546 F. App'x 641
9th Cir.2013Background
- Cain appeals district court’s dismissal of his habeas petition.
- District court held Cain failed to show actual innocence to excuse untimeliness under Schlup.
- Court holds district court failed to apply Schlup’s predictive standard and remands for merits review.
- Schlup allows gateway relief if it is more likely than not that no reasonable juror would convict given new evidence.
- House v. Bell provides guidance: Schlup requires probabilistic, not absolute, certainty and a holistic assessment of the record.
- District court’s credibility finding on the victim’s recantation was not properly applied under Schlup
Issues
| Issue | Plaintiff's Argument | Defendant's Argument | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whether the district court applied the correct Schlup standard | Cain argues district court failed to use Schlup’s predictive test | Cain’s burden was not met under district court’s view | District court failed to apply Schlup’s predictive standard |
| Whether Cain demonstrated actual innocence sufficient to pass Schlup gateway | Cain’s recantation credibility supports gateway | Recantation lacked credibility | Cain made the requisite showing of actual innocence to pass Schlup gateway |
| Disposition of the case after finding error in applying Schlup | Remand for merits review | Remand not necessary if no gateway shown | Vacated and remanded for merits review |
Key Cases Cited
- Schlup v. Delo, 513 U.S. 298 (Supreme Court 1995) (established the gateway actual-innocence standard for untimeliness in habeas petitions)
- House v. Bell, 547 U.S. 518 (Supreme Court 2006) (Schlup standard does not require absolute certainty; holistic, predictive assessment required)
- United States v. Hinkson, 585 F.3d 1247 (9th Cir. 2009) (en banc test for reviewing Schlup-based determinations: legal rule and application review)
- Lee v. Lampert, 653 F.3d 929 (9th Cir. 2011) (credible actual-innocence claim constitutes equitable gateway to AEDPA)