Hughes v. Stenseth

U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota

Hughes v. Stenseth

Trial Court Opinion

               UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT                             
                   DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA                                


Robert Michael Hughes,             Case No. 24-cv-3713 (LMP/DLM)        

              Petitioner,                                               

v.                                       REPORT AND                     
                                      RECOMMENDATION                    
Lisa Stenseth, Warden,                                                  

              Respondent.                                               


   Petitioner Robert Michael Hughes challenges his state court convictions for first-
degree premediated murder and second-degree intentional murder for the 2005 shooting 
death of his wife. (Doc. 2). Mr. Hughes has sought habeas corpus relief previously from 
his convictions and sentence. Hughes v. King, No. 10-cv-0450 (MJD/SRN), 
2010 WL 1576821
, at *1 (D. Minn. Mar. 4, 2010), R. & R. adopted, 
2010 WL 1576820
 (D. Minn. 
Apr. 20, 2010). That habeas petition was denied as untimely. Now, nearly fourteen years 
later, Mr. Hughes seeks habeas relief again.                              
   Under 
28 U.S.C. § 2244
(b)(3)(A), a habeas petitioner in custody pursuant to a 
judgment of a state court filing a “second or successive” petition for a writ of habeas corpus 
must “move in the appropriate court of appeals for an order authorizing the district court 
to consider the application.” Mr. Hughes has not received the necessary authorization from 
the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals to seek habeas relief from his conviction and sentence 
for a second time. Because Mr. Hughes does not have the necessary authorization, this 
Court lacks jurisdiction over his successive habeas petition. See Burton v. Stewart, 
549 U.S. 147, 152
 (2007). Accordingly, the petition should be denied without prejudice and 
this case dismissed. Finally, because the basis on which dismissal is recommended is not 

fairly debatable, it is further recommended that a certificate of appealability not be issued 
here.  See 
28 U.S.C. § 2253
(c); Slack v. McDaniel, 
529 U.S. 473, 478
 (2000). 
                     RECOMMENDATION                                     
   Based  on  all  the  files,  records,  and  proceedings  in  this  case,  IT  IS 
RECOMMENDED that:                                                         

   1.   Petitioner Robert Michael Hughes’s petition for a writ of habeas corpus 
        (Doc. 2) be DENIED WITHOUT PREJUDICE for lack of jurisdiction;  

   2.   This action be DISMISSED; and                                   

   3.   No certificate of appealability be issued.                      

Dated: October 8, 2024          _s/Douglas L. Micko____________         
                                DOUGLAS L. MICKO                        
                                United States Magistrate Judge          

                           NOTICE                                       

Filing Objections:  This Report and Recommendation is not an order or judgment of the 
District Court and is therefore not appealable directly to the Eighth Circuit Court of 
Appeals.                                                                  

Under Local Rule 72.2(b)(1), “a party may file and serve specific written objections to a 
magistrate judge’s proposed finding and recommendations within 14 days after being 
served  a  copy”  of  the  Report  and  Recommendation.  A  party  may  respond  to  those 
objections within 14 days after being served with a copy of the objections. See Local 
Rule 72.2(b)(2). All objections and responses must comply with the word or line limits set 
forth in Local Rule 72.2(c).                                              

Trial Court Opinion

               UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT                             
                   DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA                                


Robert Michael Hughes,             Case No. 24-cv-3713 (LMP/DLM)        

              Petitioner,                                               

v.                                       REPORT AND                     
                                      RECOMMENDATION                    
Lisa Stenseth, Warden,                                                  

              Respondent.                                               


   Petitioner Robert Michael Hughes challenges his state court convictions for first-
degree premediated murder and second-degree intentional murder for the 2005 shooting 
death of his wife. (Doc. 2). Mr. Hughes has sought habeas corpus relief previously from 
his convictions and sentence. Hughes v. King, No. 10-cv-0450 (MJD/SRN), 
2010 WL 1576821
, at *1 (D. Minn. Mar. 4, 2010), R. & R. adopted, 
2010 WL 1576820
 (D. Minn. 
Apr. 20, 2010). That habeas petition was denied as untimely. Now, nearly fourteen years 
later, Mr. Hughes seeks habeas relief again.                              
   Under 
28 U.S.C. § 2244
(b)(3)(A), a habeas petitioner in custody pursuant to a 
judgment of a state court filing a “second or successive” petition for a writ of habeas corpus 
must “move in the appropriate court of appeals for an order authorizing the district court 
to consider the application.” Mr. Hughes has not received the necessary authorization from 
the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals to seek habeas relief from his conviction and sentence 
for a second time. Because Mr. Hughes does not have the necessary authorization, this 
Court lacks jurisdiction over his successive habeas petition. See Burton v. Stewart, 
549 U.S. 147, 152
 (2007). Accordingly, the petition should be denied without prejudice and 
this case dismissed. Finally, because the basis on which dismissal is recommended is not 

fairly debatable, it is further recommended that a certificate of appealability not be issued 
here.  See 
28 U.S.C. § 2253
(c); Slack v. McDaniel, 
529 U.S. 473, 478
 (2000). 
                     RECOMMENDATION                                     
   Based  on  all  the  files,  records,  and  proceedings  in  this  case,  IT  IS 
RECOMMENDED that:                                                         

   1.   Petitioner Robert Michael Hughes’s petition for a writ of habeas corpus 
        (Doc. 2) be DENIED WITHOUT PREJUDICE for lack of jurisdiction;  

   2.   This action be DISMISSED; and                                   

   3.   No certificate of appealability be issued.                      

Dated: October 8, 2024          _s/Douglas L. Micko____________         
                                DOUGLAS L. MICKO                        
                                United States Magistrate Judge          

                           NOTICE                                       

Filing Objections:  This Report and Recommendation is not an order or judgment of the 
District Court and is therefore not appealable directly to the Eighth Circuit Court of 
Appeals.                                                                  

Under Local Rule 72.2(b)(1), “a party may file and serve specific written objections to a 
magistrate judge’s proposed finding and recommendations within 14 days after being 
served  a  copy”  of  the  Report  and  Recommendation.  A  party  may  respond  to  those 
objections within 14 days after being served with a copy of the objections. See Local 
Rule 72.2(b)(2). All objections and responses must comply with the word or line limits set 
forth in Local Rule 72.2(c).                                              

Reference

Status
Unknown