Opinion
08-26-2013
ROMUALDO MENDOZA FUENTES, Petitioner, v. DIRECTOR, TDCJ-ID, Respondent.
MEMORANDUM ORDER ADOPTING
THE MAGISTRATE JUDGE'S REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION
Petitioner Romualdo Mendoza Fuentes, proceeding pro se, filed this petition for writ of habeas corpus pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254. The court referred this matter to the Honorable Keith F. Giblin, United States Magistrate Judge, at Beaumont, Texas, for consideration pursuant to applicable laws and orders of the court.
The magistrate judge has submitted a Report and Recommendation of United States Magistrate Judge concerning this matter. The magistrate judge recommends the petition be dismissed without prejudice for failure to exhaust state habeas remedies.
The court has received the Report and Recommendation of United States Magistrate Judge, along with the record, pleadings, and all available evidence. No objections were filed to the Report and Recommendation.
ORDER
Accordingly, the findings of fact and conclusions of law of the magistrate judge are correct and the report of the magistrate judge is ADOPTED. A final judgment will be entered dismissing the petition.
In addition, the court is of the opinion petitioner is not entitled to a certificate of appealability. An appeal from a final judgment denying habeas relief may not proceed unless a judge issues a certificate of appealability. See 28 U.S.C. § 2253. The standard for a certificate of appealability requires the petitioner to make a substantial showing of the denial of a federal constitutional right. See Slack v. McDaniel, 529 U.S. 473, 483-84 (2000); Elizalde v. Dretke, 362 F.3d 323, 328 (5 Cir. 2004). To make a substantial showing, the petitioner need not establish that he would prevail on the merits. Rather, he must demonstrate that the issues are subject to debate among jurists of reason, that a court could resolve the issues in a different manner, or that the questions presented are worthy of encouragement to proceed further. See Slack, 529 U.S. at 483-84. Any doubt regarding whether to grant a certificate of appealability should be resolved in favor of the petitioner, and the severity of the penalty may be considered in making this determination. See Miller v. Johnson, 200 F.3d 274, 280-81 (5 Cir. 2000).
In this case, the petitioner has not shown that the issue of whether he exhausted his state habeas remedies is subject to debate among jurists of reason. The factual and legal questions raised by petitioner have been consistently resolved adversely to his position and the questions presented are not worthy of encouragement to proceed further. As a result, a certificate of appealability shall not issue in this matter.
SIGNED at Beaumont, Texas, this 26th day of August, 2013.
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MARCIA A. CRONE
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE