Kenneth Lewis v. RJD
Kenneth Lewis v. RJD
Trial Court Opinion
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 9 SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 10 11 KENNETH LEWIS, Case No.: 25-CV-2209 JLS (VET)
12 Petitioner, ORDER DISMISSING HABEAS 13 v. ACTION AND DENYING CERTIFICATE OF 14 APPEALABILITY 15 RJD, (ECF No. 8) 16 Respondent. 17 18 Presently before the Court is Petitioner Kenneth Lewis’s Second Amended Petition 19 (“SAP,” ECF No. 8). On August 21, 2025, Petitioner, a state prisoner proceeding pro se, 20 filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus pursuant to
28 U.S.C. § 2254. See ECF No. 1. 21 On September 4, 2025, the Court dismissed the action because Petitioner failed to satisfy 22 the filing fee requirement and failed to state a cognizable claim. See ECF No. 2. The Court 23 notified Petitioner that to have his case reopened, he must both: (1) either pay the filing fee 24 or file an application to proceed in forma pauperis (“IFP”); and (2) file an amended petition 25 by October 17, 2025.
Id. at 4. 26 On September 25, 2025, Petitioner filed a Motion to Proceed IFP (“IFP Mot.,” ECF 27 4) and a First Amended Petition (“FAP,” ECF No. 3). On October 9, 2025, the Court 1 ECF No. 5. Judgment was entered on October 14, 2025. ECF No. 6. Despite the Court 2 declining to grant him leave to amend, Petitioner filed a Second Amended Petition on 3 November 13, 2025. See generally Docket. 4 Having reviewed the SAP, the Court declines to reopen the case. First, Petitioner 5 has yet to satisfy the filing fee requirement. And even if Petitioner had paid the fee, the 6 SAP suffers from the same pleading deficiencies as his previous petitions. Petitioner again 7 fails to raise a cognizable claim on federal habeas. He states only that he seeks 8 “resentencing,” but alleges no “violation of the Constitution or laws or treaties of the 9 United States” as required under
28 U.S.C. § 2254(a). See Hernandez v. Ylst,
930 F.2d 10 714, 719(9th Cir. 1991). In addition, Petitioner has again failed to allege exhaustion of 11 state judicial remedies, as required under
28 U.S.C. § 2254(b), (c). See Granberry v. Greer, 12
481 U.S. 129, 133–34 (1987). Therefore, even if Petitioner had satisfied the filing fee 13 requirement, the SAP would be subject to dismissal. See Rules Governing Section 2254 14 Proceedings, Rule 4(b),
28 U.S.C. § 2254(stating courts may summarily dismiss a habeas 15 petition “[i]f it plainly appears from the face of the petition and any attached exhibits that 16 the petitioner is not entitled to relief in the district court”). As such, the Court declines to 17 reopen the case. 18 / / / 19 / / / 20 / / / 21 / / / 22 / / / 23 / / / 24 / / / 25 / / / 26 / / / 27 / / / Accordingly, the case remains DISMISSED without further leave to amend. Furthermore, the Court DENIES a certificate of appealability because reasonable jurists would not find this Court’s dismissal debatable. See
28 U.S.C.A. § 2253(c)(2); Miller-El v. Cockrell,
537 U.S. 322, 327(2003) (stating a prisoner seeking a certificate of appealability must demonstrate jurists of reason could disagree with the district court’s resolution of his constitutional claims or that jurists could conclude the issues presented are adequate to deserve encouragement to proceed further). The Clerk of the Court SHALL close the file. IT IS SO ORDERED. Dated: December 11, 2025 . tt pen Janis L. Sammartino United States District Judge
Reference
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