Opinion ID: 2997392
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Request to Conduct Discovery

Text: As an alternative to a grant of habeas relief, Hubanks requests leave to conduct discovery pursuant to his claim that the police destroyed the trial exhibits in bad faith. Rule 6(a) of the Rules Governing § 2254 Cases provides that a petitioner can invoke discovery, but only “if and to the extent that, the judge in the exercise of his discretion and for good cause shown grants leave to do so, but not otherwise.” See Bracy v. Gramley, 520 U.S. 899, 904, 117 S.Ct. 1793, 138 L.Ed.2d 97 (1997). In order to satisfy the two requirements of the Rule 6(a) test, Hubanks must: (1) make a colorable claim showing that the underlying facts, if proven, constitute a constitutional violation; and (2) show “good cause” for the discovery. Henderson v. Walls, 296 F.3d 541, 553 (7th Cir. 2002), vacated on other grounds, 537 U.S. 1230, 123 S.Ct. 1354, 155 L.Ed.2d 194 (2003); see also Harris v. Nelson, 394 U.S. 286, 298-300, 89 S.Ct. 1082, 22 L.Ed.2d 281 (1969). Good cause, however, cannot exist where the facts alleged do not provide a basis for relief. Matta-Ballesteros v. Henman, 896 F.2d 255, 259 (7th Cir. 1990). The district court did not abuse its discretion in denying Hubanks’ motion. In Bracy, the petitioner sought leave to conduct discovery in order to prove his claim that corruption on the bench had deprived him of his right to a fair trial. The petitioner demonstrated good cause by submitting No. 04-1043 13 the trial judge’s indictment for fixing cases, proof of his own attorney’s admitted complicity in the scheme, and evidence that cases directly before and after his had been fixed. Bracy, 520 U.S. at 906-07. The evidence Hubanks offers is slight by comparison, for all of the reasons discussed in our analysis of his Youngblood claim. Moreover, the overall evidence against Hubanks was voluminous. Hubanks was found only hours after the assault, attempting to start the car that was stolen from the victim’s parents. When the police approached, he tried to discard the car keys and the jewelry he was carrying, which belonged to the victim. Furthermore, the victim positively identified Hubanks’ voice in a police lineup the morning after the attack, and enzyme analysis of the victim’s underwear could not rule out Hubanks as an assailant. In this context, the district court exercised appropriate discretion in denying further discovery.