A E D P A a p p l i e d b ut i t a p p l i e d A E D P A to th e case bef

or e i t– t o Hay w ar d’s cl ai mth ath e w as den i ed par ol e i nth e absen ce of

“ s o m e e v i d e n c e .” T hi rd , the S ta te c o nte nd s tha t H ayw ard l i m i t s f eder alh abeas r ev i ew t o a c u r s o ry e x a m in a t io no f w he the ra s t a t e c o u rtid e n t ifie d a n d a p p lie d th e C a lifo rn ia

“ s o m e e v id e n c e ” r e q u ir e m e n t , r a th e rth a na ne x a m in a t io no f howth e s ta te c o urt ap pl i ed th e r eq u i r em en t . Ag ai n , th e S t at e’ s a r g u m en ti s b as ed ona f u n da m en t al m i sun de r st an di n g of

th e H ayw ard h o l d i n g q u o t e d a b o v e . H ayw ard s p e c ific a lly co m m an ds f

ed er alco u rt s t o e x am i n e th e r ea so n ab l en es s o f th e s t at e c ourt ’s a p p l i c a ti o n o f

the C a l i f o rni a “ s o me e vi d e nc e ” re q ui re me nt, a s w e l la s the re a s o na b l e ne s s o f

the s ta te c o urt’ s d e te rmi na ti o n o f the f a c ts i n l i ght o f

the e v i d e n c e . H

ayw ard , s l ip o p . a t 6 3 3 0 . T ha t c o mma nd c a n o nl y b e re a d a s re q ui ri ng a ne x a m in a t io no f howth e s t at e c ourtap pl i ed th e r eq u i r em en t . M or eo v er , af t er e x a m i n i n g th e p a rt i c u l a rs t a t e c o u rtd e c i s i o na ti s s u e , H ayw ard c o nc lud e d tha t the d i s tr i c t c o urt p ro p e rly d e ni e d th e w ri t b e c a us e “ [t ]h e re w a s s o me e vi d e nc e o f f utur e7

d a n g e r o u s n e s s ” j u s t ify in g th e d e n ia l o f p a r o le , s lip o p . a t6 3 3 1 , a n d n o tm e r e ly b e c a us e th e s ta te c o urt p urp o rt e d to i d e nt i f y s o me e vi d e nc e o f

f utur e da n g er ou sn es s. I nsh ort , th e H ayw ard c o urt i ts e l f

p e rf o rme d the f

unc ti o n tha t the S t a t e a r g u e s i tf

o rb a d e . I n d ub i t a b l y , H

ayw ard ne i the r a nno unc e d no r a p p l i e d the t es tn ow u r g ed byth e S t at e. In s um, no tw i ths ta nd i ng the S ta te ’ s a rgume nts to the c o ntra ry, o ur e n b a nc ho l d i ng i n H

ayw ard r eq u i r es f

ed er alco u rt s t o d ec i de pr ec i se l y w h ati tan n oun ce s tha t the y mus t d e c i d e : “ w he the r the C a l i f o rni a jud i c i a ld e c i s i o n a p p ro vi ng the go ve rno r’ s d e c i s i o n re

je c ti ng p a ro l e w a s a n ‘ unre a s o na b l e a p p l i c a ti o n’ o f the C a lifo rn ia ‘ s o m e e v id e n c e ’ r e q u ir e m e n t , o rw a s ‘ b a s e d o na nu n r e a s o n a b le det erm i n at i onof

th e f act s i nl i g h tof

th e ev i den ce. ’” Sl ip op. at6330 ( qu ot i n g 28 U .S .C . § 2 2 5 4 ( d ) ( 1 ) - ( 2 ) ) . I ne s t a b l i s h i n g th a tru l e , H ayw ard f o re c l o s e d a l lo f

the pr i n cipa lar g u m en t s m ad e b y th e S t at e i ni t s o r i g i n alm ot i ont o s t ayth e d i str i ct c o u rt ’ s o r d e rp e n d i n g a p p e a l , a n d n o w r e p e a t e d t o u s i ni t s m o t i o nf o rr e h e a r i n g . Th i s t i m e, h ow ev er , becau se th e enban c cou rth as r ej ect ed th e St at e’s ar g u m en t s, w e c ann o l on g eral l ow th os e a r g u m en t s t o s erv e a s a ba si s f ora s t ayof

