Clark v. Sheldon

District Court, N.D. Ohio

Clark v. Sheldon

Trial Court Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT NORTHERN DISTRICT OF OHIO WESTERN DIVISION MARCUS L. CLARK, SR., ) CASE NO. 3:19CV1366 ) Petitioner, ) JUDGE CHRISTOPHER A. BOYKO ) vs. ) ) WARDEN EDWARD SHELDON, ) OPINION AND ORDER ) Respondent. ) CHRISTOPHER A. BOYKO, J: Pro se petitioner Marcus L. Clark, Sr. is confined at the Mansfield Correctional Institution in Mansfield, Ohio. On June 12, 2019, he filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus pursuant to

28 U.S.C. § 2254

in connection with his October 2017 conviction in the Lucas County Court of Common Pleas pursuant to Ohio Rev. Code § 2921.05(B) and (C) (Case No. CR-17-1343) for which he was sentenced to a period of eighteen months. (ECF DKT #1). In the Petition, Clark asserts two grounds for relief: (1) his conviction was against the manifest weight of the evidence; and (2) the trial court erred in denying his motion to dismiss the indictment. An application for a writ of habeas corpus by a person in state custody pursuant to a state court judgment shall not be granted unless it appears that the petitioner has exhausted all state court remedies. See Manning v. Alexander,

912 F.2d 878, 880-81

(6th Cir. 1990) (citing

28 U.S.C. § 2254

(b), (c) and collecting cases). “The exhaustion requirement is satisfied when the highest court in the state in which the petitioner was convicted has been given a full and fair opportunity to rule on the petitioner’s claims.”

Id.

(citing among authority Justices of Boston Mun. Court v. Lydon,

466 U.S. 294, 302-03

(1984)). It is Clark’s burden to establish that he has properly and fully exhausted his available state court remedies with respect to his habeas claims for relief. See Prather v. Rees,

822 F.2d 1418

, 1420 n.3 (6th Cir. 1987) (citing Hopkins v. State,

524 F.2d 473, 474-75

(5th Cir. 1975)). But for each ground asserted, Clark indicates on the face of the Petition that his post-conviction

proceedings remain pending. (See ECF DKT #1 at 6-7). Because Clark has not fully exhausted his state court remedies, his § 2254 petition must be dismissed. For all of the foregoing reasons, Clark’s petition for a writ of habeas corpus is dismissed pursuant to Rule 4 of the Rules Governing Section 2254 cases. Clark’s motion to consolidate is moot and denied as such. (ECF DKT #4). The Court certifies pursuant to

28 U.S.C. § 1915

(a)(3) that an appeal from this decision could not be taken in good faith, and there is no basis upon which to issue a certificate of appealability.

28 U.S.C. § 2253

; Fed. R. App. P. 22(b).

IT IS SO ORDERED. s/Christopher A. Boyko CHRISTOPHER A. BOYKO United States District Judge Dated: August 13, 2019

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