Ex Parte Kerr
Ex Parte Kerr
Dissenting Opinion
dissenting statement in which JOHNSON, J., joined.
For the first time in this subsequent application for writ of habeas corpus, the applicant alleges that his death sentence is constitutionally tainted by the ineffective
The applicant recognizes that this claim could have been raised in his initial application for writ of habeas corpus that was filed in 2004. It was not, he alleges with ample justification, because his original state habeas counsel was also constitutionally ineffective. Indeed, original state ha-beas counsel raised only record-based or non-cognizable claims on his behalf, and appears to have conducted no investigation into the constitutional effectiveness of the applicant’s trial attorneys with respect to developing a case for mitigation. The applicant acknowledges that this Court has held that there is no constitutional right to effective representation in a post-conviction writ, and that a claim of ineffectiveness of original habeas counsel therefore does not count as an exception to the abuse of the writ doctrine as codified in Article 11.071, Section 5(a), of the Code of Criminal Procedure,
Without comment or elaboration, the Court today simply dismisses the applicant’s subsequent writ application as an abuse of the writ under Article 11.071, Section 5. As I did recently in Cleve Foster’s subsequent state application for writ of habeas corpus,
To the Court’s enduring complacency and willingness to let the Supreme Court do all its heavy lifting when it comes to death-penalty jurisprudence, I continue to dissent.
. 539 U.S. 510, 123 S.Ct. 2527, 156 L.Ed.2d 471 (2003).
. Tex.Code Crim. Proc. art. 11.071, § 5(a).
. 70 S.W.3d 103 (Tex.Crim.App. 2002).
. Foster v. Texas, — U.S. -, 131 S.Ct. 1848, 179 L.Ed.2d 797 (2011). After initially denying Foster’s cert petition, the Supreme Court entertained his motion for reconsideration and granted a stay of execution. The question presented in Foster's petition for cer-tiorari is: "Whether the rights to equal protection, due process, and access to the courts demand that condemned prisoners be afforded the effective assistance of counsel in pursuing state habeas remedies with respect to claims, such as innocence and ineffective assistance of trial counsel, that can only be raised in state habeas proceedings and if not raised there are thereafter barred?"
. Ex parte Foster, 2010 WL 5600129 (Tex.Crim.App., No. WR-65,799-02, decided Dec. 30, 2010) (not designated for publication) (Dissenting Statement of Price, J.).
. Ex parte Graves, supra, at 118-25 (Price, J., dissenting).
. See Ex parte Foster, supra, at *2 (“I would stay the applicant’s execution in this cause and file and set it to examine two questions: First, whether we should regard a colorable claim of ineffective assistance of original ha-beas counsel as a newly available fact for purposes of [Article 11.071,] Section 5(a)(1) and (e); or, failing that, whether we should recognize a claim of ineffective assistance of original habeas counsel as, at least, a non-statutory gateway for raising discrete constitutional claims that would otherwise be barred under Article 11.071, Section 5.”).
.The day before it stayed Foster's execution, the Supreme Court stayed the execution of an Arizona inmate pending its consideration of his petition for certiorari. Cook v. Arizona, - U.S. -, 131 S.Ct. 1847, 179 L.Ed.2d 771 (2011). The question presented in Cook's petition for certiorari is: "[Wjhether Petitioner is entitled under the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments to have effective post conviction counsel to raise [claims that can only be asserted in a post-conviction proceeding], because that proceeding represents Petitioner’s first review allowed by the Arizona courts for such claims.”
Opinion of the Court
ORDER
This is a subsequent application for writ of habeas corpus filed pursuant to the provisions of Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Article 11.071, § 5.
In March 2003, a jury convicted applicant of the offense of capital murder. The jury answered the special issues submitted pursuant to Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Article 37.071, and the trial court, accordingly, set applicant’s punishment at death. This Court affirmed applicant’s conviction and sentence on direct appeal. Kerr v. State, No. AP-74,637 (Tex.Crim.App. Jan. 12, 2005) (not designated for publication).
In October 2004, applicant filed in the trial court his initial post-conviction application for writ of habeas corpus. This Court denied applicant relief. Ex parte Kerr, No. WR-62,402-01 (Tex.Crim.App. Aug. 31, 2005) (not designated for publication). Applicant filed his first subsequent application in the trial court in August 2006. This Court dismissed that application because it failed to meet the dictates of Article 11.071, § 5. Ex parte Kerr, No. WR-62,402-02, 2006 WL 3735400 (Tex. Crim.App. Dec. 20, 2006) (not designated for publication). This, his second subsequent application, was filed in the trial court on April 27, 2011.
Applicant presents a single allegation in his application in which he asserts that his initial state habeas counsel rendered ineffective assistance of counsel which ineffectiveness denied applicant a proper review of his ineffective assistance of trial counsel claims. We have reviewed the application and find that applicant has failed to meet the requirements of Article 11.071, § 5. Accordingly, we dismiss his application and deny his motion for stay of execution.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Ex Parte Cary KERR, Applicant
- Cited By
- 4 cases
- Status
- Published