th e d i str i ct c o urt’ s d e c i s i o n. II .8

I tt o o k th is c o urtm o r e th a nfo u ry e a r s t o r e s o lv e th e c r it ic a l q u e s t io nin H ayw ard : w h e th e rw e m a y r e v ie w th e h a b e a s c la im s a s s e rt e d b y C a lifo rn ia p r is o n e r s lik e P e a r s o n . D u r in g th is p e r io d a nu mb e ro f p e r s o n s w h o h a d b e e nh e ld e l i gib l e f o r re l e a s e b y p a ro l e b o a rd s re ma i ne d i n p ri s o n w hi l e w e c o ns i d e re d the l e g a li s s u e s r a i s e d b y th e S t a t e . N o w th a tw e h a v e i s s u e d o u re nb a n c d e c i s i o n , w e f i nd o nc e a ga i n tha t the S ta te i s ra i s i ng tho s e s a me i s s ue s a s a b a s i s f o r c o nti nui ng to ho l d i nd i vi d ua l s i n d e te nti o n, a nd tha t i n d o i ng s o i t a p p e a rs no t to c o mp re he nd the o p i ni o n a t w hi c h w e a rri ve d s o p a i nf ul l y a nd w i th s uc h d e l ib e ra ti o n. I na d d i t i o nt o r e

j e c t i n g th e th r e e p r i n c ip a la r g u m e n t s d i s c u s s e d a b o v e , w e w i l ltry t o cl ar i f

y som e cl osel y r el at ed ar g u m en t s su g g est ed by th e St at e, or p e rha p s s o me o f

the p ri nc ip a la rgume nts me re l y re s ta te d i n d i f f e re nt f o rms . T he S ta te ’ s mo ti o n s ugge s ts tha t o n the b a s i s o f a d i s c us s i o n i n H

ayw ard o f the di st i n ct i onbetw eenpar ol e an d g ood t i m e, th e St at e t akes t h e v i ew th atu n l i ke g ood ti me , p a ro l e i s no t s ub

je c t to ha b e a s re vi e w . O ur d i s c us s i o n o n tha t p o i nt, ho w e ve r, c o nc lud e s w i th the s ta te me nt tha t “ i n the absence of stat e law establ ishi ng otherw ise , th er e i s n o f eder alcon st i tu t i on alr equ i r em en tth atpar ol e be gra nte d i n the a b s e nc e o f ‘ s o me e vi d e nc e ’ o f

f uture d a nge ro us ne s s o r a nythi ng e l s e . ” S l ip o p . a t 6 3 2 7 (e mp ha s i s a d d e d ). T he S ta te a p p e a rs to ta k e the a b o ve q uo ta ti o n to me a n tha t the f e d e ra lC o ns ti tuti o n ne ve rre q ui re s a d he re nc e to a “ s o meI nth is p o rt io no f H ayw ard , w e e x p r e s s e d c o n c e rna b o u ta p o s s ib le 3 mi s re a d i ng o f

o ur p ri o r d e c i s i o ns i n Bi ggs v. Terhune , 3 3 4 F.3 d 9 1 0 (9 thC i r. 2 0 0 3 ) , Sa s s v . Ca l i

f o r n i a B o a r d

o f P r is o n T

e r ms , 4 6 1 F.3 d 1 1 2 3 (9 thC i r. 2 0 0 6 ), an d I ro ns v. C ar ey , 5 0 5 F. 3 d 8 4 6 (9 th C i r. 2 0 0 7 ). W e no te d tha t tho s e d e c i s i o ns sh ou l d n ot“ be r ead t o i mpl y th atth er e i s a f eder alcon st i tu t i on alr i g h tr eg ar dl ess of w he the r s ta te l a w e nti tl e s the p ri s o ne r to re l e a s e , ” a nd o ve rrul e d tho s e d e c i s i o ns on l y “ t o th e e x t en t[ th at ] th eym aybe r ea d t o m ea nth at . ” H ayw ard , sl ip o p. at 6 3 1 7 . W e d i d no t, ho w e ve r, d i s turb tho s e o p i ni o ns ’ ho l d i ngs w i th re ga rd to the f e d e ra l l y p ro te c te d l ib e rty i nte re s t c re a te d b y the s ta te l a w s a nd rul e s go ve rni ng the C a l i f o rni a p a ro l e s ys te m. 9 e vi d e nc e ” re q ui re me nt, e ve n i f a d he re nc e to tha t re q ui re me nt i s ma nd a te d b y s ta te l a w. Th e St at e i s i nerr or . W e assert ed cl ear l y th atth e U n i t ed St at es C on st i tu t i on do es n otes t ab l i sha uni

f orm f e d e ra lre q ui re me nt o f

“ s o me e vi d e nc e ” tha t a p p l i e s to p a ro l e d e c i s i o ns i n every st at e, an d th atn o s u chr eq u i r em en tex i st s “ i nth e a bs en ce o f s ta te l a w e s ta b l i s hi ng o the rw i s e . ” W e no te d tha t the s c o p e o f a ny f e d e ra ld ue pr oc es s r i g h tt o r el ea se onpa r ol e d ep en ds onth e “ subs t an t i v e s t at e l aw ” th at d e f i ne s the a ttrib ute s o f

the p a rti c ul a r p a ro l e s ys te m a t i s s ue , s l ip o p . a t 6 3 1 7 , a nd 3 w e r ec og n i ze d th atC al i f orn i a l aw expl i ci t l y cr ea t es a r i g h tt o r el ea se i nth e a bs en ce o f “ s o m e e v i d e n c e ” o f

c u rr e n td a n g e r o u s n e s s . I d. at63 27 - 30 . W e e mph as i ze d th at , al th ou g h th e C al i f

orn i a “ som e ev i den ce” r equ i r em en ti s en f or ceabl e on f e d e ra lha b e a s re vi e w , the f e d e ra lC o ns ti tuti o n d o e s no t “ c o ns tra i n[] o the r s ta te s to co n f ormt o th e C al i f

orn i a s y st em . ” I

d. at6330- 31.10

Li k e ma ny l ib e rty i nte re s ts tha t a re e nf o rc e a b l e und e r the f

e d e ra lD ue P ro c e s s C l a us e , a C a l i f

o rni a p ri s o ne r’ s ri ght to p a ro l e i n the a b s e nc e o f “ s o me e v id e n c e ” o f c u rr e n td a n g e r o u s n e s s a r is e s fr o ms t a t e la w . S lip o p . a t6 3 2 9 - 3 0 . I tis bey on d doubtth atst at e st atu t es, an d a f ort i oris ta te c o ns ti tuti o ns , “ ma y c re a te l ib e rty i nte re s ts i n p a ro l e re l e a s e tha t a re e nti tl e d to p ro te c ti o n und e r the D ue Pr oc es s C l au se . ” Bd . of P ar do ns v. Al l en , 4 8 2 U . S . 3 6 9 , 3 7 1 (1 9 8 7 ) (c i ti ng G re en ho l t

z v . I nm at es of

N eb . P en al

& C or r. C om

pl ex , 4 4 2 U .S . 1 , 1 2 (1 9 7 9 )) . In C a l i f o rn i a , th e “ s o m e e v i d e n c e ” r e q u i r e m e n ti s a c o mp o n e n to f th a tl ib e rty i n t e r e s t . A s t at e h as n o d u ty u n de rth e f ed er alC on st i tu t i ont o c r ea t e a n y pa r ol e s y st emat a ll, le ta lo n e a p a r o le s y s t e minw h ic h a p r is o n e rmu s tb e r e le a s e d u n le s s c e rt a in r e q u i r e m e n t s h a v e b e e ns a t i s f i e d . S e e G r e e n h o ltz , 4 4 2 U . S . a t 7 ; see al so H ayw ard , sl ip op. at6324- 25. O n ce a st at e cr eat es su ch a sy st em , h ow ev er , i tmu st oper at e i ti na m an n erth atcomport s w i th du e pr ocess. Th er e i s n oth i n g n ov elor unus ua la b o ut the l ib e rty i nte re s ts c re a te d b y the s ta te l a w s a nd rul e s go ve rni ng p a ro l e s ys te ms . It i s a b a s i c p ri nc ip l e o f f e d e ra ld ue p ro c e s s tha t “ [a ] l ib e rty i n t er es tm ayar i se [ n oton l y ] f r omth e C on st i tu t i oni t se l f , byr ea so nof

g u ar an t ee s i mpl i ci ti nth e w or d ‘ l ibe rty , ’ . . . [ bu tal so ] f r omanexpe ct at i onori n t er es tcr ea t ed byst at e l aw s o rpo l i ci es . ” W ilk in s o n v . A u s tin , 5 4 5 U .S . 2 0 9 , 2 2 1 (2 0 0 5 ).Th e C al i f orn i a Supr em e C ou rtr ecen t l y r ecog n i zed t h atth e l ow ercou rt s of 4 th e s t at e h av e a pp l i ed th e “ so m e e v i de n ce ” r eq u i r em en ti na m an n erth ath as pr od u ce d “ arbi tr ary r es u l t s. ” La w re nc e , 190 P. 3d at554- 55. 11 Th r ou g h i t s st at e st atu t ory an d con st i tu t i on all aw , C al i f orn i a h as cr eat ed a pa r ol e s y st emth ati n de pe n de n t l y r eq u i r es th e e n f or ce m en tof

ce rt ai npr oc ed u r al an d subst an t i v e r i g h t s, i n clu di n g th e r i g h tt o par ol e absen t“ som e ev i den ce” of c u rr e n td a n g e r o u s n e s s . H ayw ard , s l ip o p . a t6 3 2 7 - 3 0 ( d i s c u s s i n g , in te ra lia , I n re La w re nc e , 1 9 0 P . 3 d 5 3 5 (C a l . 2 0 0 8 ); In r e Sh a p u tis , 1 9 0 P . 3 d 5 7 3 (C a l . 2 0 0 8 ); a nd In r e R o s e n kr a n tz , 5 9 P . 3 d 1 7 4 (C a l . 2 0 0 2 )). C a l i f o rni a l a w gi ve s ri s e to a l ib e rty i nte re s t o n the p a rt o f

