Opinion ID: 761794
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Failure to Disclose Documents

Text: 31 In his third claim relating to his underlying state-court conviction, Trevino argues that the State of Texas suppressed records material to the punishment phase of the trial in violation of Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83, 83 S.Ct. 1194, 10 L.Ed.2d 215 (1963). Specifically, Trevino maintains that the state refused to disclose material records regarding Trevino's upbringing in the possession of the Harris County Independent School District, Child Protective Services, and the Texas Youth Council. 32 The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals rejected Trevino's Brady contention on the basis of specific findings. First, the court found that Trevino either had possession of the allegedly suppressed records or that he could have obtained them through the exercise of reasonable diligence. 4 Second, the court found that the allegedly suppressed records were not material. 5 Therefore, the court found that Trevino was not entitled to relief under Brady. 33 Trevino is not entitled to a COA on this issue because he cannot overcome the deference we must afford these state-court findings under AEDPA. To prevail on a Brady claim, Trevino must show that the evidence was suppressed by the prosecution; that the evidence was favorable to the defense; and that the evidence was material. See id. at 87, 83 S.Ct. 1194. Whether documents must be produced and whether they are material under Brady is a mixed question of law and fact. See Brown v. Cain, 104 F.3d 744, 750 (5th Cir.), cert. denied, 520 U.S. 1195, 117 S.Ct. 1489, 137 L.Ed.2d 699 (1997); Kennedy, 54 F.3d at 682. Given this standard, we cannot say that the state habeas court's application of Brady was unreasonable. Trevino has made no attempt to rebut the presumption of correctness we must afford the state court's findings that Trevino could have obtained all of the information at issue with reasonable diligence and that the records were not material. The state court's conclusion that the prosecution had no Brady obligation to produce these records for Trevino is therefore not an unreasonable application of clearly established federal law. See Lucas v. Johnson, 132 F.3d 1069, 1082 (5th Cir.1998) (denying habeas relief on Brady issue because petitioner presented no convincing evidence that casts doubt on the state court's factual findings); Brown, 104 F.3d at 749 (finding no Brady violation where habeas applicant presented no evidence rebutting state habeas court's finding that relevant evidence was not exculpatory). We find that Trevino has not made a substantial showing of the denial of a constitutional right on this issue, and we therefore deny Trevino's request for a COA.