Case Name: STATE ex rel. John E. SPELLMAN v. STATE of Louisiana
Court: Louisiana Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: Louisiana
Decision Date: 2016-01-15
Citations: 182 So. 3d 963
Docket Number: No. 2015-KH-1613
Parties: STATE ex rel. John E. SPELLMAN v. STATE of Louisiana.
Judges: 
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Third Series
Volume: 182
Pages: 963–964

Head Matter:
STATE ex rel. John E. SPELLMAN v. STATE of Louisiana.
No. 2015-KH-1613.
Supreme Court of Louisiana.
Jan. 15, 2016.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM:
ITDenied. Relator fails-to-identify an illegal term in his sentence, and therefore, his filing is properly construed as an application for post-conviction relief. See State v. Parker, 98-0256 (La.5/8/98), 711 So.2d 694. As such, it is subject to the time limitation set forth in La.C.Cr.P. art. 930.8. Relator's application was not timely filed in the district court, and he fails to carry his burden to show that an exception applies. La.C.Cr.P. art. 930.8; State ex rel. Glover v. State, 93-2330 (La.9/5/95), 660 So.2d 1189. In addition, the application is repetitive. La.C.Cr.P. art. 930.4.
Relator has now fully litigated numerous applications for post-conviction relief in state court. Similar to federal habeas relief, see '28 U.S.C. § 2244, Louisiana post-conviction procedure envisions the filing of a second or successive application only under the narrow circumstances provided in La.C.Cr.P. art. 930.4 and within the limitations period as set out in La.C,Cr.P. art. 930.8. Notably, the Legislature in 2013 La. Acts 251 amended that article to make the procedural bars against successive filings mandatory. Relator's claims have now been fully litigated in accord with La.C.Cr.P. art. 930.6, arid this denial is final. Hereafter, 12unless he can show that one of the narrow exceptions authorizing the filing of a successive application applies, relator has exhausted his right to state collateral review. The District Court is ordered to record a minute entry consistent with this per curiam.