Rozzelle v. Secretary, Florida Department of Corrections
2012 U.S. App. LEXIS 4114
| 11th Cir. | 2012Background
- Rozzelle was convicted in Florida state court of second-degree murder after a trial that included a heat-of-passion/ depraved-mind debate.
- On direct appeal Florida First District affirmed; no opinion issued.
- Rozzelle later filed a 3.850 postconviction motion; it was denied and affirmed on appeal.
- Rozzelle filed a federal 28 U.S.C. § 2254 petition titled as untimely due to AEDPA’s one-year limit.
- The district court treated the petition as governed by the actual-innocence gateway to AEDPA, but concluded no valid actual-innocence showing existed and dismissed the petition as untimely.
- The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the district court, rejecting Rozzelle’s actual-innocence argument and sustaining the time-bar.
Issues
| Issue | Plaintiff's Argument | Defendant's Argument | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whether an actual-innocence gateway can excuse AEDPA’s time bar. | Rozzelle asserts actual innocence via new reliable evidence. | State argues no valid actual-innocence gateway exists for AEDPA tolling. | No cognizable actual-innocence gateway to AEDPA here. |
| Whether Rozzelle's new evidence constitutes 'new reliable evidence' under Schlup to support actual innocence. | New evidence undermines depraved-mind intent; supports heat-of-passion. | Evidence is largely cumulative and does not undermine guilt beyond reasonable doubt. | Evidence insufficient to meet Schlup's 'new reliable evidence' standard. |
| Whether the alleged actual-innocence claim can bypass procedural default or exhaustional barriers. | Actual innocence should bypass AEDPA bar. | No bypass absent the stringent Schlup standard. | Actual innocence not shown to excuse the time bar. |
| Whether the district court correctly analyzed the Suspension Clause question by addressing actual innocence. | Suspension Clause requires a constitutional exception for actual innocence. | Court need not decide Suspension Clause due to failure on actual innocence. | Court did not reach Suspension Clause question due to lack of cognizable actual innocence. |
Key Cases Cited
- Schlup v. Delo, 513 U.S. 298 (1995) (actual-innocence gateway for procedurally defaulted or time-barred claims requires new reliable evidence)
- House v. Bell, 547 U.S. 518 (2006) (reiterates strict Schlup standard for actual innocence evidence)
- Johnson v. Fla. Dep't of Corr., 513 F.3d 1328 (11th Cir. 2008) (an actual-innocence gateway to AEDPA review; requires new reliable evidence)
- McKay v. United States, 657 F.3d 1190 (11th Cir. 2011) (discusses limits of actual-innocence in noncapital sentencing context; factual vs legal innocence)