Opinion ID: 591428
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Successive Motions

Text: 6 A second or successive § 2255 motion may be dismissed if the judge finds that it fails to allege new or different grounds for relief and the prior determination was on the merits. Rule 9 of the Rules Governing § 2255 Proceedings. When a second motion raises old arguments, the petitioner has the burden of showing that the ends of justice require the court to reconsider the issues. Sanders v. United States, 373 U.S. 1, 15-17, 83 S.Ct. 1068, 1077-78, 10 L.Ed.2d 148 (1963). 7 In his first motion, Van Russell alleged that his plea in Count 2 was not voluntary because he was on drugs and confused due to a head injury. Even though represented by appointed counsel, he failed to submit any evidence in support of that claim. The district court determined that a hearing was not necessary and denied Van Russell's first motion on grounds that his plea to Count 2 was voluntary. Van Russell concedes that the issue of his competency was adjudicated in his first § 2255 motion. 8 In his second motion, Van Russell alleges that at the time of the plea hearing to Count 2, he was suffering from schizophrenia and epileptic seizures which rendered him incompetent to enter a guilty plea. However, there is not a shred of evidence on the record to support this claim. On appeal he contends that medical records exist which demonstrate empirically that he was incapable of a voluntary guilty plea. He contends that the ends of justice warrant consideration of his new allegation of incompetency. He alleges that the district court erred in failing to hold an evidentiary hearing to consider his medical records. 9 There are two glaring deficiencies in this argument. First, and most importantly, there is no evidence to be reviewed. At no time has Van Russell produced any medical records or attempted to subpoena such records. Van Russell attributes this to his status as a poorly educated pro se litigant, when, in fact, he has been represented by appointed counsel in both of his § 2255 proceedings. Van Russell actually wrote his Federal Defender with a list of hospitals where his records could allegedly be found. Van Russell's bald allegations unsupported by any evidence do not provide a basis for an evidentiary hearing. See Humphrey v. United States, 896 F.2d 1066, 1070 (7th Cir.), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 111 S.Ct. 342, 112 L.Ed.2d 306 (1990) (unsupported allegations do not warrant a hearing). 10 Second, where a factual matter is at issue an evidentiary hearing may be warranted on a successive § 2255 motion alleging the same ground only if the evidentiary hearing on the first motion lacked fairness and was incomplete. Sanders v. United States, 373 U.S. 1, 16-17, 83 S.Ct. 1068, 1077-78, 10 L.Ed.2d 148. Although the district court did not hold an evidentiary hearing, none was necessary. Humphrey, 896 F.2d at 1070. Van Russell presented no evidence to support his claim of incompetence nor did he suggest that any existed. The trier of fact was the sentencing judge, and after carefully reviewing the transcripts, she determined that Van Russell's plea was voluntary. 11 Van Russell cites Townsend v. Twomey, 452 F.2d 350, 354 (7th Cir.1971), cert. denied, 409 U.S. 854, 93 S.Ct. 190, 34 L.Ed.2d 98 (1972) to support his contention that the ends of justice warrant consideration of his motion. Townsend does not support his position. In Townsend, the court noted that a petitioner bears the burden of showing that relevant facts were not fully developed in his first motion. Van Russell does not argue that the court failed to fully develop the facts; instead he argues that because he failed to assemble his medical records and present them on the first petition, the facts were not fully developed. A petitioner's own failure to adequately present his case cannot deprive him of a full and fair hearing. 12 Van Russell also cites Kyle v. United States, 297 F.2d 507 (2d Cir.1961), cert. denied, 377 U.S. 909, 84 S.Ct. 1170, 12 L.Ed.2d 179 (1964) for the proposition that where new evidence surfaces an evidentiary hearing is required to satisfy the ends of justice. In Kyle, the evidence discovered after the first § 2255 motion was denied had been suppressed by the government, a circumstance which the court held altered the situation enough to warrant an evidentiary hearing. But there has been no subterfuge here; Van Russell has access to the alleged evidence. 13 Van Russell cannot demonstrate that the ends of justice require that his second motion be considered. His allusions to old medical records are inadequate. 1 Since he was assisted by counsel in both of his § 2255 motions, there is no excuse for his not producing them in his earlier motion. This is precisely the type of carelessness and abuse of process that Rule 9 is designed to curb and that we will not tolerate.