i ts p ri s o ne rs c o ve re d b y i ts p a ro l e s ys te m. H a vi ng g u ar an t eed t h e pr i son er s of th e st at e th atth ey w i l ln otbe den i ed a par ol e r el ease da t e a bs en t“ so m e e v i de n ce ” o f curr en tda n g er ou sn es s, C al i f orn i a i s n otpe rm i t t ed u n de rth e f

ed er alC on st i tu t i onarbi tr ar i l y t o d i sr eg ar d th e “ so m e e v i de n ce ” r e q u ir e m e n tina n y p a rt ic u la rc a s e . I tis th e r e fo r e o u ro b lig a t io n , a s w e h e ld in 4 H ayw ard , t o r e v ie w th e m e r it s o f a fe d e r a l h a b e a s p e t it io nb r o u g h tb y a C a lifo rn ia pr i son erw h o assert s th atth e deci si ont o den y h i mpar ol e w as n otsupport ed by

“ s o me e vi d e nc e ” o f

hi s c urre nt d a nge ro us ne s s . U nd e r A E D P A , thi s me a ns tha t w e r ev i ew “ w h eth erth e C al i f orn i a j u di ci aldeci si onappr ov i n g th e g ov ern or ’s [ or p a ro l e b o a rd ’ s ] d e c i s i o n re je c ti ng p a ro l e w a s a n ‘ unre a s o na b l e a p p l i c a ti o n’ o f the C a lifo rn ia ‘ s o m e e v id e n c e ’ r e q u ir e m e n t , o rw a s ‘ b a s e d o na nu n r e a s o n a b le12

de t erm i n at i onof

th e f ac t s i nl i g h tof

th e e v i de n ce . ’” H

ayw ard , sl ip op. at6330 (q uo ti ng 2 8 U .S .C . § 2 2 5 4 (d )( 1 )- (2 )) . II I. T h e C a lifo rn ia B o a r d o f P r is o nT e rm s fo u n d P e a r s o ns u it a b le fo rp a r o le in 2 0 0 3 , b ut the G o ve rno r re ve rs e d tha t d e c i s i o n a nd d e ni e d hi m p a ro l e i n 2 0 0 4 . T he di str i ctco u rtde t erm i n ed onAp r i l1, 20 08 th atth e G ov ern or ’s ac t i onv i ol at ed Pe ar so n ’s f

ed er aldu e p r oc es s r i g h t s. I f th e d i str i ctco u rt ’s de ci si oni s c orr ec t , as w e a r e b o u n d t o p r e s u m e a tth i s s t a g e o f th e p r o c e e d i n g s , Hilto n v . B r a u n s k ill , 481 U . S . 7 7 0 , 7 7 7 ( 1 9 8 7 ) , P e a r s o ns h o u ld h a v e b e e nr e le a s e d o np a r o le m o r e th a ns ix y ear s ag o. W e i ss u ed a s t ayof

th e d i str i ctco u rt ’s or de rso l ely be ca u se of th e p en de n cy o f o ur e n b a nc d e c i s i o n i n H ayw ard a nd the i s s ue s p re s e nte d i n tha t c a s e re ga rd i ng f e d e ra lha b e a s re vi e w o f C a l i f o rni a p a ro l e d e c i s i o ns , e s p e c i a l l y the “ s o me e vi d e nc e ” re q ui re me nt. W he n H ayw ard re s o l ve d th o s e i s s ue s i n a ma nn e r c o ntra ry t o th e St at e’s ar g u m en t s h er e, w e con clu ded th atth er e w as n o l on g eran y basi s f or a s ta y a nd the re f

o re d i s s o l ve d i t. G iv e no u rc o n c lu s io nth a tth e o n ly le g a l a r g u m e n t s a d v a n c e d b y th e S t a t e in i t s m ot i onf

orr ec on si de r at i onar e e n t i r ely w i th ou tm er i t , an d b ec au se th e S t at e h as13

oth erw i se pr ov i de d i n su f f i ci en tr ea so nt o r ei n st at e th e s t ay , w e d en y th e S t at e’ s mo ti o n f o r re c o ns i d e ra ti o n. DE NI E D.14 C o uns e lLi s ti ng M ar c G r ossm an , L aw O f f i ces of M ar c E. G r ossm an , U pl an d, C al i f orn i a, f or Pe t i t i on er - Ap pe l l ee . C ol l et t e C . C av al i er , D epu ty At t orn ey G en er al , SanD i eg o, C al i f orn i a, f or R e s p o nd e nt-A p p e l l a nt.