In re Eugenio Mendez

United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit · February 18, 2025 · No. 24-40753

Summary

This unpublished order from the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit denies movant Eugenio Fernandez Mendez’s motion seeking authorization to file a second or successive 28 U.S.C. § 2254 habeas corpus application. The court explains that under 28 U.S.C. § 2244(b), it cannot authorize claims previously raised in an initial application, nor can it authorize new claims unless the movant makes a prima facie showing that they rely on a newly made retroactive constitutional rule or could not have been discovered earlier with due diligence. Finding that Mendez failed to meet these statutory requirements, the court denies his request.

Court
United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
Writing for the Court
Stewart; Southwick; Higginson
Jurisdiction
United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
Decision date
February 18, 2025
Docket number
24-40753
Procedural posture
Motion for an order authorizing a successive 28 U.S.C. § 2254 application
Precedential value
nonprecedential
Parties
Eugenio Fernandez Mendez
Disposition
dismissed

Topics

post-conviction reliefsuccessive petitionshabeas corpusappellate procedurecriminal procedure

Practice areas

criminal procedure

Questions Presented

  1. Whether the movant satisfied the prima facie requirements of 28 U.S.C. § 2244(b)(2) and (b)(3)(C) to obtain authorization for a successive habeas petition.

Holdings

  1. The motion is denied because the movant failed to make the required showing under 28 U.S.C. § 2244(b)(2) and (b)(3)(C).

Key quotations

Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED that his motion for authorization to file a successive § 2254 application is DENIED. (at 1)

Factual background

Eugenio Fernandez Mendez, a Texas prisoner (ID #1159660), was convicted of murder. He alleges prosecutorial misconduct and ineffective assistance of counsel and seeks to file a successive habeas petition under 28 U.S.C. § 2254.

Procedural history

Movant filed a motion seeking authorization to file a second habeas petition; the Fifth Circuit denied the motion.

Court Document

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